The Premier League title race has been dominated in recent years by Pep Guardiola and his Manchester City side. The Spaniard has had the Sky Blues as perennial contenders for football’s biggest silverware, now chasing an unprecedented fifth consecutive title.
Guardiola’s tactical genius and relentless pursuit of excellence have set a new benchmark in English football, reshaping the league’s competitive landscape. However, with Arsenal and Liverpool in close contention this season, City’s early slip-ups may open the door for a new champion and a new manager to lift the prestigious trophy.
Remarkably, it has been since 2020 that a manager outside of Guardiola claimed the Premier League crown. His influence on English football is undeniable, but as the 2024-25 season unfolds, we may witness a shift in the balance of power. Could Arne Slot or Mikel Arteta upset betting promotions and snatch the title?
Here, we look back at the last five managers to secure a Premier League title, each leaving a unique mark on the league.
Pep Guardiola – Manchester City
Guardiola’s dominance began with Manchester City’s first title under him in the 2017-18 season, where his team set the record for the most points in a single campaign with 100, being dubbed the Centurions.
His possession-based tactics and ability to adapt his approach have made City the team to beat throughout different iterations, phasing out the players he integrated like Sergio Aguero and Vincent Kompany with new stars like Rodri and Erling Haaland.
With multiple titles to his name, Guardiola’s influence over the league has been so strong that the ‘City model’ is now widely emulated across English football.
Jurgen Klopp – Liverpool
Breaking City’s stranglehold on the league, Jurgen Klopp led Liverpool to their first-ever Premier League title in the 2019-20 season, ending a 30-year wait for the club’s league triumph.
Klopp’s charismatic leadership turned doubters to believers at Anfield, with the German’s passion for the game making Liverpool not only formidable opponents but also one of the most entertaining sides to in Premier League history, winning 26 of their first 27 games.
The triumph cemented Klopp’s status as one of the best managers in the world and reinvigorated Liverpool’s winning legacy, though the pandemic meant they had to wait until July to lift the trophy.
Antonio Conte – Chelsea
Antonio Conte’s impact was immediate when he took charge of Chelsea in the 2016-17 season, guiding the Blues to the title with his signature 3-4-3 formation.
The Italian reinvigorated a Chelsea squad that had finished 10th the previous season, making Chelsea one of the toughest teams to break down and securing 93 points and winning 30 games.
Conte’s success inspired a trend of three-at-the-back formations in the Premier League, further highlighting his tactical influence, though the wheels came off as he attempted to build the next iteration of his Chelsea team, which included selling players like Nemanja Matic and Diego Costa.
Claudio Ranieri – Leicester City
In one of the most improbable triumphs in football history, Claudio Ranieri led Leicester City to the title in the 2015-16 season. Leicester’s 5000-to-1 title win stunned the footballing world and remains a symbol of the league’s unpredictability. The Tinker man took a ragtag side of rejects and want-aways into Premier League champions.
The achievement not only etched Ranieri’s name in history but also reminded fans of the excitement and surprises that make the Premier League so beloved.
Jose Mourinho – Chelsea
Known as ‘The Special One,’ Jose Mourinho’s second stint at Chelsea saw him reclaim the Premier League title in the 2014-15 season.
It took the Portuguese manager just one full season to recreate a winning mentality within his squad which saw Chelsea dominate that season.
Mourinho’s influence on English football cannot be overstated, as he popularised a results-driven, tactical style that has inspired countless managers, making slight tweaks to the system that won him two titles in the previous decade to create a well-oiled machine, built to win football matches at any cost.
