Ranking the best managers in the Premier League is not easy. Trophies are a good starting point. Only a few managers have won the Premier League more than once. We also need to think about how long they stayed, their consistency, their tactics, and the situations when they won the titles. With 13 different managers lifting the trophy, here is a ranking of the top 10 according to BBC Sport.
Carlo Ancelotti
Premier League title: 2009-10
Carlo Ancelotti made his mark in England quickly.
The Italian led Chelsea to the Premier League title in his first season at Stamford Bridge, with the Blues scoring an impressive 103 goals.
His time there lasted only two seasons. Chelsea finished second in 2010-11 and Ancelotti was fired at the end of the season.
He later managed Everton, finishing in mid-table twice before Real Madrid came calling. His overall record, which includes titles in Italy, England, France, Germany, and Spain, makes him a strong candidate.
Mikel Arteta
Premier League title: 2025-26
Arteta’s spot on this list comes not just from his first Premier League title but also from how he changed Arsenal.
The Spaniard took over a club that had fallen behind and slowly turned the Gunners into serious title contenders.
After several seasons of near misses, Arsenal finally won the title in 2025-26, breaking an eight-year streak of Manchester City or Liverpool winning the Premier League.
Arteta still has more to do to move up this list, but his story is not over yet.
Roberto Mancini
Premier League title: 2011-12
Few Premier League titles have been won in such dramatic fashion.
Manchester City looked set to lose the trophy until two stoppage-time goals against QPR, including Sergio Aguero’s unforgettable winner, changed everything.
Mancini had already won City’s first major trophy in the new era by taking the FA Cup in 2011. The Premier League followed in 2012.
His time in England was short, but the Italian laid the groundwork for City’s rise to power.
Kenny Dalglish
Premier League title: 1994-95
Dalglish was already one of England’s top managers before the Premier League started.
After winning many titles with Liverpool, he took over Blackburn Rovers and led them into the new Premier League.
Backed by Jack Walker, Blackburn built a strong squad and edged out Manchester United for the 1994-95 title.
Dalglish became only the fourth manager to win the top flight with two different clubs.
Claudio Ranieri
Premier League title: 2015-16
If one achievement stands out in the Premier League, it is Leicester City’s title win.
Ranieri’s team was not expected to succeed before the season started, yet they won the championship over the big clubs of English football.
The 5,000-1 outsiders became champions, with Ranieri turning a group of players into a very disciplined and effective team.
His earlier work at Chelsea also deserves praise, but the Leicester miracle alone gives him a spot among the top managers.
Premier League title: 2019-20
Klopp changed Liverpool from European challengers to one of the best teams in the world.
The German led the Reds to three seasons of more than 90 points, finally winning the Premier League in 2019-20 with 99 points.
That victory ended Liverpool’s 30-year wait for an English top-flight title and marked their first Premier League crown.
Klopp’s biggest challenge was the era he faced: Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City pushed Liverpool to new heights.
José Mourinho
Premier League titles: 2004-05, 2005-06, 2014-15
Mourinho came to Chelsea as the self-proclaimed “Special One” after winning the Champions League with Porto.
He quickly backed up his confidence.
Chelsea won the 2004-05 title by 12 points, conceding just 15 goals. They kept the title the next season before Mourinho left.
He returned in 2013 and won another title in 2014-15.
Three Premier League titles over two stints make Mourinho one of the key managers in the league's history.
Arsène Wenger
Premier League titles: 1997-98, 2001-02, 2003-04
Wenger changed Arsenal, and he helped change English football.
When he came from Nagoya Grampus Eight in 1996, many doubted the relatively unknown Frenchman. Those doubts vanished quickly.
Wenger won three Premier League titles, with the 2003-04 season standing out.
Arsenal went an entire league season unbeaten, earning the nickname “The Invincibles” and forming one of the best teams in Premier League history.
His long career, tactical impact, and influence on English football make him an automatic choice for the top three.
Pep Guardiola
Premier League titles: 2017-18, 2018-19, 2020-21, 2021-22, 2022-23, 2023-24
Guardiola has arguably had the highest peak of any Premier League manager except Ferguson.
Six titles in ten years is amazing, but how he won them is impressive too.
Manchester City became the first English men’s team to win four league titles in a row. Guardiola’s teams have redefined expectations for possession, pressing, and attacking football.
His 2017-18 team was the first to reach 100 points in the Premier League. City also added the Champions League and treble to their collection of trophies.
Guardiola’s impact goes beyond his trophy count.
Sir Alex Ferguson
Premier League titles: 1992-93, 1993-94, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1998-99, 1999-2000, 2000-01, 2002-03, 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09, 2010-11, 2012-13
There is really only one choice.
Sir Alex Ferguson ruled the first 20 years of the Premier League, winning an incredible 13 titles with Manchester United.
This achievement is even more impressive when you consider how often he rebuilt his team.
From Eric Cantona and the Class of '92 to the treble-winning team of 1999 and later squads built around Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, Ferguson found ways to keep United on top.
He won titles in different eras, under various tactics, and against stronger competition.
His record remains unmatched.
For longevity, success, and adaptability, Ferguson is the clear No. 1 Premier League manager.
The unlucky omissions The fight for the last spots is tough. Antonio Conte won the Premier League in his first season at Chelsea and deserves serious mention. Manuel Pellegrini won a title and two League Cups with Manchester City. Mauricio Pochettino is another interesting omission. He never won the Premier League, but his work at Southampton and Tottenham, especially taking Spurs to second in 2016-17, makes him stand out. That’s why ranking Premier League managers is hard: trophies only tell part of the story. For now, Ferguson is the benchmark, with Guardiola, Wenger, and Mourinho forming the next group of this amazing era of managers.
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