Sports
25 Greatest Managers in Premier League History Ranked
Summary
- The 20 greatest managers in Premier League history have been ranked on factors including trophies won, longevity, and success relative to clubs managed.
- Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola have all secured their status as Premier League greats.
- Manchester United legend Sir Alex Ferguson has been ranked as the greatest manager of the Premier League era.
The Premier League has had some great managers in recent years. Pep Guardiola stands out as the greatest of his generation, but his dominant Manchester City side has been pushed all the way on a number of occasions, usually by Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool, while Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal have also kept them on their toes.
Guardiola is one of only four managers in the Premier League era to have won the league on more than one occasion – so how does he stack up against some of the all-time greats since the league’s 1992 rebrand? We’ve ranked the 20 best managers over the last 32 years of top-flight action…
Ranking factors
- Trophies won
- Longevity
- Success relative to clubs managed
25
Eddie Howe
Bournemouth, Newcastle United
Although tangible success has been few and far between for Eddie Howe, he’s proven there’s more to football management than just winning trophies. Forever touted as one of the best up-and-coming managers from England, the 47-year-old made a name for himself at Bournemouth as he led the Cherries from League Two to the Premier League all while on a shoestring budget.
His work on the south coast saw him picked up by Newcastle United, who have stuck by the Englishman ever since he made the move in late 2011. In a short space of time, the Magpies transformed from relegation fodder to regular challengers of the top six – in fact, the side from the northeast are often plying their trade in the Champions League as a result of Howe’s handywork.
24
Arne Slot
Liverpool
Yes, Jurgen Klopp may have left him a squad packed to the brim with talent, but Arne Slot won the Premier League at a canter in 2024/25 as he became just the fifth manager to win the English top flight (post-1992) at the first time of trying. He got the likes of Mohamed Salah firing on all cylinders and the Dutch tactician filled the shoes of the ever-lovable Klopp relatively routinely.
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Something that cannot be denied is how seamlessly he’s settled into life in England. There’s been the odd bump along the road, of course, but Slot’s clever eye for detail combined with his winning mentality is a certified recipe for success. He’ll long be the manager of Liverpool, one would assume, and that makes sense given how easy he made it look in his maiden campaign.
23
Roy Hodgson
Fulham, Watford, Crystal Palace, West Bromwich Albion, Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers
A managerial journeyman of sorts, the old and wily Roy Hodgson is a loveable figure among English football circles – and not just because of his colourful personality but with his tactics and in-the-dugout know-how too. His body at work at Fulham is, perhaps, his most memorable stint while being a manager; he was in charge of the Cottagers when they a) finished seventh and b) reached the Europa League final.
There is much less to scream and shout about when reflecting on his spell at Anfield, but he bounced back in charge of West Bromwich Albion, finishing in the top half of the Premier League. Across two stints, the 78-year-old took charge of Crystal Palace on 200 occasions as well – but his best ever finish came with Blackburn Rovers in 1996/97 when they finished sixth.
22
Martin O’Neill
Sunderland, Aston Villa, Leicester City
Having worked in the Premier League for around nine seasons, Martin O’Neill is a name remembered most by those associated with either Aston Villa or Leicester City. The latter were blessed with the charismatic Northern Irishman’s skills between 1995 and 2000 as he guided them to an eighth-placed finish in the concluding stages of his tenure.
He was also successful for the former, too, given that he turned the Villans into regular challengers for the top six of the Premier League. Gareth Barry, Gabriel Abonglahor and the like were at their very best with O’Neill in charge; and his 1.55 points-per game record as Villa Park head honcho is only bettered by Unai Emery, who can consider himself unforunate not to make the list.
21
Brendan Rodgers
Liverpool, Leicester City
Still in management, just north of the border with Celtic, there’s an argument that Brendan Rodgers did wonders in laying the framework for Klopp at Liverpool. The Reds came whiskers away from ending their wait for a Premier League title in 2013/14 with Rodgers at the helm – they finished two points short, of course, but the football on display was enough in itself for the 52-year-old to earn the respect of the Anfield faithful.
He also managed Leicester City in the Premier League. Albeit less eventful, he still managed to find some sort of success at the King Power Stadium in the form of winning the FA Cup and qualifying for Europa League football twice in 2020 and 2021.
20
Mikel Arteta
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta, in the grand scheme of things, is still in the early stages of his managerial career, but there is little not to like about what the Spaniard is doing at Arsenal. The former Gunners’ midfielder took over at the Emirates following Unai Emery’s sacking in 2019 and won his first trophy as manager a year later, clinching the 2020 FA Cup.
Arteta has dealt with big personalities extremely well during his time in charge, offloading the likes of Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and opting to build his team around younger players. His coaching was highly regarded when he was Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City, and it’s clear that he has improved the vast majority of Arsenal’s players.
19
Gerard Houllier
Liverpool, Aston Villa
Gerard Houllier managed two teams in the Premier League, but he is mostly remembered for his time in charge of Liverpool. The Reds finished in the top four of the Premier League in four of the six seasons that Houllier was in charge between 1998 and 2004.
