Premier League Manager of the Season 2023-24 power rankings
Pep Guardiola’s status as the best manager in world football was solidified after Manchester City’s run to the treble last season, and they are going all out for a record-breaking fourth successive Premier League title in 2023-24. City have not had everything their own way, though, with a potential six-horse title race currently on the cards as the established order continues to shift in surprising ways.
Guardiola may still be setting the gold standard in terms of coaching, but he is certainly not the only man having a transformative effect on his team. The title race could go down to the wire this season, and there might even be a surprise name on the trophy by the time it’s all over.
Jurgen Klopp appears to have made Liverpool an elite force again, Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are pushing to go one better than last season, and Aston Villa and Brighton are overachieving – while Tottenham have emerged as City’s closest challengers early on under the stewardship of former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou.
The battle for Champions League qualification is already wide open, too, mainly due to the shocking decline of Erik ten Hag’s Manchester United and Chelsea’s ongoing struggles for consistency.Newly-promoted clubs Luton Town, Burnley and Sheffield United are finding it difficult to put together any sort of positive run, with Bournemouth, Everton and Fulham also currently being dragged into the relegation dogfight – which could prove to be every bit as fascinating as the tussle for the title.
20.Paul Heckingbottom (3/10) ↔️
Heckingbottom worked wonders to guide Sheffield United to a second-placed finish in the Championship last season, and did his best to make the squad Premier League-ready by signing 10 new players in the summer transfer window.
Unfortunately, the Blades have still looked way out of their depth, recording nine losses alongside just one win and one draw in their opening 11 games back in the top-flight. They put up an impressive fight against both Manchester City and Tottenham, but an 8-0 defeat at home to Newcastle and a 5-0 drubbing away at Arsenal laid bare their lack of quality across the pitch.
Sheffield United did finally get their first victory of the campaign at home to Wolves on November 4, but only after being on the right end of a controversial penalty decision. The Blades’ direct style of play is admirable, but they are far too open at the back and lack a clinical edge upfront – which is why questions continue to be asked of Heckingbottom’s position at the helm.
19.Vincent Kompany (3/10) ↔️
Guardiola’s disciple proved his coaching chops in an impressive debut season at Burnley, who stormed to the 2022-23 Championship title with a fluid, possession-based style – completely opposite to the approach used by Sean Dyche during his reign at Turf Moor.
Kompany has single-handedly changed the way Burnley are perceived by neutrals, but they are no longer dominating games in the same way. The Clarets are only above rock-bottom Sheffield United on goal difference, and are the lowest scorers in the competition with just eight goals to their name.
Supporters were given brief hope of a resurgence after a 2-1 win over Luton Town at Kenilworth Road on October 3, but it proved to be a false dawn as they followed up that result with four successive defeats. Burnley already look doomed for the drop, and Kompany must secretly be regretting his decision to ignore summer interest from Tottenham and sign a new contract – which could now be torn up early.
18. Andoni Iraola (3/10) ⬇
Gary O’Neil made a strong case for Premier League Manager of the Season in 2022-23, steering Bournemouth to safety after replacing Scott Parker on an interim basis. The Cherries harshly let him go when they saw an opportunity to land Iraola, though, handing the Spaniard a two-year deal following his departure from Rayo Vallecano.
Iraola is a progressive, forward-thinking manager with plenty of ambition, but his unique tactical blueprint is clearly not as well suited to the Premier League as it was to La Liga. Bournemouth have lost seven games already under their new manager, with their latest setback coming in the form of a 6-1 thrashing against Man City at the Etihad Stadium.
The excitement generated by the signings of young stars such as Hamed Junior Traore, Alex Scott, Milos Kerkez and Justin Kluivert has quickly dissipated, while United States midfielder Tyler Adams – who joined the Cherries in a £23 million ($28m) summer move from Leeds – has seen his Premier League debut delayed until the new year after undergoing surgery on a hamstring injury.
Bournemouth are in serious trouble once again, with only one victory on the board so far, and it’s no surprise that Iraola is currently the bookies’ favourite to become the first managerial casualty of the 2023-24 campaign.
