Friday 23 February 2018 16:13, UK
We challenged the Soccer Saturday pundits to rank the managers of the Premier League's top six as four prepare to showdown on a huge Sunday of football.
Jose Mourinho's Manchester United host Antonio Conte's Chelsea before Arsene Wenger and Pep Guardiola compete for the first trophy of the season as Arsenal meet Manchester City in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley.
Sunday also sees Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham travel to Crystal Palace in their rearranged fixture, while Jurgen Klopp will be hoping his side can increase the pressure on their top-four rivals by beating West Ham on Saturday.
But which of the bosses would the pundits want in charge of their clubs? Here's how the four legends rank the top six's bosses...
1) Pep Guardiola
If money is no object then it has to be Pep Guardiola. It's the way he plays but also the way he has improved certain players. Not in my wildest dreams could I have imagined Raheem Sterling playing this well. Nobody in that City team has gone backwards.
2) Mauricio Pochettino
I think what he's doing at Spurs is just unbelievable. He's not breaking the bank and steadily going along, it's phenomenal. Tottenham have all these players on five-year contracts and that is testament to what a great manager he is. They might not have won anything but he is building a fantastic foundation. My biggest worry with them is if Real Madrid don't win the Champions League then they could come in for Harry Kane and Pochettino.
3) Jose Mourinho
He'll give you trophies, and that's what it's all about. He's not going to play phenomenal football but they can win the Champions League going anywhere and drawing 0-0. He does what it says on the tin. They've done the hard bit in Seville, second in the league and in the FA Cup, so it is just Manchester City making everybody look bad.
4) Antonio Conte
He's close with Jose because there's not a lot different between what they've done at Chelsea. What he did, coming in and sorting out that side was phenomenal, but again the second season has been disappointing.
5) Jurgen Klopp
I like Klopp. He comes across as a really good guy. However, you look at his team and you take away from his front three and Virgil van Dijk and I don't know how many of those other players would get in another top-six-side. He's been there a few seasons now and the majority of his signings have been fairly average.
6) Arsene Wenger
Like Liverpool, I just don't think they've sorted their defence out, and you're not winning much without a defence. If you were an owner of a club and you wanted to make money out of your club he'd be your first choice. However, if they win the Carabao Cup and the Europa League it would be a great season, one of his best as a manager.
1) Pep Guardiola
If you think about box ticking he covers them all. People might say he's not defensive minded but he identifies the right defenders to suit his system and he sorted out the full-backs. He's got that value that everybody wants - winning but with a bit of style.
2) Jurgen Klopp
I think his values are similar to Guardiola's and it's obviously attack first. There's always got to be a blend and Liverpool haven't had that as well as Pep has managed, but he has players who get you off your seat with great attacking talents. I think he's been fantastic and I'm more than happy with him as Liverpool boss.
3) Mauricio Pochettino
There are three teams who are quite similar in staying true to how they play even when under pressure - City, Liverpool and Spurs. He, like Klopp, hasn't had the vast resources of other managers and he's blending together a young side. It will be very interesting this summer for the club and potentially a defining period in their history.
4) Jose Mourinho
He's the proverbial winner and I don't think there are any problems with that. However, while I know they won a few trophies last year, I still think he's searching for his best team. He has the best goalkeeper in the world in David de Gea - the saves he pulled out midweek were astonishing - but you when consider he has made the third most amount of saves in the Premier League there's clearly work to do.
5) Antonio Conte
Big question marks remain over whether he will stay at Chelsea and this season has somewhat undermined the success of winning the league. He's got a good team but he's not sorted out his back up in different positions.
6) Arsene Wenger
I don't like putting him bottom because of his legacy at Arsenal. None of us enjoy criticising him because of what he has brought to the Premier League, but this current side have slipped below the other five in terms of standards, which he has to be responsible for.
1) Pep Guardiola
The reasons are fairly simple - he plays the football I love. I've followed him ever since he got the Barcelona job and I started to fly over to Spain and watch them. I love his methods and principles. Sometimes I'm disappointed by his humility but that happens when you're under such pressure and your standards are so unbelievably high.
2) Mauricio Pochettino
I'm an Arsenal fan but not one who casts an envious eye at Tottenham, but I do appreciate his style of play and the standards he holds for his players. His style of play is attractive, they squeeze when they need to and he gives young players their chances. He doesn't have quite the same silky ideals but his defenders provide more solidity. The thing about Pochettino is that he's the modern Arsene Wenger in the sense that he's brought something new to the Premier League.
3) Arsene Wenger
It's very close between third and fourth for me. I'm sticking with Wenger ahead of Klopp because of what he's done for the club. He's overstayed his greatness because he's now got a team which is average and that is his responsibility. Defensively he's weak but I love his style of play. His failure to get quality defenders has been the downfall, but that's not necessarily only his problem because his scouts are clearly letting him down.
4) Jurgen Klopp
He'd be pushing for the top two if Liverpool were closer to the title but he's not even been close. What Klopp has is a fantastic attacking style of play and he's a fantastic character, dynamic and in your face with his commitment on the side.
5) Jose Mourinho
He's a serial winner and of course I'd like that at Arsenal, but I've never been attracted to his style of football. He's shrewd enough and clever enough to get the best out of the players he likes, but ultimately he's got the biggest club in the world playing boring football.
6) Antonio Conte
I never particularly liked him as a player as I felt he wanted to fight the world, but I've liked him ever since he walked into Chelsea and the way they've performed this season. However, he looks like he's constantly despondent. I know the board can upset managers but even midweek it wasn't the same sort of celebration when they scored against Barcelona.
1) Pep Guardiola
Probably not surprising given how far his team are ahead but I do like the way he sets about to win every football match, which would be a joy to watch as a fan. He's obviously had the best players to work with, which has helped, but still he's improved what he's worked with.
2) Jose Mourinho
I think his record as a manager is incredible. Yes his teams are more practical than Pep's but if he was going to bring the same amount of trophies, you can't complain. I would probably say I have a little bit more admiration for Jose's achievements given he won the Champions League with Porto and Inter Milan.
3) Antonio Conte
I really enjoy him as a manager when he's happy and he's been a little bit too sad for me. It's the same for Jose. I just wish these guys appreciate how fortunate they are but obviously it's that drive to be better that makes them like that.
4) Mauricio Pochettino
I think what nudges him ahead of Klopp and Wenger is his defensive structure and the understanding he has of that side of the game. He's behind the above for the lack of trophies but I don't think he's missing anything else, and I'd be very surprised if he doesn't go on to elevate himself into the very highest echelons of the game.
5) Jurgen Klopp
I think the only question mark is whether he can organise a top class defence because going forward his team are irresistible. He's a little bit similar to Wenger in terms of neglecting that side of the game, because his side are as good as anybody.
6) Arsene Wenger
He has obviously built this legacy but I just think the way football has moved on makes him look like he's been left behind. I actually think he's been his own worst enemy with pure stubbornness. It is obviously impressive what Wenger has done but if you asked me which one I would have at this moment in time he comes in the last place.