Houllier’s best season as a manager in England was undoubtedly the 2000-01 campaign, when Liverpool won a cup treble consisting of the FA Cup, the League Cup and the UEFA Cup. Liverpool also won the Community Shield and the UEFA Super Cup in 2001, and Houllier was subsequently named as the manager in UEFA’s Team of the Year.
18
Sam Allardyce
Bolton, Newcastle, Blackburn, West Ham, Sunderland, Crystal Palace, Everton, West Brom, Leeds
Sam Allardyce has managed more Premier League clubs than any other coach, having taken charge of a grand total of nine. The former England manager gained a reputation as a long-ball manager over his time in the top flight, but that is far from the truth.
Allardyce was one of the first managers in England to really pay attention to statistics and analytics – something he picked up on during his time as a player for the Tampa Bay Rowdies in the 1980s. Allardyce realised that Americans were generally paying a lot more attention to detail in their sports and, when he became a manager, he decided to do the same.
His stats-based approach may not have led to his teams playing eye-catching football, but it certainly led to success on the pitch, with Bolton and West Ham in particular reaping the benefits of his approach.
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17
Kevin Keegan
Newcastle, Manchester City
Kevin Keegan took over at Newcastle in 1992, with the club on the brink of relegation to the third tier of English football. The Magpies avoided the drop and the following season they were promoted to the Premier League as Division One champions. In Newcastle’s first season back in the Premier League, Keegan guided them to a third-place finish, before a sixth-place finish the following campaign.
The 1995-96 season is the campaign that many remember Keegan’s Newcastle for, as they blew a 12-point lead at the top of the table to lose the title to Manchester United. On the way to doing so, Keegan came out with his famous “I would love it if we beat them” comment about Sir Alex Ferguson’s United, which has gone down in Premier League folklore.
16
Sir Bobby Robson
Newcastle United
Sir Bobby Robson is undoubtedly one of the greatest English managers of all time. Robson, who managed the Three Lions between 1982 and 1990, won trophies with Ipswich Town, PSV Eindhoven, Porto and Barcelona but there won’t be many fan-bases that remember him more fondly than Newcastle’s.
Newcastle were bottom of the Premier League when a 66-year-old Robson took over from Ruud Gullit in 1999, but he secured back-to-back mid-table finishes, before achieving Champions League qualification in 2002 and 2003. Newcastle fans fondly remember Robson for implementing an attacking style and bringing joy back to the club after Gullit’s dull, brief tenure.
Arsenal are Premier League champions, but that fact won’t stop Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta from pushing forward with plans to strengthen the team even further.
The Gunners will have their eyes on even more silverware, with plans to win the league title again, while the Champions League, FA Cup, and EFL Cup are also in their sights.
That means putting together an important summer to reinforce the squad, with a focus on not only bringing players in, but keeping the core that has delivered so much in recent seasons.
As a result, focus turns to the possible contract extensions, with work already underway to give a new deal to one key star in the Arsenal setup.
Arsenal Progress In Jurrien Timber Contract Talks
With plenty of the Arsenal squad still young and impressing at the highest level, it will be a challenge for those at the top to keep them together and competing for years to come.
With that in mind, Football London reports that talks are progressing well between the Gunners and Jurrien Timber over a fresh contract, with the defender described as “close” to agreeing the terms of a new deal.
The 24-year-old has impressed since joining from Ajax back in 2023 for a bargain £34 million fee, even with the first year of his stay in North London being wiped out due to an ACL injury early in his career with the club.
Timber’s current contract runs until 2028, and with Arsenal keen to keep the right-back and avoid an awkward final-year standoff, talks have been moving along in the right direction.
Timber has played 94 times for Arsenal so far, picking up six goals and 11 assists, providing a healthy balance of defensive prowess and attacking ability.
The Dutchman’s absence in the latter half of the current campaign has been a blow, outlining just how important he is when available, leading to the new deal.
How Good Is Jurrien Timber?
Timber’s importance to Arsenal cannot be understated, as he continues to provide defensive reassurance for a team built on being solid at the back.
He has also built up an impressive partnership with Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard on the right, creating a triangle of threats that the opposition find hard to stop.
If it’s unclear just how good Timber is, then his teammates have laid it out. William Saliba was asked earlier this season whether Timber is the best right-back in the world by CBS Sports, to which he said: “Yeah, by a mile! For me, by a mile…
“He is so, so good. One against one, it is impossible to beat him, and offensively, he is so good. I hope he will keep going like this, and he is a top, top player. He is one or two, for sure!”
Securing the future of such a player for the foreseeable is such a boost for Arsenal, before the hierarchy even consider new options to freshen up the squad.
A versatile right-back could be on the cards if Ben White leaves, though Cristhian Mosquera has filled in there when required this season.
Beyond that, the left wing and midfield continues to be an area of consideration for the Gunners, as the champions look to move from strength to strength.
Mikel Arteta finally got his hands on the Premier League trophy after three successive second-placed finishes. Arsenal won the 2025-26 title by seven points, ending a 22-year wait to take the trophy back to north London.