17.Erik ten Hag (4/10) ⬆️
Manchester United were supposed to be title contenders this season. Ten Hag followed up a third-place finish in his debut season by signing Mason Mount, Rasmus Hojlund, Andre Onana, Sofyan Amrabat and Sergio Reguilon – while also bringing veteran defender Jonny Evans back to the club on a free transfer.
The new additions haven’t taken the Red Devils to the next level, though, and pre-existing stars such as Marcus Rashford, Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro have allowed their standards to slip. United have endured their worst start to a season since 1962, losing five of their 11 fixtures, including a humiliating 3-0 defeat to City at Old Trafford in the first Manchester Derby of the season.
Ten Hag has had plenty to deal with away from the pitch amid the Mason Greenwood saga, assault allegations pointed at Antony, a drawn-out takeover process and a public row with Jadon Sancho, but there is no excuse for United’s dismal performances. A top-four finish already looks like a long shot and they still don’t seem to have a clear identity under the Dutchman, who is surely destined to join the ever-growing list of managers unable to follow in the footsteps of Sir Alex Ferguson.
16.Rob Edwards (4/10) ⬇
Luton Town’s rise from the National League to the English top-flight has been nothing short of a miracle. Edwards deserves plenty of credit for getting them to the promised land, too, having steadied the ship following Nathan Jones’ exit in the early months of the 2022-23 campaign.
But the Hatters’ chances of staying in the Premier League were essentially written off by all rival fans and pundits before a ball was even kicked this season. They are still operating on a shoe-string budget, and a large chunk of their funds had to be spent on bringing Kenilworth Road up to an acceptable standard.
It’s no surprise that Edwards’ side are down in 17th as the fourth club to have only picked up one win from their opening 11 games. Luton haven’t carried enough of a threat going forward and basic errors have proved costly at the other end of the pitch.
But there won’t be a single fan that cares about that if they are still in this position come the end of May. The Hatters will spring the odd surprise, as evidenced by their 1-1 draw against Liverpool, because Edwards has instilled a fierce fighting spirit in the group, which may just be enough for them to beat the drop and defy the naysayers once again.
15.Mauricio Pochettino (4/10) ↔️
Chelsea have spent over £1 billion ($1.2m) on new players under the Todd Boehly-led ownership regime, but they are currently languishing down in 10th in the Premier League table, having won just four games under new manager Pochettino.
The Argentine was given the freedom to shape the squad in his own image after taking over at Stamford Bridge in June, but new additions such as Nicolas Jackson and British-record signing Moises Caicedo have failed to hit the ground running. Chelsea are creating plenty of chances under Pochettino, but they don’t take enough of them, and he has yet to figure out his best starting XI.
Bad luck with injuries hasn’t helped, but it’s an excuse that doesn’t hold much weight for the Blues because of the strength in depth they possess. There have been some positives, with Pochettino bringing the best out of Raheem Sterling and England Under-21s star Cole Palmer – who has been one of the few success stories from the summer window – but the manager will need to put together a proper sequence of wins in order to avoid becoming the latest entrant into Stamford Bridge’s graveyard of failed managers.
14.Sean Dyche (5/10) ⬆️
You’d be hard pressed to find anyone that wasn’t happy for Dyche when he was given the top job at Everton. He exceeded expectations season after season during his time at Burnley, and fully deserved a chance at a bigger club.
The 52-year-old also did extremely well to keep the Toffees up after succeeding Frank Lampard in January, and managed to bring in five new players in the summer – including highly-rated Portuguese striker Beto. Optimism soon gave way to despair, though, as Everton won just one of their opening seven games – and the knives were out for Dyche after a 2-1 home loss against Luton on September 30.
Many people were writing Dyche off at that stage, but he has been up for the challenge. Everton have been much harder to beat since then, earning impressive wins over Bournemouth and West Ham either side of a narrow defeat Liverpool in the Merseyside Derby.
A 1-1 draw was the least they deserved last time out against Brighton, too, and Dyche will do everything possible to maintain the new high standards heading into a crucial festive period for the Toffees.
13.Marco Silva (5/10) ⬇
Fulham would have been well placed to push for a European spot had Aleksandar Mitrovic stayed at the club, but alas, he could not be swayed from accepting a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia – as so many others did in the summer window.
