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Top 10 Premier League Managers: From Ferguson to Guardiola

Since the Premier League began in 1992, only thirteen managers have won the title. While titles are a strong starting point for ranking, there’s plenty of room to debate who deserves a spot in the top 10.

Longevity and Wins

Longevity matters. David Moyes managed 755 Premier League games, trailing only Arsene Wenger (828) and Sir Alex Ferguson (810). Moyes also ranks third in total wins with 291, behind Wenger’s 476 and Ferguson’s 528. Pep Guardiola has fewer matches but similar win figures. Harry Redknapp is fourth in games managed (641), fifth in wins (236), and ranks in the top five for goals scored (818).

Win percentage highlights Mauricio Pochettino, who led Tottenham to their highest-ever Premier League finish (second place in 2016-17) and coached both Southampton and Chelsea. Despite never winning the title, he remains the only manager with over 100 games to maintain a win rate above 50%.

That said, to make this list, you must have won the Premier League title, leaving three managers out.

Managers Who Missed the Cut

  • Arne Slot (Liverpool) was the first cut.
  • Manuel Pellegrini impressed at Manchester City before Guardiola’s arrival and averaged 1.92 goals per game over his spells, ranking fifth among managers with 100+ games. His struggles at West Ham and inconsistent form excluded him.
  • Antonio Conte had highs and lows at Chelsea and Tottenham but fell short here.

Top 10 Premier League Managers

  • 10. Carlo Ancelotti: Won the title in 2009-10 with Chelsea. Despite success across Europe at clubs like AC Milan and Real Madrid, his time in England was brief. He left Chelsea after finishing runners-up in his second season and later managed Everton.
  • 9. Mikel Arteta: Claimed the Premier League in 2025-26, ending an eight-year run of dominance by Manchester City and Liverpool. The Arsenal boss silenced critics with his team’s style and may climb higher in future rankings.
  • 8. Roberto Mancini: Delivered Manchester City’s first top-flight title in over 40 years in 2011-12, sealing it with dramatic late goals. Known as “the Engineer,” he boasts the fourth-best points-per-game and fifth-best win percentage among managers with 100+ games. His City side also had the best defensive record.
  • 7. Kenny Dalglish: Won the Premier League in 1994-95 with Blackburn Rovers, becoming one of four managers to claim the English top flight with two different clubs. His earlier Liverpool success came before the Premier League era.
  • 6. Claudio Ranieri: Famous for leading Leicester City’s miraculous 5000-1 title win in 2015-16. Previously took Chelsea to second place in 2004 during Abramovich’s first spending spree.
  • 5. Jurgen Klopp: Secured Liverpool’s first league title in 30 years in 2019-20. Known for high-energy football, Klopp’s teams often amassed 90+ points but were overshadowed by Manchester City’s dominance under Guardiola.
  • 4. Jose Mourinho: Arrived at Chelsea in 2004 after a Champions League win with Porto, dubbed the “Special One.” He won back-to-back titles in his first two seasons, returning later to claim a third. His spells at Manchester United and Tottenham failed to match his Chelsea success.
  • 3. Arsene Wenger: Changed English football after arriving from Japan, winning three league titles including the unbeaten “Invincibles” season in 2003-04. Though he didn’t win another title after 2004, his early Arsenal sides were among the best seen in the Premier League.
  • 2. Pep Guardiola: Revolutionized English football with Manchester City, winning six Premier League titles including a record four in a row. His teams set new standards with style and points, including a 100-point season.
  • 1. Sir Alex Ferguson: Dominated the Premier League’s first two decades, winning 13 titles with Manchester United. Fergie rebuilt his squads multiple times, securing trophies from the Cantona era through to Ronaldo and Rooney. His haul is more than twice that of any other English top-flight manager.

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