Every Premier League Manager 26/27 - Styles, Systems And Who Is Under Pressure?

Who Are The 26/27 Premier League Managers?

The 2026/27 Premier League campagin is just a month away, where champions Arsenal face newly promoted Coventry City at Emirates Stadium on August 21st. But with the new season around the corner, who are the 20 managers in the dugout looking to bring their teams success, whatever that may look like.

Arsenal: Mikel Arteta

A lot has been made in recent years about whether Mikel Arteta could get Arsenal over the line as league champions after three consecutive second place finishes, but he did just that last time out. Leading Arsenal to their first title in 22 years and the 14th in the history of the club.

Set to begin his seventh season in charge as the Gunners boss, Arteta has earned a repuation as one of the brightest minds in the sport, and was heavily anticipated to become a top manager from early on in his playing days.

Since taking over from the dismissed Unai Emery in late 2019, Arteta's Arsenal's style of play has changed a lot, despite the consistant use of a 4-3-3 formation. From free-flowing, attacking football in 2022/23 and 2023/24, to a more disciplined and patient style in 2025/26 which saw them come out on top above the rest, the new style has drawn criticism somewhat from some who would prefer a return to a more attacking style. However, Arteta firmly has the support of both the Arsenal supporters, players and board and unless something goes seriously wrong it's hard to see him leaving Emirates Stadium anytime soon.

Aston Villa: Unai Emery

Arteta's predecessor at Arsenal, fellow Spainard Unai Emery has rebuild his repuation within English football following his poor 18 month spell in charge of the Gunners, having earned himself legend statues at Aston Villa since making the move to the midlands in 2022 from Villarreal.

Emery has won 106 of his 196 games in charge at Villa Park, leading the club to two top five finishes and qualification for the UEFA Champions League, as well as winning the UEFA Europa League trophy in 2026, the club's first major honour since winning the League Cup in 1996.

Favouring either a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 system, Emery's Villa are often compact with and without the ball, patient when on it and strong on the transition.

It's been a summer of change at Villa Park however, with departures of Morgan Rogers, Youri Tielemans and Lucas Digne set to bring a new-looked Villa next season. However what is certain is that Villa fans will be confident with Emery in charge, where there is hardly a bigger love of a manager by supporters in the league.

Bournemouth: Marco Rose

A new face in the Premier League, 49 year-old German coach Marco Rose was chosen early as the replacement for the outgoing Andoni Iraola at Bournemouth.

Rose has experience at managing some of the top clubs in German football including RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund, where an intense pressing and aggressive style was favoured. Wanting a forward-thinking side that won the ball high up the pitch to create turnovers, Rose could bring a risky, but potentially rewarding style to the South Coast as they look to embark on a European campagin for the first time in the club's history.

Keith Andrews: Brentford

Many were surprised when Brentford replaced successful and long-serving Thomas Frank with set-piece coach Keith Andrews ahead of the 2025/26 season, but even more were surprised with how he managed the Bees side.

Despite many tipping them for relegation and Andrews for the sack, the Irishman managed to not only keep up the great work by Frank, but improve on the Dane by leading Brentford to a record points tally and ninth place finish in the table.

Continuing Frank's physical, well-drilled style with a continued focus on pressing, directness and set-pieces, Brentford once more were a side tough to beat. And as they look set to keep the majority of their squad as well as adding to it with new signings, it looks like they could be a surprise package once more.

Brighton: Fabian Hürzeler

Despite an inconsistent season at Brighton last season for the young Fabian Hürzeler which saw periods where the coach's position seemed under threat, ultimately the German's season at the Amex had a happy ending. As a strong end to the campagin saw the Seagulls earn qualification to the UEFA Conference League on the final day with an 8th place finish.

Similar to what we have become used to at Brighton over recent years under previous managers Graham Potter and Roberto De Zerbi, Brighton are a team heavily focused on keeping possession from the back to front, having a fluid style both on and off the ball and pressing the opposition into mistakes.

Often favouring a 4-2-3-1 with attacking full-backs, Hürzeler has the Brighton fanbase on side following European qualification, but will have to try and manage those demands alongside domestic football for the first time in his career.

Chelsea: Xabi Alonso

Once more there is a new face in the dugout at Stamford Bridge, with former Bayer Leverkusen and Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso tasked with managing Chelsea.

The former midfielder put himself on the map as one of the brightest coaches around when he won an unprecedented Bundesliga title and DfB-Pokal double at Leverkusen during the 2023/24 season, going the whole campagin unnbeaten and narrowly missed out on a treble after being defeated for the first and only time that season in the UEFA Europa League final to Atalanta.