Fulham look toothless without Mitrovic, as Brazilian duo Carlos Vincius and Rodrigo Muniz continue to struggle for any kind of consistency. Summer signing Raul Jimenez also looks a shadow of the prolific marksman he once was in his prime years at Wolves, and the Cottagers’ record of just nine goals from their opening 11 games underlines how desperately they need some extra quality upfront.
The reality is, though, that Fulham remain a well-drilled outfit under Silva, who is showing a great deal of tactical nous to get the club through this testing period. If they can stay around mid-table until January and bolster their attacking options in the winter window, the Cottagers could spring a surprise in the second half of the season.
12.David Moyes (5/10) ⬇
West Ham lifted their first trophy in over 40 years after winning the 2022-23 Europa Conference League final, which papered over the cracks of a dismal Premier League campaign. Moyes oversaw some smart summer business, though, bringing in James Ward-Prowse, Mohammad Kudus and Edson Alvarez – all of whom have made an immediate impact at the London Stadium.
The Hammers picked up 10 points from their first four games this term, before successive losses against Manchester City and Liverpool brought them crashing back down to earth. Moyes’ men did bounce back with a 2-0 win against Sheffield United on September 30, but only picked up one point from their next four fixtures – a sequence which included an embarrassing 4-1 thrashing at Aston Villa.
West Ham should be doing far better with the players they have, and Moyes’ position will come under threat if they don’t climb back into the top half quickly.
11.Gary O’Neil (5/10) ↔️
O’Neil was given the chance to return to the Premier League at Wolves after Julen Lopetegui walked away from his post at Molineux three days before the start of the new season. The Spaniard was frustrated over a lack of transfer activity, with O’Neil inheriting a depleted, confidence-stricken squad.
However, though a combination of high-intensity football and shrewd man-management, the 40-year-old has lifted the team to ensure they remain a competitive Premier League force. Wolves pulled off the shock of the season so far by ending City’s unbeaten record and also battled to a draw against Newcastle, with O’Neil’s men proving to be a handful for any opposition.
Wolves would be far higher in the table than 14th had it not been for a host of baffling VAR calls, the latest of which cost them a point away at Sheffield United. Still, O’Neil has turned the Wanderers into an exciting, counter-attacking outfit, and they should have more than enough to stay clear of the relegation places.
10.Roy Hodgson (6/10) ⬇
Hodgson has proven that age is just a number since returning to Palace, who pulled off an impressive relegation escape in 2022-23 thanks to his genius. He was handed a new permanent contract in the summer, and the Eagles have since risen to 10th in the table, with their most notable victory coming in the form of a 1-0 triumph over Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Hodgson has embraced a more attack-minded philosophy in his second spell at Selhurst Park, but hasn’t lost his pragmatic streak. Palace look like a well-rounded side as a result, and they will certainly claim a few more scalps as the season progresses.
Hodgson, who appears to be back in good health after missing Palace’s clash with Aston Villa on September 16 due to illness, was powerless to prevent his team from slipping to humbling losses against Newcastle and Tottenham in October. However, the Eagles got back on track with a 2-0 win at Burnley, which saw Eberechi Eze return from injury – and their short-term future looks bright with Michael Olise also close to a full recovery from a serious knock.
9.Thomas Frank (6/10) ⬆️
Brentford fans would have been forgiven for fearing the worst this season. Ivan Toney’s eight-month ban for breaching betting rules left Frank without his star striker, and he will not be allowed to play again until January 16.
There is also chance Toney could leave the club at that point, with Chelsea and Arsenal both thought to be eager to secure his services, and the Bees are light on attacking options in his absence. Bryan Mbeumo has done his best to fill the void, though, recording six goals and two assists in 11 appearances to help Brentford regain a place in the top half of the table.
Frank came under a bit of pressure after his side’s slow start to the campaign, but three successive wins over Burnley, Chelsea and West Ham have served to emphatically silence any critics. Brentford are still exceeding expectations under the Danish tactician, who might just be the most underrated manager in the top-flight.
8.Steve Cooper (6/10) ⬆️
This time last season, Cooper was fighting for his job at Nottingham Forest, but the club’s decision to stick with the no-nonsense Welshman has reaped dividends. The Reds have gone up another level since beating the drop, negotiating their way through a tricky set of games to start the new campaign strongly.
