New YouGov fan poll shows fan perceptions of British football managers and season outcomes

Over 1,700 football fans have ranked Graham Potter and Antonio Conte as some of the least effective managers, while Mikel Arteta has been praised for his performance as Arsenal’s head coach.

According to a new YouGov fan poll conducted by Betfair, over 1,700 football supporters were asked to rate the performance of 10 managers from England and Scotland’s highest leagues this season out of 10. Chelsea manager Graham Potter, Tottenham boss Antonio Conte, and West Ham’s David Moyes were ranked as the worst performing managers, with all three recording a grade of 5/10.

Nearly a quarter of Chelsea fans rated Potter 5/10, while one in five Spurs fans gave Conte just 4/10. It is likely that Conte will leave his position as Tottenham’s manager over the international break. In contrast, Arsenal’s Mikel Arteta was viewed as the highest performing manager this season, with the Gunners aiming for their first Premier League title in almost 20 years.

The full ratings were as follows:

Mikel Arteta (Arsenal) – 9/10
Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) – 8/10
Erik ten Hag (Manchester United) – 8/10
Eddie Howe (Newcastle United) – 8/10
Ange Postecoglu (Celtic) – 8/10
Michael Beale (Rangers) – 7/10
Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool) – 7/10
Graham Potter (Chelsea) – 5/10
Antonio Conte (Tottenham) – 5/10
David Moyes (West Ham) – 5/10

In addition to the ranking of managers, Betfair’s study in partnership with YouGov revealed that 60% of football fans believe that Arsenal will win the Premier League title this season, with 37% backing Manchester City. Only 19% of those surveyed think that Tottenham Hotspur will secure a top-four finish, with Liverpool (52%) and Newcastle (31%) being viewed as more likely to do so.

Despite being ranked poorly in the manager section, 8% of fans still believe that Chelsea can overcome their 11-point deficit and secure a spot in the Champions League. At the other end of the table, only 18% of fans think that West Ham United will be relegated to the Championship, despite currently sitting in the relegation zone.

On the other hand, fans were less optimistic about Southampton (76%), Bournemouth (63%), Leeds United (45%), Everton (39%), and Nottingham Forest (26%) and believe that these teams are more likely to face relegation.