The Premier League is regarded by many as the best division in world football. This means it’s little surprise that some of the greatest players and managers currently involved in the beautiful game are plying their trade in the English top flight.
While it’s the players who are often lauded for their match-winning displays, the importance of managers shouldn’t be understated. The geniuses behind every great success, dugout tacticians are becoming even more important in the modern game, and it’s about time they were given their flowers.
Related
20 Greatest Managers in Premier League History Ranked
The Premier League’s greatest managers of all time have been ranked in order.
That said, below are the 20 current Premier League bosses ranked from best to worst. In order to come to these conclusions, the following factors have been taken into consideration:
Ranking Factors
- Current performances
- Honours Won
- Premier League Experience
- Achievements in Other Leagues
- Impact on Their Current Club
| Every Current Premier League Manager (Ranked) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Rank | Manager | Club |
| 1 | Pep Guardiola | Manchester City |
| 2 | Arne Slot | Liverpool |
| 3 | Mikel Arteta | Arsenal |
| 4 | Unai Emery | Aston Villa |
| 5 | Eddie Howe | Newcastle United |
| 6 | Nuno Espirito Santo | Nottingham Forest |
| 7 | Oliver Glasner | Crystal Palace |
| 8 | Andoni Iraola | Bournemouth |
| 9 | Thomas Frank | Brentford |
| 10 | Marco Silva | Fulham |
| 11 | Ruben Amorim | Manchester United |
| 12 | Ange Postecoglou | Tottenham Hotspur |
| 13 | Enzo Maresca | Chelsea |
| 14 | Fabian Hurzeler | Brighton & Hove Albion |
| 15 | David moyes | Everton |
| 16 | Graham Potter | West Ham United |
| 17 | Vitor Pereira | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| 18 | Kieran McKenna | Ipswich Town |
| 19 | Ivan Juric | Southampton |
| 20 | Ruud van Nistelrooy | Leicester City |
1 Pep Guardiola
Manchester City
Pep Guardiola is almost unanimously seen as the best manager in world football, not just in the English top flight. The Catalan-born technician has revolutionised football during his time in the upper echelons of elite football. So much so that his style of possession-based football has been replicated by many bosses looking to emulate his success.
Related
15 Best Football Managers of All Time [Ranked]
World Cup champions, tactical visionaries and a former shoe salesman make up some of the greatest managers in football history.
Having achieved history in the past two seasons with a treble in the 2022/23 campaign followed by a fourth consecutive league triumph, Guardiola sets an extremely high benchmark that’s near impossible for others to reach. There will be no argument that the man who has won the English top flight in six of the last seven seasons is deserving of the top spot, even if recent form hasn’t helped present the most compelling case of such regal positioning.
2 Arne Slot
Liverpool
Liverpool supporters will be more than happy with Arne Slot’s high inclusion on this list, having seen just 26 Premier League outings under the Dutchman, but this is solely down to his tactical flexibility, as evidenced by his brilliant breakdown of Manchester United’s structure after their 3-0 victory. In fact, there’s every chance he will rise in the pecking order as he continues to prove himself on the Premier League stage.
Taking over from Jurgen Klopp would be a challenging and daunting prospect for any manager, but Slot is the man the Reds have trusted to steer the ship into a new era. There’s sound logic behind this as the 46-year-old transformed Feyenoord into regular contenders for the Eredivisie, which they won under his stewardship in 2023. There have been lofty expectations on his shoulders from the off, but, aside from a shock loss to Nottingham Forest and an odd share of the spoils, Slot has answered every question of him thus far, as the Reds sit atop the Premier League, with 30 victories from 41 games across all competitions.
3 Mikel Arteta
Arsenal
Mikel Arteta is looking to get one over his former boss after working closely with Guardiola as his assistant manager at the Etihad Stadium. While he has turned Arsenal‘s fortunes around in recent years, his young team is yet to usurp the English juggernaut that is Manchester City.
From the bleak state he found the north London side in upon his arrival, to the buoyant atmosphere surrounding the Emirates Stadium now, it’s been a remarkable transformation under the Spaniard – who has recently signed a new deal to keep him with the club until 2027. Arteta’s men are still in with a chance of lifting the 2024/25 Premier League trophy, largely due to his tactical intelligence and man-management skills.
4 Unai Emery
Aston Villa
Unai Emery would perhaps be second on this list based on career achievements in the dugout. After making the Europa League his competition with Sevilla and going extremely close to reaching the Champions League final with Villarreal, the Spanish boss opted to have a second try at English football following a disappointing spell at Arsenal.
Related
The 15 Best Managers in Premier League History Based on Stats
Jurgen Klopp, Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex Ferguson boast some of the best points-per-match averages in Premier League history.
