On Sunday, April 28, Arsenal secured a 3-2 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Matchday 35 of the 2023-24 Premier League season. The victory took Gunners’ boss Mikel Arteta to a special milestone, as it marked his 100th win in the English top flight. Only a handful of managers have survived long enough to celebrate 100 Premier League wins, with even fewer managing to achieve the milestone in less than 200 games.
Below, we will check out the top five managers who have taken the least number of matches to reach 100 Premier League wins and check out if Arteta, who has reached the milestone in 169 games, makes the cut. Let’s begin!
#5 Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) — 169 Games
Edging out Arsenal icon Arsene Wenger (179 games), current Gunners boss Mikel Arteta has clinched the fifth spot. Overseeing 169 matches in the English top flight, the Spanish tactician has celebrated 100 wins, settled for 27 draws, and suffered 42 defeats.
Arteta, who took charge of his former team for the first time on December 26, 2019, took them agonizingly close to the title last season and is once again pushing Manchester City all the way this term. However, to get over the line, the Gunners need Man City to slip up, which seems like too big of an ask considering the form the defending champions are in.
#4 Sir Alex Ferguson (Manchester United) — 162 Games
Arguably the greatest-ever manager in Premier League history, Sir Alex Ferguson reached 100 Premier League wins in just 162 games. Ferguson won an eye-popping 13 Premier League titles between 1992-93 and 2012-13, setting an astonishing record that may very well stand the test of time.
Ferguson, who was the last manager to guide Manchester United to Premier League glory, managed the Red Devils in 810 EPL matches. Under his tutelage, United won 528 games, drew 168, and lost only 114 times. His team, known for their dramatic comebacks, scored 1,627 goals in 20 seasons.
#3 Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool) — 159 Games
The introducer of ‘Heavy Metal’ soccer in England, Jurgen Klopp is the third name on this list of elites. The German maestro hit the ground running at Liverpool, clinching his 100th Premier League victory in just 159 matches.
Since taking charge of the Reds in October 2015, Klopp has led multiple Premier League title charges. However, thanks to Manchester City, he came up short on all but one occasion. The former Borussia Dortmund manager ended Liverpool’s Premier League drought in the 2019-20 season, finishing 18 points clear of second-placed Man City. Klopp looked on course for another title win this season, but his team’s challenge has fizzled out over the last couple of weeks.
The manager, who will step down at the end of the 2023-24 season, will go down as one of the best managers in Premier League history, one who taught England the importance of pressing high and working for the badge.
#2 Jose Mourinho (Chelsea) — 142 Wins
By far the most successful and influential manager in Chelsea‘s history, Jose Mourinho needed only 142 games to celebrate his 100th win in the Premier League. He also managed Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur in the English top division but those spells were not nearly as successful. The Portuguese maestro managed 363 Premier League games, bagging 217 wins, enduring 62 defeats, and playing out 84 draws.
Mourinho managed Chelsea over two spells. In his first spell, which lasted between July 2004 and September 2007, he took the club to two EPL titles. He returned to Stamford Bridge in July 2013 and stayed until December 2015, adding another league title to the Blues’ tally.
#1 Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) — 134 Games
Widely hailed as the best manager in the world, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola enjoyed an explosive start at the Etihad Stadium. He swapped out dead weight in favor of players who could adhere to his demands, creating a relentless winning machine. The Spanish tactician enjoyed a lot of success in his first three seasons, reaching the 100-win milestone in only 134 games and winning the title twice (2017-18, 2018-19).
The former Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager could not win his third consecutive title in 2019-20, thanks to Liverpool, but has since been on an unforgiving run. Guardiola has guided City to the title in the last three seasons and is the favorite to do it once more this season. If he attains said goal, he will become the first-ever manager to win four consecutive titles in the English top-flight history.
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