The English Premier League is the ultimate battleground for football glory in England. Since its inception in 1992, it has seen over 250 managers lead more than 50 clubs in a fierce contest of skill, strategy, and passion. But only a handful of these managers have risen above the rest and carved their names in the history books. They are the ones who have transformed the game, dazzled the fans, and lifted the trophies. They are the GOATS – the Greatest Of All Time.
Who are these legendary managers? How did they achieve such greatness? What makes them stand out from the rest? To answer these questions, we have compiled a list of the top 8 best managers of all time in the English Premier League. We have considered various criteria such as trophies won, points per game, win percentage, and more.
Meet The 8 Best Managers Of All Time In The History Of The EPL
- Sir Alex Ferguson
- Arsene Wenger
- Pep Guardiola
- Jose Mourinho
- Jurgen Klopp
- Rafael Benitez
- Carlo Ancelotti
- Claudio Ranieri
1. Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United)
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Sir Alex Ferguson is widely regarded as the greatest manager of the English Premier League era. He was in charge of Manchester United for 27 years, from 1986 to 2013, and led them to unprecedented success and glory. He won 38 trophies with the Red Devils, including 13 Premier League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups, two Champions Leagues, and one Club World Cup.
He also holds the record for the most wins in the history of the Premier League, with 527 victories out of 808 games. His win percentage in the Premier League was 65.22%, the second-highest among managers who have managed more than 20 games.
Ferguson also had an impressive points-per-game ratio of 2.16, which means he averaged more than two points for every game he managed.
He was not only a master tactician and motivator, but also a visionary and innovator who transformed the game and the club with his style of play, his youth development, and his longevity. He is a legend of the game and a hero for Manchester United fans.
2. Arsene Wenger (Arsenal)
Arsene Wenger is one of the most respected and influential managers in the history of the English Premier League. He was the manager of Arsenal for 22 years, from 1996 to 2018, and brought them many trophies and achievements. He won 17 major trophies with the Gunners, including three Premier League titles, seven FA Cups, and seven Community Shields. He also made history in 2003/04, when he led Arsenal to an unbeaten season, earning them the nickname “The Invincibles.”
Wenger’s style of play was based on flair, creativity, and attacking football. He also developed many young talents and signed some of the best players in the world. He holds the record for the most Premier League matches managed (828), and has the second-highest win percentage (57.5%) among managers who have managed more than 20 games.
He averaged 1.73 points per game and 1.89 goals per game in his Premier League career. He was voted Manager of the Year times (1998, 2002, and 2004) and Manager of the Month 15 times.
3. Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)
Pep Guardiola is one of the most successful and influential managers in the EPL. He has been in charge of Manchester City since 2016 and has led them to 14 major trophies, including five Premier League titles, one Champions League title, four League Cups, one FA Cup, and two community shields.
He has also set several records with his team, such as the highest point total (100), the most goals scored (106), and the largest goal difference (+79) in a single Premier League season.
Guardiola’s style of play is based on possession, passing, pressing, and creativity. He has improved the performance and skills of many players and has developed a winning mentality and a winning culture at the club. His statistics speak for themselves: he has won 74% of his games in all competitions, with an average of 2.35 points per game and 2.45 goals per game. He has also conceded only 0.80 goals per game, showing his defensive solidity as well.
4. Jose Mourinho (Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham)
Jose Mourinho also called the “Special One,” is one of the most decorated and controversial managers in the history of the Premier League. He has managed three clubs in England: Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur. He has won a total of nine major trophies with these clubs, including three Premier League titles, one FA Cup, four League Cups, and one Europa League.
He has also set several records and milestones, such as being the first manager to win league titles in four different countries (Portugal, England, Italy, and Spain), and being the only manager to win both the Champions League and Europa League twice.
His style of play is based on pragmatism, defensive solidity, and counter-attacking. He is also known for his mind games, his charisma, and his clashes with other managers and players. His statistics show his success and his decline in the Premier League: he has won 64.8% of his games in all competitions, with an average of 2.02 points per game and 1.77 goals per game. However, his win percentage and points per game have dropped in each of his last three seasons with Chelsea, Manchester United, and Tottenham.
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5. Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool)
Jurgen Klopp, a master of Gegenpressing, has been at the helm of Liverpool since 2015 and has guided them to six major trophies, including one Premier League title, one Champions League title, one League Cup, one FA Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, and one FIFA Club World Cup. He has also broken some remarkable records with the Reds, such as going unbeaten in 21 away league games from January 2019 to February 2020, a club record for any Liverpool manager. In the same season, he also set the club record for the longest unbeaten run in the league – 44 games.
He celebrated his seventh anniversary at the club in 2022, and he achieved 300, 400, and 500 league points faster than any other manager in the club’s history. He also has the highest average of goals per game (currently 2.08) among all Liverpool managers in the past 126 years.
6. Rafael Benitez (Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle, and Everton)
Rafael Benitez is a Spanish mastermind who has managed four Premier League clubs, but he shone the brightest with Liverpool. He led the Reds to a miraculous comeback in the 2005 Champions League final, where they overturned a 3-0 deficit to beat AC Milan on penalties. He also added the FA Cup, the Community Shield, and the UEFA Super Cup to his trophy cabinet with Liverpool. He came close to another Champions League glory in 2007, but lost to AC Milan in a rematch. He also challenged for the Premier League title in 2009, but finished second behind Manchester United. He won more than half of his 228 Premier League games with Liverpool, averaging 1.84 points per game.
He also worked wonders with Newcastle United, taking them back to the Premier League after winning the Championship title in 2017. He then kept them in the top flight for two more seasons, despite limited resources and support from the club’s owners.
7. Carlo Ancelotti (Chelsea, and Everton)
Carlo Ancelotti is one of the most celebrated managers in European football. He has won 20 trophies during his career and is one of only three managers to win the European Cup or UEFA Champions League three times. He has managed several prominent clubs across different leagues and countries, including Chelsea and Everton in the Premier League.
At Chelsea, he won the Premier League title in the 2009/10 season, securing the club’s first-ever double as he also lifted the FA Cup. He also won the FA Community Shield in 2009, and had a win percentage of 54.71% and an average of 1.84 points per game in his 109 Premier League matches with the Blues.
He took charge of Everton in December 2019 and led them to a 12th-place finish in his first season. He improved their performance in his second season, guiding them to a first win at Anfield in 22 years and a top-half finish. He had a win percentage of 46.27% and an average of 1.47 points per game in his 58 Premier League matches with the Toffees.
8. Claudio Ranieri (Chelsea, and Leicester City)
Italian manager, Claudio Ranieri has managed four clubs in the Premier League: Chelsea, Leicester City, Fulham, and Watford.
He spent four seasons at Chelsea from 2000 to 2004 and led them to the UEFA Champions League semi-final and FA Cup final in his last season. He also won the Community Shield in 2000. He went on to record a win percentage of 52.05% and an average of 1.76 points per game in his 146 Premier League Games with the Blues.
At Leicester City, he achieved one of the greatest feats in football history, guiding the Foxes to their first-ever Premier League title in 2015/16, after they had narrowly avoided relegation the previous season. He also won the Premier League Manager of the Season and the LMA Manager of the Year awards.
He had a win percentage of 46.67% and an average of 1.63 points per game in his 75 Premier League matches with the Foxes.
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