Ranking every Premier League manager from 2022/23 season - including Man Utd, Liverpool and Leeds bosses

The Premier League threw up plenty of surprises this season, despite Manchester City claiming yet another title with a barnstorming finish to a campaign split in two by the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

Pep Guardiola’s men recovered from a less than ideal start to power their way to another title, overcoming Arsenal late in the campaign. But elsewhere, there were plenty of surprises, with Newcastle United securing a top four finish, with Brighton securing Europa League football and with Leicester City suffering relegation.

With all that in mind, we have rated every Premier League manager from the most recent campaign, covering all 32 managers who spent time in charge of top-tier clubs:

Sam Allardyce - 3/10

In fairness to Big Sam, he didn’t have much time to do anything, but he gets a low rating based on the fact he didn’t do what he said he would - keep Leeds up. The Whites didn’t show any extra fight for the most part, and his appointment will go down as a pretty pointless long shot.

Javi Gracia - 2/10

The blame for Gracia’s miserable spell at Leeds arguably belongs with the club board, given the Spaniard was tasked with playing his more defensive approach with players who were signed to play energetic, attacking football. It was a terrible marriage, and Gracia didn’t improve the Whites.

Jesse Marsch - 3/10

The first manager to be sacked by Leeds was Jesse Marsch, with the American failing to take the club forward after keeping them up in the previous season. On one hand, Leeds spent too much to be as poor as they were, but on the other, they did lose their two best players last summer, and Victor Orta’s recruitment was poor. Marsch disappointed this season, but had he been kept on for the full campaign, would it really have gone worse than what transpired after his sacking?

Ryan Mason - 3/10

Mason didn’t improve Tottenham significantly, but he walked into a furnace following the sacking of Antonio Conte. It was a tough job, trying to manage a disgruntled and underperforming squad. He gets an extra point for that factor.

Antonio Conte - 5/10

Conte was certainly on course to underperform when he was sacked following a bust-up, but he at least had Spurs in the thick of the top four conversation, and they wound up missing out on Europe altogether. That tells you he was doing a decent job with the players he had.

Dean Smith - 2/10

Leicester were far too talented to have the season they had. This was a poor marriage, and one that seemed ill-thought out after the Foxes missed out on their primary managerial targets. Relegation was the result, and Smith didn’t do much to help.

Brendan Rodgers - 3/10

Rodgers gets a low rating based on this season, but he did a fine job with limited resources at Leicester overall. He certainly wasn’t helped by recruitment coming into this season, and so this rating must be taken with that context. But it’s a results business, and he couldn’t prevent the Foxes from slipping onto the relegation path.

Frank Lampard (Everton and Chelsea) - 1/10

Lampard disappointed at Everton early in the season, setting the tone for their miserable campaign, and he went on to take interim charge of Chelsea, managing just one win in 10. The Blues were a disaster, but one win? That takes some doing.

Graham Potter (Brighton and Chelsea) - 5/10

We’ve got to go down the middle here, because Potter did a superb job at Brighton, setting them on their way to European qualification, but his Chelsea spell was a disaster. Again, there is serious context, with the Blues botching their recruitment by signing far too many players. It was an impossible job at Stamford Bridge, but Potter loses points having failed to turn things around.

Thomas Tuchel - 3/10

Tuchel wasn’t given much time early in the season, but given what followed, it would seem it wouldn’t have gone much better after poor decisions from the club.

Roy Hodgson - 8/10

A solid rating for Hodgson, who came in and lifted everyone’s spirits at Selhurst Park despite many branding his return a regressive move. The veteran led Palace out of relegation trouble and to an 11th place finish. That’s a fine effort.

Patrick Vieira - 4/10

It feels like Palace were a little hasty in sacking Vieira, but it’s true that things were not trending in the right direction this season. Palace didn’t want to be anywhere near the relegation picture, and the Frenchman couldn’t keep relegation worries at bay.

Ruben Selles - 2/10

Selles gets a couple of points based on the fact Southampton’s squad was not up to par, while he also took interim charge of a side that was already more or less cut-adrift at the bottom. But the Saints remained poor under the Valencian, and so a low rating is inevitable.

Nathan Jones - 2/10

Five wins and nine defeats in 14 games in charge, the Welshman set Southampton’s relegation in motion and failed to win a single Premier League game at home. A disastrous spell.

Ralph Hasenhuttl - 1/10

Southampton picked up just 12 points from their first 14 games, and so Hasenhuttl has to get an even lower rating than Jones based on that woeful start.

