Gary Neville calls Brendan Rodgers the Manager of the Season so far

Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville shocked viewers last night by saying that his manager of the season would be Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers.

Rodgers has taken Liverpool to the top of the Premier League, a feat that Neville feels puts him above other contenders for the title, Roberto Martinez, Alan Pardew, Arsene Wenger and Mauricio Pochettino.

“[For manager of the season,] you think about Roberto Martinez, Brendan Rodgers, Mauricio Pochettino. But I’ve gone for Brendan Rodgers,” Neville said on Sky Sports.

“If you said to me at the beginning of the season that Rodgers would get Liverpool to the top of the league by Christmas Day I would have said no chance.”

When pushed on why, by former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, Neville simply replied: “I didn’t think they were good enough.”

“To get Liverpool to the top of the league is a fantastic achievement – they were seventh last year,” he continued.

“Again, had you told me [they would be top] at the start of the season I would’ve said that is a sensational performance. To get Liverpool to first at this point of the season is a massive achievement. Chelsea, City, United, Arsenal, Tottenham, to be above those?”