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Ranking all 20 Premier League managers from the 2024/25 season, worst to best
The Premier League is the best in the world and has also welcomed some of the greatest managers in the world.
From the likes of Sir Alex Ferguson and Jose Mourinho to the more recent ones like Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola, it’s been a privilege to watch the best in the business do battle with each other.
But how do the current 20 compare with each other? We’ve ranked all 20 Premier League managers, from worst to best, for the 2024/25 campaign.
20 – Russell Martin – Southampton
It’s hard not to pick Russell Martin when his Southampton side have been as poor as they have.
At the time of writing, the Saints have picked up one point from a possible 24, and while Martin has earned plaudits in the past, he seems to lack a plan B when his possession-based philosophy doesn’t go to plan.
Picked off easily by the opposition, leaking goals everywhere, and incapable of adapting his style of play, Martin feels like a downgraded version of Brendan Rodgers – except he isn’t getting results.
19 – Steve Cooper – Leicester City
The appointment of Steve Cooper did not go down well amongst the Leicester City fanbase.
His time as manager at rivals Nottingham Forest played a part in that but while the Foxes have made an inconsistent start to the season, some supporters are still struggling to understand his style of play.
Cooper has a horrid record away from home in the top-flight as a manager and he will need to drastically improve that if he is to lead Leicester to survival.
18 – Gary O’Neil – Wolves
Gary O’Neil’s sacking at Bournemouth felt harsh at the time, but after Wolverhampton Wanderers decided to appoint him four days before the start of the season, he proved everyone wrong.
For the first half of the season at least.
O’Neil’s style of play began to unravel in the second half of the 2023/24 campaign and that has followed into this season, where Wolves are currently rooted to the bottom of the table.
They have faced some tricky fixtures but also capitulated dramatically, such as when they lost 5-3 to Brentford.
There is every chance that if Wolves’ form doesn’t turn around soon, he could be the first managerial casualty.
17 – Julen Lopetegui – West Ham
This may come as a controversial one, but despite having a big reputation, Julen Lopetegui has failed to set the world alight in England.
Previous stints as boss of Spain and Real Madrid meant that when he joined Wolves in 2022, there was plenty of excitement. He left shortly after at the end of the season following a fallout with the board and after the departure of David Moyes, West Ham United made him their next manager.
Lopetegui spent big at the London Stadium and brought in the likes of Max Kilman, Jean-Clair Todibo, and Niclas Fullkrug but the Hammers have looked sub-par at best.
Some supporters are already reminiscing on the Moyes era and he is another one that could face the axe if results don’t change soon.
16 – Kieran McKenna – Ipswich Town
There was plenty of hype around Kieran McKenna, who turned down advances from Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, and Manchester United to stay at Ipswich Town.
It’s been a difficult start to life for the Tractor Boys, who are yet to win a game, but you don’t get courted by some of the league’s biggest sides if you don’t have something about you.
McKenna has guided Ipswich to back-to-back promotions with an eye-catching style of play but still has plenty more to do to compete at the elite level.
15 – Oliver Glasner – Crystal Palace
Crystal Palace might’ve started the season terribly, but that doesn’t reflect on Oliver Glasner.
The Austrian won the Europa League with Eintracht Frankfurt in 2022 and has had to deal with losing star man Michael Olise, as well as defensive brick wall Joachim Andersen.
A host of new signings have come to Selhurst Park and are still bedding in/getting up to speed. Glasner showed towards the back end of last season that he can get this Palace side ticking and it feels like he can do that again this year.
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14 – Nuno Espirito Santo – Nottingham Forest
Nuno Espirito Santo is very much of the old-school management style.
A goalkeeper during his playing days, the Nottingham Forest boss has built his side up to be strong defensively and break with pace on the counter.
Forest are resolute at the back but do lack in goals up top, with Chris Wood scoring five of their eight Premier League goals this season.
They’ve started the season well, but it doesn’t feel like they’ll pull up any trees.
13 – Fabian Hurzeler – Brighton
The youngest manager in the league is ranked 13th on this shortlist.
Fabian Hurzeler, 31, came to the league as a relative unknown after guiding St Pauli back to the Bundesliga and many expected him to struggle in his new role as Brighton boss.
Those doubters couldn’t be more wrong with Brighton doing what they always do: unearthing gems and playing great football.
His style of play has brought out the best of Danny Welbeck and it appears that the Seagulls could challenge for the European spots once again.
12 – Sean Dyche – Everton
Sean Dyche has been dealt with what feels like an impossible task at Everton at times.
The Toffees have been involved in endless takeover turmoil, financial issues, and a side struggling on the pitch.
He guided the club to survival once again last season and despite a horrifying start to this campaign, has begun to turn around their form.
Operating on a budget, as he is well-versed in, Dyche is doing what he can with limited resources and to keep Everton up year-on-year is an achievement in itself.
11 – Enzo Maresca – Chelsea
Another one of the Premier League’s new faces, Enzo Maresca swapped Leicester for Chelsea in the summer.
