Ranking the Top 20 Premier League Managers for the 2026/27 Season

The new Premier League season kicks off on Friday, with nine of the 20 teams starting the 2026/27 campaign under new management. This season also marks a historic milestone as the first in 40 years without Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho, Jurgen Klopp, or Pep Guardiola in the dugout. These managerial icons formed the backbone of the league's success, outlasting many of the star players who passed through their squads. While the Premier League is still brimming with managerial talent, this transitional period sees several candidates vying to become the competition's next era-defining coach.

Evaluating all 20 top-flight bosses is a challenging task with little consensus, but here is how the managers rank from bottom to top:

1. Alvaro Arbeloa (Fulham) - The 43-year-old former defender takes over from Marco Silva after a brief stint in charge of Real Madrid. His playing spells with Liverpool and West Ham provide an understanding of English football, though he remains the least experienced manager on the list.
2. Sergej Jakirovic (Hull City) - The 49-year-old had a nomadic playing and managerial career before guiding Hull City up via the play-offs, following success in Balkan football with Zrinjski Mostar and Dinamo Zagreb.
3. Gary O'Neil (Ipswich Town) - Following mixed spells at Bournemouth and Wolves, the 43-year-old joins Ipswich from Strasbourg to take another crack at the Premier League after Kieran McKenna stepped down.
4. Keith Andrews (Brentford) - The 45-year-old led the Bees to a ninth-place finish in his debut season as a full-time senior manager, boasting a 40 per cent win rate built on sharp counter-attacking tactics.
5. Frank Lampard (Coventry City) - After mixed spells at Chelsea and Everton, the 48-year-old has earned praise for leading Coventry back to the top flight after a 25-year absence.
6. Pierre Sage (Crystal Palace) - Named the 2025/26 French manager of the season after guiding Lens to second in Ligue 1 and winning the French Cup, the 47-year-old now takes over a Palace side that sold most of its key players.
7. Matthias Jaissle (Newcastle United) - The 38-year-old Red Bull school devotee arrives at Newcastle after winning back-to-back Asian titles with Al Ahli Saudi, though he remains unproven at this level.
8. Daniel Farke (Leeds United) - Having shed his label as a Championship specialist, the 49-year-old secured a mid-table finish and an FA Cup semi-final for Leeds.
9. Marco Rose (Bournemouth) - The 49-year-old German brings experience from Borussia Monchengladbach, Borussia Dortmund, and RB Leipzig, where he won the German Cup.
10. Michael Carrick (Manchester United) - The former United midfielder stabilized Old Trafford after Ruben Amorim's tenure, facing a major test in 2026/27 with UEFA Champions League football ahead.
11. Regis Le Bris (Sunderland) - The 50-year-old Frenchman made a transformational impact, leading Sunderland into the Premier League and Europe at the first attempt.
12. Fabian Hurzeler (Brighton) - Entering his third season at Brighton at just 33 years old, he has secured two eighth-place finishes and qualification for the Europa Conference League.
13. Roberto De Zerbi (Tottenham Hotspur) - Known for his high-risk football at Sassuolo, Brighton, and Marseille, the 47-year-old takes over a heavily backed Tottenham side following successive 17th-place finishes.
14. David Moyes (Everton) - The 63-year-old is the division's most experienced coach with 290 Premier League wins, currently working on building Everton back into European contention.
15. Andoni Iraola (Liverpool) - After overachieving at Bournemouth and orchestrating an 18-match unbeaten run to finish sixth, the 44-year-old takes charge at Anfield.
16. Oliver Glasner (Nottingham Forest) - The 51-year-old Austrian innovator joins Forest on a lucrative deal after delivering silverware with Eintracht Frankfurt and Crystal Palace.
17. Enzo Maresca (Manchester City) - Having served as an assistant to Guardiola and won silverware with Leicester City and Chelsea, the 46-year-old faces the massive task of succeeding Pep Guardiola.
18. Xabi Alonso (Chelsea) - Despite a difficult stint at Real Madrid, the 44-year-old arrives at Chelsea with an unbeaten domestic treble season on his CV from his time at Bayer Leverkusen.
19. Unai Emery (Aston Villa) - The 54-year-old Spaniard boasts five Europa League titles and consistent domestic success, transforming Aston Villa's fortunes.
20. Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) - Sitting at the top of the list, the 44-year-old delivered Arsenal's first league title in 22 years, establishing the Gunners as reigning champions and genuine contenders for the Champions League.