Forest gave a great account of themselves in losses against Arsenal and Manchester United before beating Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, with Cooper always ensuring that his team are disciplined without the ball and ready to pounce on any opportunities to break forward at speed with it.
A six-match winless run through September and October did halt Forest’s momentum, but they only lost two of those games and got back to their very best against high-flying Aston Villa on Sunday. Forest cruised to a 2-0 victory as Cooper was able to welcome star striker Taiwo Awoniyi back into his starting XI after injury, and they will be eyeing a strong run heading into Christmas with the fixture list set to turn in their favour.
7.Mikel Arteta (7/10) ⬇
Arteta has turned Arsenal into an elite football team again, there is no denying that. But it remains to be seen whether he can take that crucial next step, having seen his team capitulate down the finishing stretch in last season’s title race.
The Gunners can have no excuses if they fail again, having spent over £200m ($244m) on Declan Rice, Kai Havertz and Jurrien Timber in the summer. Havertz has flopped spectacularly so far, and Arteta’s ruthless call to drop No.1 goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale for Brentford loanee David Raya has also backfired.
A return of 24 points from a possible 33 represents a decent start for Arsenal in 2023-24, but they were fortunate to come away with draws after being outplayed in derby games against Tottenham and Chelsea, and didn’t deserve anything from their trip to Newcastle at the weekend – despite Arteta’s moans at the state of the current VAR system.
The Gunners look vulnerable at the back and don’t have the same firepower in the final third as their main rivals, which is why their 17-year wait for Premier League glory is almost certain to continue.
6.Eddie Howe (7/10) ⬆️
Newcastle opened the new season with a thumping 5-1 win over Aston Villa that sent shockwaves through the rest of the division – but it proved to be a false dawn. Howe’s side lost their next three matches against Manchester City, Liverpool and Brighton, shipping six goals along the way.
The Magpies have gradually adapted to a more demanding schedule after returning to the Champions League, though, with 12 goals fired home in resounding victories over Sheffield United and Crystal Palace.
Howe’s transition-focused side are devastating in full flow, and have moved back within sight of Tottenham and City after their impressive win against Arsenal. Newcastle are looking like dark horses for the title again, with Howe continuing to prove that he belongs among the managerial elite.
5.Roberto De Zerbi (7/10) ⬇
Brighton’s sixth-place finish in 2022-23 was well earned, and did not feel like an anomaly, but rather the beginning of something special. The Seagulls dominate games under De Zerbi, who aims to provoke the opposition into a press in order to open up space for quick, incisive build-up play.
Moises Caicedo and Alexis Mac Allister were central to that system, but Brighton reinvested the £150m ($182m) raised from their respective sales to get even stronger. New signings Carlos Baleba, James Milner, Joao Pedro and Mahmoud Dahoud have all settled in quickly, while household names such as Kaoru Mitoma and Pervis Estupinan have progressed to new heights.
Brighton are back in the Premier League’s top seven as a result, with statement victories picked up against Newcastle and Manchester United. The Seagulls have also suffered damaging losses against West Ham, Aston Villa and City, though, with dips in form to be expected as De Zerbi’s side also juggle Europa League commitments.
In fact, Brighton haven’t picked up three points since beating Bournemouth 3-1 at home on September 24, with their latest slip-up coming away at Everton. However, De Zerbi won’t be panicking and will stick to his core values to lift the team out of their slump, with Brighton still playing one of the most attractive brands of football in the division.
4.Jurgen Klopp (7/10) ⬆
The 2022-23 season was a disaster for Liverpool, who went from City’s main challengers to also-rans almost overnight as they suffered a serious hangover from their previous campaign. Questions were rightly asked over Klopp’s position, but he responded by making some big changes. The German overhauled his ageing midfield with the signings of Alex Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai and Ryan Gravenberch, while cutting ties with long-term servants Jordan Henderson and Fabinho.
