Wayne Rooney names two Premier League managers ‘higher’ than Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta | Football

Wayne Rooney believes Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is barely the ‘third-best manager’ within the Premier League.

Arteta is desperately hoping to bring a long-awaited Premier League trophy to the Emirates Stadium after three successive second-place finishes.

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Arteta has only won the FA Cup since his appointment in December 2019 but becoming the primary manager since Arsene Wenger to lift the Premier League title would transform his legacy on the club.

The Gunners had stagnated for several years before Arteta took over and the Spaniard has been praised for changing the mentality and improving standards in north London.

Nonetheless, a manager who has spent £1 billion on signings can have expected to secure more silverware and it has been suggested one other season with no trophy could cost Arteta his job.

Rooney insists Arteta is doing a ‘implausible job’ at Arsenal but only rates him because the third-best manager within the Premier League.

Top of the list, in line with Rooney, is Manchester City’s legendary manager Pep Guardiola, while Unai Emery sits second in Rooney’s mind.

Emery endured a disappointing spell at Arsenal after replacing Gunners icon Arsene Wenger but is showing his pedigree at Villa Park.

Aston Villa qualified for the Champions League for the primary time under Emery, while the Midlands club are threatening to mount a surprise Premier League title challenge this season.

Guardiola, meanwhile, is one in all the best managers in history, having won multiple league titles in England, Spain and Germany in addition to lifting the Champions League 3 times.

Discussing Emery’s managerial credentials on his BBC podcast, former Manchester United and England striker Rooney said: ‘Unai Emery was the primary over to are available after Arsene Wenger and we saw with David Moyes and Sir Alex [Ferguson] how difficult that will be.

‘That’s an enormous pressure. That was a difficult one however the Arsenal job isn’t a real reflection of him.

‘In my view he’s probably the second-best manager within the Premier League while you take a look at what he’s doing. You’ll be able to’t judge Emery on what happened at Arsenal.

‘Mikel Arteta is doing implausible as well.’

A continuation of Aston Villa’s form this season would put Emery in contention for the Premier League Manager of the Yr award.

But Rooney believes Regis Le Bris is the present frontrunner for the actual award following Sunderland’s sensational return to the Premier League.

Sunderland were widely tipped to go straight back all the way down to the Championship initially of the season however the Black Cats are already virtually protected, sitting seventh on 26 points.

Sunderland’s impressive form continued on the weekend as Le Bris’ side beat Newcastle United within the Tyne-Wear derby.

‘I got one in all my few wins [as Plymouth Argyle manager] against Le Bris and Sunderland I feel,’ Rooney added.

‘It’s a special squad and a special group of players at Sunderland now. They’ve modified tactically as well.

‘I feel he was an analyst coach at his previous job and he’s gone and got Sunderland promoted which was incredible.

‘If you’re selecting manager of the season at once, he would must be up there. I might probably select him over another manager on the minute.’

During his own managerial profession, Rooney had spells at Championship sides Derby County and Birmingham City, League One outfit Plymouth Argyle and MLS team DC United.

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