Sean Dyche 6/10

Dyche didn’t radically improve things at Everton, who survived on the final day, but he did add some fight - something others failed to do after coming in during the season at other clubs. He also did well to navigate some very tricky circumstances off the pitch.

Gary O’Neill - 7/10

O’Neill did a superb job to keep Bournemouth from relegation with arguably the weakest squad in the Premier League. It wasn’t always great, but to keep the Cherries up with no managerial experience to call upon is a fine achievement.

Scott Parker - 3/10

It was a little early for Bournemouth to sack Parker, but they did so after a 9-0 drubbing against Liverpool and some silly comments from the former Chelsea and Spurs star where he called out the board for the lack of signings. A silly decision so early in the season at a time when he should have been attempting to build up his players.

Julen Lopetegui - 6/10

Wolves were in trouble when Lopetegui arrived, but the Spaniard guided them to a respectable 13th place finish. A solid effort, and Wolves fans will be excited to see what he does with a full summer to work with.

Bruno Lage - 3/10

Lage left Wolves in relegation trouble despite coming into the season with a solid squad that was capable of much more.

Unai Emery - 9/10

One of the managers of the season. Emery took the job in October with Aston Villa in relegation trouble, leaving a Villarreal side with top four hopes. He transformed Villa in every sense of the word and wound up securing European football for the club. An immense effort.

Steven Gerrard - 2/10

Gerrard was the reason Villa had to pay around £6million to bring Emery on board. The former Liverpool and England star midfielder oversaw a hugely disappointing start to the season at Villa despite having a good squad at his disposal. Injuries didn’t help, but Gerrard simply should have done better.

Roberto De Zerbi - 9/10

Another of the coaches of the season, De Zerbi steadied the ship after Potter’s departure at Brighton and guided them to another big step forward. The Seagulls landed a Europa League spot, and De Zerbi was one of the main reasons why.

Erik ten Hag - 7/10

Steady progress. Manchester United put in some disappointing performances along the way, but they did improve on the whole, landing a top four finish, while also winning the Carabao Cup and reaching the FA Cup final. They were, however, disappointing in Europe, and there were too many disappointing away displays. But there is plenty of promise ahead of next season, and ten Hag looks to be the man for the job.

Eddie Howe - 8/10

Howe has done a superb job at Newcastle so far. He doesn’t get a nine like De Zerbi and Emery due to the backing he received in the summer - not all clubs can afford a £60million striker. But there’s no doubting that he has the Magpies ahead of schedule, even if they were helped by the likes of Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool having off-years.

Steve Cooper - 5/10

Cooper wasn’t helped by a questionable recruitment policy at Forest, but the club did give him time in return. He was one of only two managers to survive in the bottom half, and he met his minimum aim in keeping Forest up. He gets a five for that, and it’s difficult to give him more based on some of his side’s poor displays this season.

Marco Silva - 7/10

Fulham put in a strong season to achieve a top-half finish, and they looked as though they might grab a European spot at some stage. The Cottagers are organised, they work hard, and it’s a credit to Silva and his coaching staff.

David Moyes - 4/10

The only other manager to survive in the bottom half was Moyes. West Ham have reached the Conference League final, although that might be because the other major sides in the competition didn’t take it particularly seriously. Still, reaching the final is an achievement and a chance to stay in Europe heading into next season. The less said about West Ham’s league season the better. The Hammers shouldn’t have been anywhere near the bottom three.

Mikel Arteta - 8/10

Arteta did a superb job to lead Arsenal into the title race well ahead of schedule. Though, he does lose points based on the fact the Gunners ended the season poorly for the second year running, and on both occasions, it has cost them their main objective. That’s something we need to see Arteta fix next season if he is going to score a nine or a 10.

Thomas Frank - 8/10

Frank did a superb job with Brentford again, guiding them to a top-half finish and to the edge of European contention. The Bees defeated a number of the big boys along the way, and they are an exciting side to watch. Hats off to Frank.

Pep Guardiola - 10/10

We can’t not give Guardiola a 10. Okay, City have an incredible squad, but as many teams have proven, that still doesn’t mean automatic titles. City are one win away from the treble, and they are arguably one of the best teams we have ever seen. Guardiola is the orchestrator, and he gets full marks for that.

Jurgen Klopp - 6/10

Right around average for Klopp, who was let down by Liverpool not signing midfielder’s last summer. That really hamstrung his efforts, but it didn’t excuse quite how bad the Reds were at times. Still, Klopp managed to recover Liverpool’s season by guiding them to a fifth-placed finish, and he grabs an extra mark for that.