Despite being up against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City machine, the Gunners led the way for almost the entire season and were able to celebrate with their travelling support after a 2-1 win at Crystal Palace. Martin Odegaard became the club’s first captain to lift the iconic silverware since Patrick Vieira at the end of the ‘Invincibles’ campaign.
That 2003-04 Arsenal team is among the best in the division’s history and there will now be an argument made by some that the current Gunners squad are qualified to be in that conversation. However, Arteta snubbed both when naming the ‘best in Premier League history’.
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As mentioned, Arsenal have suffered heartbreak in the last three Premier League seasons. First, they had back-to-back second-place finishes behind Man City in 2022-23 and 2023-24, then they were runners-up to Arne Slot’s Liverpool in 2024-25.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the trophy lift at Selhurst Park, Arteta explained how hard it was to get over the line with talented teams pushing them all the way. He said: “We had to raise our level because you have opposition who are constantly asking that question of you.”
He went one step further when discussing the team chasing them this term. The Spaniard labelled Man City as the best team in the division’s history, and Guardiola as world football’s top manager, saying:
“In my opinion, we had the best team in the history of this competition pushing us. In Pep, by far he is the best manager in the world.
To do it with those circumstances and in the manner we did it, it is all about the we in this team. I loved every minute of it.”
That would put the Citizens ahead of Sir Alex Ferguson’s iconic Manchester United teams and Jurgen Klopp’s relentless Liverpool side. However, the period of dominance the men in sky blue have enjoyed under Guardiola is hard to argue with.
Arteta had first-hand experience of the juggernaut built at the Etihad over Guardiola’s 10-year spell as he worked as the Catalan-born tactician’s assistant manager. The first team to win the Premier League four times in a row and achieve 100 points in a single term are undeniably up there.
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Despite getting his team over the line, the 44-year-old has admitted he did have moments where he didn’t know if he was the right man to bring the title home. He was very honest as he claimed he now feels relief at finally getting it done.
He said: “There are doubts… I think doubts and an understanding that maybe, OK, I’ve been able to take them all the way here but maybe somebody else has to come and do the final job. But thank God. I feel a lot of joy and honestly a little bit of relief.
“I can control certain things but there are many things that are out of your hands, and that’s why you need the best people around you. Sometimes when you doubt yourself, to have people as well next to you to say, no, we’re going to do it and we’re going to do it with you.”
Nine years, 378 appearances and eight major trophies. Andy Robertson’s time at Liverpool is over, and the Scotland international said goodbye in a manner that’s earned him praise and admiration from supporters of Liverpool’s rivals.
Robertson will join Mohamed Salah in leaving the Reds this summer, bringing an end to an era that delivered a Champions League, and both of Liverpool’s Premier League titles. Their departures leave only Vigil van Dijk and Alisson as the only players still in the Liverpool fold today who started their Champions League final victory in 2019.
Robertson is almost certainly staying put in the Premier League and joining Tottenham, now that they’ve survived relegation, whilst Salah is highly tipped to be moving out of England to the Turkish Super Lig.
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Robertson started in Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Brentford on the final day of the Premier League season and was brought off in the 83rd minute, with Anfield full of applause for the Scot.
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His post-match interview with Sky Sports alongside Salah wasn’t what most people expected. Rather than focusing solely on his own departure, Robertson used the platform to pay tribute to two other figures also leaving English football on the same day:
“For me, there are two other people leaving clubs today that are pretty important,” Robertson said.
“Pep Guardiola pushed us to completely new limits, I think both of us would agree with that. He pushed us to completely new limits and we should have won more Premier Leagues if it wasn’t for that man. What a servant to Manchester City and I wish him all the best.”
Guardiola is set to leave City after ten years at the Etihad, a decade in which he turned Manchester City into the dominant force in English football. Guardiola will take up a role as an ambassador for the City Football Group, which owns Manchester City, highlighting that he won’t be going back into management for “a while.”
Robertson also took a moment to acknowledge Everton captain Seamus Coleman, another long-serving figure stepping away from top-flight football, in what was a genuinely warm and generous interview from a player who had every right to make it purely about himself.
The Reaction of Premier League Fans to Robertson’s Tribute
The interview struck a chord with supporters across the country, and the response on social media reflected it. A Manchester United fan admitted: “Never been a huge fan of Robertson but he’s earned my respect with that.”
A Manchester City supporter wrote: “This is absolutely class from Andy Robertson. The respect between City and Liverpool, Pep and Klopp & the players is incredible. It’s the end of perhaps the greatest rivalry the Premier League has seen, purely on the kind of football both teams played. You’ll never see it again.” And another summed him up as a “class act.”
Even Everton supporters, for whom Robertson has been a familiar pantomime villain over the years, found themselves won over. “This immediate face-turn from him as soon as he’s leaving them has left me quite astounded to be honest. He’s the one of theirs that I’ve hated the most all these years.” Another, more simply, offered: “Class act. Respect.”
A Liverpool supporter perhaps put it best: “What a guy Robbo is. A true professional and proper sound lad. What a privilege it has been to watch him play for Liverpool.”
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