Wayne Rooney Names Two Premier League Managers He Rates Higher Than Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta

Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney has delivered a surprising verdict on the current hierarchy of Premier League coaches, stating that Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is only the "third-best manager" in the division. While Rooney acknowledges that Arteta has done a "fantastic job" by transforming the Gunners into title contenders after years of stagnation, he believes the Spaniard still sits behind Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Aston Villa’s Unai Emery. Rooney argues that Emery’s elite pedigree was obscured during his time at Arsenal because of the immense pressure of succeeding Arsene Wenger, drawing parallels to the difficulties David Moyes faced replacing Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford.

According to Rooney, Emery’s ability to guide Aston Villa to the Champions League and mount a potential title challenge makes him the second-best manager in the league, effectively outranking his successor at the Emirates. Rooney emphasized that the job at Villa Park is a "true reflection" of Emery’s capabilities, contrasting it with the unique challenges of the post-Wenger era. Beyond the elite top three, Rooney also offered a nod to the current Manager of the Year race, identifying Sunderland’s Regis Le Bris as the frontrunner following the club’s sensational return to top-flight football.