With Pep Guardiola set for Manchester City exit, will Unai Emery be the ‘best manager’ in Premier League next season?

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TNT Sports expert Owen Hargreaves claimed Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery could be considered the "best in the Premier League" if Pep Guardiola leaves Manchester City.

Emery labelled 'best manager in the Premier League' if Guardiola leaves

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Emery guided Villa to UEFA Europa League glory on Wednesday night with a 3-0 win over Freiburg in Istanbul.

It was a fifth European trophy for the Spaniard, who has established himself as one of the game's most adept tacticians.

"You could argue, with Pep leaving, he's the best in the Premier League," former Bayern Munich and Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves said on TNT Sports.

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"He's got the most trophies, he's got the most experience. Obviously, Mikel [Arteta] is at the start of his journey, done an incredible job this year.

"But Unai is in a category with the best of the best and the only thing left is really, can he win the Premier League? Can he win the Champions League?

"To win five European trophies, with different teams, who are probably not favourites, is actually remarkable."

Emery has not only been a success in Europe with Villa. He replaced Steven Gerrard in October 2022 with the Villans just outside the relegation zone and by the end of the season had lifted them to seventh.

Villa finished fourth in 2023/24, qualifying for the UEFA Champions League - where they were beaten in the quarter-finals by eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain.

Emery's side finished sixth in the Premier League in 2024/25 and are guaranteed a top five finish this season.

He has done a consistently excellent job but is Emery - sans Guardiola - the best manager in the Premier League? We have assessed some others who might have a claim to that title.

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Mikel Arteta

Arteta is 10 years younger than Emery but the Arsenal boss has built up plenty of experience.

While he has faced criticism this season for what some perceive to be an unattractive style of play, Arteta has meticulously guided The Gunners to a first Premier League title in over two decades.

There is no doubt that the San Sebastian native is among the most tactically proficient coaches in world football.

He has adapted his team to the physical demands of the Premier League better than any other manager and Arsenal's patience - and persistence - has been rewarded.

He does not yet have as many honours to his name as Emery but a Premier League title, as well as an FA Cup, and potentially a Champions League, is not to be sniffed at.

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Arne Slot

Liverpool boss Slot may have had more of a case this time last year, when he had seamlessly guided his new team to the Premier League title at the first attempt.

The manner in which the Dutchman filled Jurgen Klopp's sizeable shoes was hugely impressive.

By comparison, Emery struggled when he took the reins at Arsenal following Arsene Wenger's departure in 2018.

Slot can boast a Premier League title, which has so far evaded Emery, but the former's difficult second season makes it hard to argue that he is currently the best in England's top flight.

If he can get things back on track next season - assuming he has afforded time - then Slot could again be considered in the same bracket as Emery.

Enzo Maresca

Working under the assumption that Guardiola will leave, it has been widely reported that Enzo Maresca will take over at City.

It seems premature to label the Italian the best coach in the Premier League but he is certainly highly regarded.

Guiding Chelsea to fourth in the table last season - and leaving in January with the Blues fifth - looks in hindsight to be something of an achievement.

After Maresca's departure, Chelsea fell off a cliff under Liam Rosenior.

There were glimpses of Maresca's tactical acuity in Europe, too: notably, a 3-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League in November.

If he takes on the unenviable challenge of replacing Guardiola and succeeds, Maresca's stock will rise considerably, and quickly.

Xabi Alonso

Alonso was very much the new kid on the block after leading Bayer Leverkusen to the Bundesliga title in 2024 and going unbeaten in the process.

The ex-Liverpool midfielder made the switch to Real Madrid last summer, but his tenure with the Spanish giants was brief, brought to a premature end in January.

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Chelsea's appointment of Alonso has been viewed as something of a coup, given his reputation as one of the brightest young coaches in Europe.

He does not yet have the experience and gravitas of Emery but his achievement with Leverkusen alone puts Alonso in the conversation.

If he turns Chelsea into title challengers, the 44-year-old will soon be spoken about as one of the top managers in the Premier League.

Do you agree with Hargreaves?

Do you agree with Hargreaves' view that Emery will be the best manager in the league if Guardiola leaves City?

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