EPL_Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock's outspoken and controversial personality has put him among the greats of British football management. He crossed paths with the best coaches the Premier League has had to offer, including Sir Alex Ferguson, whom he hasn't been on the best of terms with for over 17 years.
The 76-year-old followed in Ferguson's footsteps when he was appointed Aberdeen manager on February 24 but admitted the pair 'weren't really on Christmas card lists if I'm honest'. He suggested this stemmed from issues over the Scot's team selection for Manchester United's final-day loss against West Ham United in May 2007 as Warnock's Sheffield United suffered relegation.
Warnock included Ferguson in a ranking of his top five managers in Premier League history during an interview with talkSPORT in 2020. But his reasons for not putting him higher weren't because of their apparent rift, as he delved into a tactical explanation.
1 Arsene Wenger
Clubs Managed: Arsenal
Arsene Wenger is Warnock's top manager of the Premier League era because he felt the former Arsenal boss 'changed the whole outlook on modern football'. The Gunners appointed the Frenchman in October 1996 and he oversaw a transformation of the North Londoners, propelling them into title contention.
Wenger guided Arsenal to three Premier League titles, including their famous Invincibles season in 2004. He was key in the development of Thierry Henry, whom many feel is the best player in English top-flight history. Dennis Bergkamp, Robin van Persie, Patrick Vieira and Cesc Fabregas were others who thrived under the French tactician.
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Arsene Wenger Premier League Record
Matches Managed
Wins
Defeats
Goals For
Goals Against
Titles Won
Manager Of Month Awards
Manager Of Season Awards
2 Pep Guardiola
Clubs Managed: Manchester City
Warnock's ranking came in the first year that Pep Guardiola oversaw Manchester City's unprecedented four Premier League title wins in a row. The Spaniard also masterminded their first-ever UEFA Champions League triumph as part of a continental treble in 2023, dominating and influencing English football at the Etihad.
Guardiola has taken City into another stratosphere by delivering the most successful period in the club's history. He'd implemented a possession-based brand of football and worked his magic on Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden among others.
3 Jurgen Klopp
Clubs Managed: Liverpool
Jurgen Klopp arrived at Liverpool in October 2015 with the Reds struggling to stay among the English elite. The German got to work on overhauling the squad and was immediately adored by the Anfield faithful as his gegenpress style kicked into gear. The Kop worshipped him once they finally got their hands on an English title again in 2020.
Klopp spent nine years with Liverpool and the Merseysiders won every major trophy on offer, including the UEFA Champions League in 2019. Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Alisson Becker were among those who played vital roles in his rebuild of the most successful club in English football.
4 Sir Alex Ferguson
Clubs Managed: Manchester United
Sir Alex Ferguson is the most successful manager in Premier League history, winning 13 titles before calling time on his legendary career in 2013. The iconic Scot adapted with the times amid his near-27-year reign at Old Trafford, waging war with Kevin Keegan, Wenger, Jose Mourinho and other title-challenging rival gaffers.
Warnock felt Ferguson's success came when English football was more reliant on man-management:
Ferguson's longevity saw him manage some of the Premier League's greatest players, including Eric Cantona, Wayne Rooney, Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham. No player was bigger than the club, and he wasn't afraid to move those on who didn't meet his standards or share his club-first mentality.
5 Jose Mourinho
Clubs Managed: Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Jose Mourinho was the only manager to make Warnock's list who has been in charge of more than one Premier League club. But his major success in English football came during two spells with Chelsea, delivering the title on three occasions and putting the Blues on the map as a European powerhouse during the Roman Abramovich era.
Mourinho adopted a pragmatic approach, and it often reaped its rewards in the Premier League, especially with Chelsea, where Frank Lampard, John Terry and Didier Drogba starred under his guidance. He was still a hit at Manchester United despite issues with the board and certain players, guiding them to UEFA Europa League glory. He admitted that Tottenham Hotspur are the only club he's coached that he doesn't look back on fondly.
All statistics courtesy ofTransfermarkt- correct as of 27/03/2025.