There were concerns about his appointment from the Stamford Bridge crowd but after another big summer of recruitment, his methods appear to be catching on with the players.
Maresca is a disciple of Manchester City boss Guardiola and that is visible in his style of play.
He is one of the younger managers in the league and will no doubt make mistakes but it all seems promising so far and he has the potential to get even better.
10 – Erik ten Hag – Man United
Erik ten Hag’s stock as a manager has fallen from the very moment he walked through the door at Man United.
Ten Hag had a reputation for being a man who took no prisoners and would restore law and order to Old Trafford.
What it has been is nothing short of drama central and the off-field problems have crept onto the pitch. Big-money signings failing to deliver and constant speculation have led to less-than-impressive results, including Man United’s lowest-ever Premier League finish last season.
He has won two trophies though, but that still doesn’t paper over the cracks.
9 – Eddie Howe – Newcastle United
Eddie Howe has been at Newcastle United ever since the Saudi Public Investment Fund completed their takeover in 2021.
The former Bournemouth boss guided the Magpies to a Champions League spot in his first full season in charge, but since then, it’s become rather stale.
Big money has been spent but the same issues are arising, some supporters have become frustrated.
He is the best English manager in the country and it was a surprise to hear that he hadn’t been contacted by the FA before they appointed Thomas Tuchel as Gareth Southgate’s replacement, with Alan Shearer revealing that he was never even contacted.
8 – Andoni Iraola – Bournemouth
When Andoni Iraola arrived in 2023, everyone expected the Spaniard to be out of a job within three months.
What happened was that he transformed Bournemouth into an entertaining side, getting the best out of free-scoring Dominic Solanke and recording the club’s highest-ever points tally in the Premier League.
They’ve continued where they left off last season and Iraola’s stock is growing with every game to the point that he may start to become of interest to bigger clubs elsewhere.
7 – Marco Silva – Fulham
The job Marco Silva has done at Fulham has seriously gone under the radar.
Every season that Fulham are tipped to go down, Silva seems to make them stronger.
His loyalty to the club was enhanced further when he turned down the offer of a lucrative contract in Saudi Arabia, taking the Cottagers to relative safety the two seasons they’ve been back in the top flight.
It might not sound as brilliant as other jobs, but Silva has brought heart and identity back to West London, as well as restored his own reputation following difficult spells in charge of Watford and Everton.
6 – Thomas Frank – Brentford
Thomas Frank’s style of play may not win awards or be clipped into viral compilations, but its delivered result after result.
Brentford have punched above its weight ever since reaching the Premier League and continues to defy the odds, signing talented players and selling them on for profit.
Frank is one of the longest-serving managers in the division and he’ll be there for many more years to come.
5 – Ange Postecoglou – Spurs
Ange Postecoglou’s style of play is extremely pleasing on the eye.
Fast-paced, attacking football has brought the love back for Tottenham Hotspur fans – despite its inconsistent results.
Postecoglou is a winner and it does feel like if anyone can end their wait for a first trophy since 2008, it’s him.
He’s still some way off the current top four managers in the league, but he is the one who could easily bring himself into contention.
4 – Mikel Arteta – Arsenal
This may be one of the most controversial selections, but Mikel Arteta takes home the fourth-best manager in the league award.
Arteta has transformed Arsenal from a side content with finishing inside the top six to title contenders in just a couple of years.
While it’s an impressive feat, the lack of silverware and failure to keep up the title challenge for the duration of the season on two occasions marks him down.
Some concerns have also been voiced about his negative style. He most recently deployed three defensive midfielders in front of a back four in their defeat against Bournemouth – a game they should really be winning.
The Spaniard needs to win something now if he wants to move higher up the list.
3 – Arne Slot – Liverpool
Replacing someone of Klopp’s standards is never going to be easy, but Arne Slot has taken to it like a duck to water.
A serial winner with Feyenoord in his native Netherlands, Slot has carried on the good work at Anfield and has his side leading at the top of the table.
This is all with very little movement in the transfer window and the pressure of having to live up to the legacy of one of the best managers in Liverpool’s history, but he has passed the test with flying colours so far.
2- Unai Emery – Aston Villa
Unai Emery returned to the Premier League with a point to prove.
After being sacked by Arsenal, he was only remembered for his confusing style of play and as a scapegoat for people to mock his accent.
Aston Villa’s decision to turn to him after sacking Steven Gerrard is the best thing they could do. His first full season saw them reach the semi-finals of the Conference League, all while finishing in the top four.
They’ve managed to balance the big European nights with their league campaign as if it were a regular occurrence to them and maybe – just maybe – could mount a title challenge.
1 – Pep Guardiola – Man City
No surprises for guessing who is number one here.
Guardiola has done it all at Manchester City. Premier League titles? won that. Champions League? won that? Win a Treble? You bet.
The Catalonian has won six of the last seven top-flight titles and to put him anywhere else other than number one would be an injustice in itself