However, a brief and disappointing spell at Real Madrid followed, but Alonso has got his chance to manage in the Premier League with Chelsea, as he looks to improve on what was a disastrous and chaotic season ast time out at the Bridge.

Alonso's successful Leverkusen side played a 3-4-2-1 formation, with high wingbacks and two attacking midfielders behind a striker. The record-breaking incoming signing of Morgan Rogers implies that Alonso could play that system once more, but time will tell whether he has what it takes to bring Chelsea back near the top of the table.

Coventry City: Frank Lampard

Chelsea and Premier League legend Frank Lampard is once more a Premier League manager, having led Coventry to the top flight for the first time since 2001.

Eyebrows were raised when Coventry dismissed the popular and successful Mark Robins with Lampard, who after a solid spell in charge of Derby County had struggled as boss of old club Chelsea. However, it has proven to be a risk worth taking with Lampard's Sky Blues taking the EFL Championship by storm last season.

Wanting a dominant possession style with high full-backs and fluid midfielders to keep the ball moving at all times, Lampard may have to adapt his preferred system due to the step up in level of the Premier League as he looks to add to the rebuilding of his coaching reputation by keeping Coventry in the top flight after signing a new contract in the summer, lasting until 2029.

Crystal Palace: Pierre Sage

Another new face to the Premier League, Frenchman Pierre Sage is the new manager of Crystal Palace following the departure of Oliver Glasner.

Glasner will be a tough act to follow, winning the Eagles their first ever major honour with the FA Cup in 24/25, before following it up with the UEFA Conference League trophy the following campagin.

Sage joins from RC Lens, where he had an extremely impressive 70% win rate, and finished second in the table during the 25/26 Ligue 1 campagin, just six points behind PSG.

Favouring a structured pressing and possession style, Sage mainly used a back four formation at Lens, which is different to the 3-4-2-1 mainly used by Glasner at Selhurst Park.

Everton: David Moyes

The most experienced manager in the league, David Moyes endured an up and down season at Everton in their first season at their new Hill Dickinson Stadium following the move from Goodison Park.

Some strong periods of form were mixed with equally poor runs, including the end of the season where five games without a win saw them slip to a 13th place finish.

Everton are a club that have underperformed for a while, and whilst Moyes is a popular figure on the blue side of Merseyside given his long-time service to the club, a poor start to the upcoming campagin could see a change made.

Fulham: Alvaro Arbeloa

Marco Silva's move from Craven Cottage to Benfia left Fulham needing to replace the highly-rated Portugese, and Alvaro Arbeloa in the man in the dugout in West London.

The former Liverpool and Real Madrid defender has had a curious coaching career so far. Managing the Real Madrid academy before being chosen to succeed Alonso as manager of the first team for the remainder of the 24/25 season.

Having Real Madrid as your first senior coaching job is rare, but Arbeloa didn't do enough to convince Florentino Perez that he was the right man to lead them forward, with Arbeloa now set to test his coaching ability in the Premier League with Fulham.

Favouring a 4-3-3 formation with a focus on controlling and keeping possession, perhaps much like Arteta at Arsenal, Arbeloa is also known to put a strong focus on man-managemnt and motivation alongside on-pitch tactics.

Hull City: Sergej Jakirovic

Hull City were not expected to push for promotion during the 25/26 season, especially after appointing relative unknown Sergej Jakirovic. However the 49 year-old Bosnian worked wonders with the Tigers, earning a spot back in the top flight after a late Oli Mcburnie winner at Wembley over Middlesbrough in the playoff final.

Unlike his fellow promoted managers, Jakirovic will be taking to the dugout in the Premier League for the first time in his career, and faces a strong fight to keep Hull in the division.

His Hull team last season were built off a strong, compact defence, with a midfield and attack that pressed high and worked hard off the ball to force turnovers. Hull will need more of the same as they look to handle the step up to the top flight.

Ipswich Town: Gary O'Neil

Gary O'Neil is once more a Premier League manager, succeeding Kieran Mckenna at Ipswich after he decided to leave Portman Road following returning the Tractor Boys to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

O'Neil impressed as manager of Bournemouth, before enduring a tough spell as manager of Wolves.

Typically, O'Neil's sides have been based on disciplined and organised styles both on and off the ball, as well as looking to counter-attack with pace especially out wide.

Leeds United: Daniel Farke

After rumours of Leeds potentially dismissing Farke ahead of their return season in the Premier League over concerns he'd fail to keep the side up, the German then went on to be one of the most impressive performing coaches in the division.