Taking over from Steven Gerrard with Aston Villa fearing they would be sucked into a relegation battle, Emery instilled his tactical beliefs into the players almost immediately and helped his new side climb the table to finish in a Europa Conference League spot. The 53-year-old tactician only improved in the 2023/24 campaign as he masterminded Villa’s return to the top table in Europe with a fourth-placed finish. What the future holds for the seasoned tactician and his high-flyers remains to be seen – but his know-how is not in doubt.
5 Eddie Howe
Newcastle United
Eddie Howe’s reputation peaked after taking Newcastle United from a relegation dog-fight to the Champions League and the Englishman looked to be destined to go from strength to strength with the mega-rich Magpies. Things hit a snag in the 2023/24 season, however, as a crippling injury crisis in key areas of the squad resulted in an early exit from Europe’s premier competition and the club languishing in mid-table.
A strong run at the end of the season wasn’t enough for Howe to steer his side back into Europe as Manchester United’s FA Cup success denied Newcastle a Europa Conference League spot. The club’s troubles trickled into the early offings of this season, but considering all he’s done so far in the top flight, Howe deserves his place here. There’s a chance he is the man to end the long wait for a trophy.
6 Nuno Espirito Santo
Nottingham Forest
His time at Nottingham Forest is not Nuno Espirito Santo’s first foray at the top of English football, as he previously managed both Wolves and Tottenham to varying degrees of success. His time with Spurs was disastrous, showcased by failing to last much more than three months before being replaced by the revered Jose Mourinho.
He was the man to take Wolves back into the top tier and solidify them as a mainstay in the English top division. Steve Cooper was a popular figure at Nottingham Forest and some were unsure when Santo was handed the reigns of the struggling team. He did steer Forest to safety and confirmed a third consecutive campaign in the division for the former European champions, which has been very promising indeed. Having passed the halfway stage, the Garibaldi currently sit in an incredible third place, above Manchester City.
7 Oliver Glasner
Crystal Palace
The 50-year-old has a Europa League win on his CV, having won the second-tier European competition with German outfit Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022. The likes of Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta have both flourished under his guidance, as Glasner allowed the creative players in the side the freedom to express themselves to the highest degree. Nevertheless, current form this season has left a lot to be desired. With the Eagles soaring into 13th place, things are looking up.
8 Andoni Iraola
Bournemouth
Eyebrows were raised when Bournemouth made the decision to sack Gary O’Neil and replace him with a relatively unknown manager in Andoni Iraola. After remaining in the top flight, the Cherries’ ownership showed ambition by adding several talented players to the squad to support their new coach – and their investment has paid dividends given the trajectory they’ve enjoyed under the former Rayo Vallecano chief.
Following a shaky start and prolonged settling-in period, Iraola has since had Bournemouth purring on the pitch. A hard-working style of play, coupled with the belief he instilled in his players, was the recipe for success at the Vitality Stadium as the club reached their highest-ever points tally in the Premier League last time out – usurping the brilliance of former manager Eddie Howe – and proceedings have also started well this time around.
9 Thomas Frank
Brentford
Links to jobs as prestigious as the Manchester United and Chelsea managerial positions don’t tend to fall at everyone’s door. While Thomas Frank won’t be stepping out at either Old Trafford or Stamford Bridge as the home manager, the Dane has still undoubtedly caught the eye of several elite clubs in England’s football pyramid.
Related
Ranking all 20 Premier League Managers by Their Playing Careers
Arteta, Slot, Guardiola… all are managing in the top flight now, but how good were they on the pitch?
This comes as little surprise as the Bees have consistently punched well above their weight under his calming influence. His accomplishments are sometimes written off due to the pragmatic and sensible way he has approached life in the Premier League, but the Bees played beautifully as they tore the Championship apart during the 2020/21 season. Frank has appropriately adapted his style of play to survive and even get some massive results against the traditional ‘Big Six’ in England.
10 Marco Silva
Fulham
Last season was a strange old campaign for Marco Silva and his west London-based outfit Fulham. The Portuguese tactician turned down a lucrative offer to jump ship to the Saudi Pro League before then losing his star striker Aleksandar Mitrovic, who bagged goals for fun under his tenure, to the same division.
While the loss of the goal-hungry Serbian initially appeared to impact the Cottagers’ fortunes in front of goal, Silva quickly turned things around to guide the club back to mid-table security. This might not be the most glamorous feat in world football, but the capital club’s desire to re-establish themselves at the top table of English football has been realised. Add his wonderful first top-flight campaign at Craven Cottage and the club’s excellent form this season to the mix, and Silva is rightfully recognised as a brilliant coach.
