April 2026 Premier League: Player and Manager of the Month Shortlist

April proved a turbulent month across the Premier League, with title hopes wobbling, a managerial dismissal at Chelsea and two clubs seeing relegation confirmed. There will be fresh winners in April after Mikel Arteta and Bruno Fernandes both failed to defend the gongs they won in March.

On the player side West Ham captain Jarrod Bowen tops the assist chart for April, teeing up four goals in three games. His first assist of the month set up the first of two goals Konstantinos Mavropanos has impressively mustered from center back, the same haul as Erling Haaland and Mohamed Salah.

Noah Okafor has contributed three goals in April to help Leeds move away from the division’s trap door. Morgan Gibbs-White scored three in one game for Nottingham Forest against Burnley, a performance that sparked a remarkable turnaround and eased relegation concerns at the City Ground. That display was part of Gibbs-White’s wider form: he is the Premier League’s joint-top scorer across the entirety of 2026. Brentford’s Igor Thiago is the only other player to hit double digits in this period.

Rayan Cherki brings a different sort of impact, combining flair with end product. “When I have the ball, I want people to say: ‘How did he do that? How did he see it?’” Cherki reflected earlier this season. Nico O’Reilly has also drawn gasps during April while the south coast duo Pascal Groß and Alex Scott receive belated recognition for their midfield contributions.

Manager nominations frame two contrasting battles. Pep Guardiola’s blunt criterion remains simple: “This is the easiest award,” the City boss once laughed. “Most points you do in a month is the Manager of the Month. So it’s simple.” Guardiola leads the raw points metric for April, collecting nine points out of nine while also advancing to the FA Cup final. Arne Slot’s Liverpool matched that perfect record, easing past Fulham and Crystal Palace either side of a dramatic Merseyside derby victory at Everton’s new home.

Brighton climbed from 10th to the top six across three matches; Fabian Hürzeler could find himself in the Champions League next season should that position hold and Aston Villa finish fifth. Andoni Iraola and Marco Rose are mentioned as managers who could steer their sides into Europe. At the other end Daniel Farke, Vítor Pereira and Nuno Espírito Santo remain focused on preserving Premier League safety, with Leeds and Forest appearing better placed while Nuno’s Hammers continue to scrap with Tottenham Hotspur.