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Arsene Wenger vs Alex Ferguson - It's closer than you think!

For as long as I can remember, Sir Alex Furgeson has always been regarded as the best manager that the Premier League has ever seen, and is definitely in the conversation for the worlds best too. In contrast, although Arsene Wenger had great success during his 22 years at Arsenal, he still left a foul taste in the mouth of ungrateful Arsenal fans after his resignation in 2018. However, the statistical difference between these two great managerial legends isn't as great as you might think. 

Sir Alex Furgeson joined Manchester United in 1986, and over a 27-year career, he put together quite a stat sheet. He led the Red Devils to 17 Premier League titles, 5 FA Cups, and 2 Champions League trophies, whilst managing some of the biggest names in world football such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, and Robin Van Persie. 

Similarly, Arsene Wenger joined Arsenal in 1996 and was an immediate success in the Premier League. He was the only manager who could compete with the dynasty that Furgeson had created in Manchester and between 1997-2004, Arsenal and United were the only teams to win a Premier League title; Arsenal winning 3 and United winning 5. Unfortunately, this rivalry would soon die out as Wenger's side moved their attention away from success in major titles to winning smaller domestic trophies such as the FA Cup and Community Shield (each to their own I guess...). 

However, if you move away from the trophy tally (which is a fairly close contest anyway), Furgeson's crown as the Premier League's best starts to wobble. 

Arsene Wenger VSAlex Furgeson 
572Games Won563
235Games Drawn248
192Games Lost188
1845Games Scored 1782
961Goals Conceded 943
57.30%Win %56.30%
1951Total Points 1937

So, what do we take from this? Well, in the spirit of controversy and now with some statistical backing, I would say that Arsene Wenger is actually the best manager that the Premier League has ever seen. Calm down United fans, just hear me out. 

Yes, Furgeson beats Wenger when it comes to trophies won but he arguably had much better players to do it with. If you look at the notable players each manager had at their disposal and the money they had to bring in new talent, Wenger did a better job of getting the best out of his players. It's hard to argue with 13 Premier League titles but Wenger had a near-identical average finishing place of 2.9 in the Premier League over 22 seasons, with Furgeson placing an average of 2.8 over 27 seasons. 

Of course, United fans are a loyal bunch and I'm not saying that this managerial master hasn't earned his reputation as a Premier League great. However, Arsene Wenger is not only hot on his heels but may just beat him to the throne as the English top flights best. 

When Wenger left in 2018, he left at the order of the fans who thought his 'outdated' tactics and strategy would never return them to his early days of Premier League success. However, what the last few seasons have shown us is that his pitchside absence has brought 6 more places of harm than good, as Arsenal descend further and further down the league table. In my opinion, it's time for the old King of North London to take his place black on the Premier League mountain top. 



 


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