Farke, alongside the impressive performances of players such as Anton Stach and Dominic Calvert-Lewin, saw Leeds comfortably survive in 14th place.

Leeds's 4-2-3-1 system with attacking full-backs creating width with a focus on aggressive pressing proved difficult for opponents last season, especially in front of the loud and proud crowd at Elland Road.

Farke has earned the support and faith of the Leeds faithful and the board, but could face a challenge to replicate the result of the previous season during the upcoming campagin.

Liverpool: Andoni Iraola

Arne Slot paid the price for a poor second season in charge at Anfield following their 24/25 title success, being sacked as manager of Liverpool and being replaced by Andoni Iraola.

The Basque-born coach worked wonders on the South Coast at Bournemouth, helping the club qualify for the UEFA Europa League with a record sixth place finish.

Iraola had Bournemouth playing a fast-paced possession style with an aggressive press and quick transitions. A style which the Anfield crowd should take well too following the more patient approach from Slot which became heavily unpopular amongst the support.

Manchester City: Enzo Maresca

For the first time in ten years, Pep Guardiola will not be in the home dugout at the Etihad after a trophy-laiden spell in charge where he cemented himself as one of the greatest managers in English football.

Enzo Maresca, following his dismissal at Chelsea midway through the 25/26 season, has been chosen as the man to succeed the Catalan legend.

Marseca was Guardiola's assistant at the Etihad before embarking on his own managerial career, and shares a similar style to the Spaniard.

Playing a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, Marseca, like Guardiola, wants a dominant possession style with inverted full-backs and patient build-up build around maintaining complete control of the game.

Manchester United: Michael Carrick

After much speculation, Michael Carrick's impressive turnaround of form as interim coach following taking over from Ruben Amorim was enough to earn him the permanent gig as manager of Manchester United.

The former midfielder did a great job in the second half of the 25/26 season at Old Trafford, including wins over Manchester City and Arsenal to see United into third in the table.

Carrick will look to take that form throughout a whole season, looking to keep the 4-2-3-1 with saw success after changing from Amorim's 3-4-2-1, having technical midfielders looking to maintain possession of the ball with Bruno Fernandes at the heart of the team in the number 10 role.

Newcastle United: Eddie Howe

Perhaps the most under-pressure manager in the league ahead of the new season, it has been another tough summer for Newcastle following last summer's disappointing transfer window.

That summer window was followed by a disappointing season which saw the Magpies fail to even make the top half of the table with a 12th place finish. And that poor campaign has been followed up with a start to the transfer window which has seen Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali leave, with captain Bruno Guimaraes rumoured to want to also leave Tyneside in favour of a move to Arsenal.

Howe has done a great job in charge at St. James Park, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League and winning the EFL Cup. However, a poor start to the upcoming season could see a change made with much of the Magpies fanbase growing frustrated.

Nottingham Forest: Oliver Glasner

In a surprise move, Vitor Pereira was removed as manager of Nottingham Forest despite keeping the side in the Premier League, with Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner replacing him at the City Ground.

One of the most impressive coaches in the league during his time at Selhurst Park, Glasner's 3-4-2-1 with high wing backs and aggressive pressing saw Palace win two trophies in a golden era for the club.

It remains to be seen whether Glasner adopts a similar system at Forest, but the squad could easily adapt to that system having played similar under Nuno Espirito Santo.

Sunderland: Regis Le Bris

Underboubtly the surprise package of the 25/26 season, Sunderland took to the Premier League by storm following their promotion, finishing 7th and qualifying for the Europa League.

At the heart of their success was French coach Regis Le Bris, with the 4-3-3 system typically used with a structured possession style with Granit Xhaka at the heart of midfield saw Sunderland cement themselves as one of the best newly promoted teams in the history of the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur: Roberto De Zerbi

We are pleased to announce the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi as our new Men’s Head Coach on a long-term contract, subject to work permit.

🔗 https://t.co/DtXe0YJSlr pic.twitter.com/64tybrOhmr

— Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) March 31, 2026

Italian coach Roberto De Zerbi achieved what he was brought in to do at Tottenham initially, making sure the club survived a shock relegation from the top flight.

De Zerbi's intense, passioante personality mixed with his fluid, attacking focused possession football instantly became popular amongst Spurs fans after the unpopular style of play of both Igor Tudor and Thomas Frank.

The job now for De Zerbi is to now continue that intial good work for an entire season and push Spurs towards the European places after back-to-back seventeenth place finishes.