Antonio Conte has rightly been applauded for bringing Chelsea out of their post-Jose Mourinho slumber to turn them into champions-in-waiting with a minimum of fuss. But if Claude Puel stops Mourinho from getting his hands on his first trophy as Manchester United boss in Sunday's EFL Cup final, he should be named manager of the year ahead of Conte.
Despite the sales of key trio Sadio Mane, Graziano Pelle and Victor Wanyama in the summer, Puel has already made history in his maiden season on the south coast by guiding Southampton to their first major Wembley final since losing to Nottingham Forest in the 1979 League Cup final.