Those additions have sparked a resurgence, as Liverpool have won seven of their opening 11 games, including an impressive 2-1 victory at Newcastle that saw them play for over 60 minutes with 10 men. Their recent four-match winning run in all competitions was halted in surprise fashion by Luton, but the celebrations after Luis Diaz’s late goal were special – with Klopp emotionally embracing the winger after the full time whistle as the club continues to await fresh news about the kidnapping of his father in Colombia.
The German coach is getting the best out of his players again, which shows that he remains one of the best man-managers in the game, and supporters will have every reason to start dreaming of more silverware if Liverpool continue to show the aggression and heart that has underpinned their success over the past six years.
3.Unai Emery (8/10) ⬇
Villa’s 6-1 demolition of Brighton on September 30 was their 10th successive win at home – their best run in over 40 years. That result saw them move into fifth place, completing a remarkable turnaround since their opening weekend drubbing at Newcastle.
Former Villarreal and Arsenal boss Emery is peerless when it comes to setting his teams up to play on the break, and he has some of the most clinical players in the Premier League to call upon at Villa. Ollie Watkins is flying while club-record signing Moussa Diaby is already looking like a steal at £52m ($64m).
The manager has also brought the best out of Matty Cash, Jacob Ramsey and Douglas Luiz, and so while Emery was unfairly reduced to a laughing stock towards the end of his reign at Arsenal, he is showing that he’s one of the best in the business again at Villa.
Emery’s men have kept their home form up by seeing off West Ham and Luton at Villa Park, and although the shock loss at Nottingham Forest served as something of a reality check, there is no reason why supporters shouldn’t still be dreaming of a top-four finish.
2.Pep Guardiola (8/10) ⬆
Kompany, Arteta and De Zerbi are among the many managers that have attempted to adapt Guardiola’s own version of ‘total football’ over the years – but the City boss is still the master.
Yes, he has has had unlimited resources to build several different teams at the Etihad Stadium, but City are not the only club in the Premier League with that kind of financial muscle. Guardiola delivers success year in, year out, because of his meticulous planning and eye for talent, which is as sharp as ever.
No one would be surprised if City won another treble this season, mainly because Guardiola is always able to adapt under pressure and when faced with setbacks – such as losing star playmaker Kevin De Bruyne to a long-term injury. The likes of Bernardo Silva and Julian Alvarez have stepped up in the Belgian’s absence, while summer signing Jeremy Doku has already established himself as the most exciting young winger in the Premier League.
Surprise losses against Wolves and Arsenal are the only black marks on City’s record so far, and they responded to the latter result by earning three wins on the bounce – with 11 goals scored across those fixtures. Guardiola’s men are still setting the benchmark in terms of overall quality across the pitch, and history suggests they will only get stronger as the season progresses.
1.Ange Postecoglou (9/10) ↔️
Tottenham endured a miserable few years after Pochettino’s exit in 2019, with Jose Mourinho, Nuno Espirito Santo and Antonio Conte all unable to change the mentality at a club that has accepted mediocrity for far too long.
Their defensive-minded tactics certainly didn’t help, but Spurs have been given a fresh lease of life under Postecoglou, who was drafted in from Celtic to succeed Conte in June. The Australian was charged with a lifting a team that slumped to eighth in the Premier League last season, and his task was made even tougher by the inevitable sale of Harry Kane to Bayern Munich.
But the new Tottenham boss signed the likes of James Maddison, Mickey van de Van and Guglielmo Vicario as he instantly set about overhauling the team – and implemented the same attacking style of play that delivered so much success at Celtic.
Postecoglou’s Spurs rose to the Premier League summit after 10 games as he has broke the record for the best-ever start to a season for a new manager – with impressive wins over Manchester United and Liverpool recorded along the way. Maddison struck up a brilliant partnership with Son Heung-min, who has reinvented himself as a No.9, while Van de Ven and Cristian Romero helped turn Tottenham into the joint-second best defensive side in the division.
Upcoming suspensions and injury concerns emanating from Monday’s wild defeat to Chelsea threaten to stall the team’s progress, but there is no doubt that Tottenham are going places thanks to Postecoglou, and he is proving to be one of the most likeable managers in the division with his affable personality.
The Australian also has a slight advantage over the chasing pack with no European commitments to worry about, which means that Spurs have a great chance to push City all the way for the title.