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Javi Gracia managing first game for Leeds United, February 2023

Ranking Leeds United’s 9 Premier League managers by their win rate

Nestor Watach •

Javi Gracia has been sacked by Leeds United after a short stint in charge, but how did his record compare to their other managers of the Premier League era?

The former Watford coach was brought in as a firefighter following the departure of Jesse Marsch. His predecessor was sacked after a winless run of seven Premier League matches, which left Leeds hovering just above the relegation zone.

Marsch himself had faced the unenviable task of stepping into Marcelo Bielsa’s shoes. Not only did the Argentinian get the club promoted after a wait of nearly two decades, but he led them to the best points tally for a newly-promoted club since Ipswich Town in 2000-01.

But Bielsa’s Leeds suffered second-season syndrome and the Argentinian was unceremoniously axed following a run of heavy defeats in February 2022.

Marsch promptly arrived and steadied the ship enough for Leeds to survive, but he failed to steer them to clear water. The Whites have continued to look like relegation-battlers and the American was sacked after defeat at Nottingham Forest left them outside the relegation zone on goal difference alone.

Gracia made an immediate impact, leading Leeds to vital wins over Southampton, Wolves and Nottingham Forest in his first six matches in charge. But things dramatically fell off from there and the Spaniard was sacked after a dismal run of form in April, in which Leeds conceded a record 23 goals across six games.

Veteran manager Sam Allardyce has been appointed as Gracia’s successor and has four matches to steer them to safety. How will the 68-year-old compare to those who came before him?

We’ve gone through the stats of all nine of Leeds’ Premier League managers to rank them purely based on their Premier League record, so the club’s situation at the time is not taken into account.

It also means the figures in competitions outside of the Prem don’t count, which means the record of Howard Wilkinson’s fantastic 1992 title-winning team is not included.

With the win percentage as the decisive factor, who emerges as number one?

9. Eddie Gray

Games: 26
Wins: 6
Draws: 7
Losses: 13

Goals Per Game: 1.12
Goals Against Per Game: 1.85
Win Percentage: 23.08%
Points Per Game: 0.96

8. Jesse Marsch

Games: 32
Wins: 8
Draws: 9
Losses: 15

Goals Per Game: 1.22
Goals Against Per Game: 1.66
Win Percentage: 25%
Points Per Game: 1.03

7. Javi Gracia

Games: 11
Wins: 3
Draws: 2
Losses: 6

Goals Per Game: 1.36
Goals Against Per Game: 2.54
Win Percentage: 27.27%
Points Per Game: 1.0

6. Peter Reid

Games: 20
Wins: 6
Draws: 3
Losses: 11

Goals Per Game: 1.6
Goals Against Per Game: 2.3
Win Percentage: 30%
Points Per Game: 1.0

5. Terry Venables

Games: 30
Wins: 10
Draws: 4
Losses: 16

Goals Per Game: 1.23
Goals Against Per Game: 1.4
Win Percentage: 33.33%
Points Per Game: 1.13

4. George Graham

Games: 76
Wins: 27
Draws: 24
Losses: 25

Goals Per Game: 1.09
Goals Against Per Game: 1
Win Percentage: 35.53%
Points Per Game: 1.38

READ: Recalling Leeds United’s dire 1996-97 season: ‘The most boring PL team ever’

3. Marcelo Bielsa

Games: 64
Wins: 23
Draws: 13
Losses: 28

Goals Per Game: 1.42
Goals Against Per Game: 1.78
Win Percentage: 35.94%
Points Per Game: 1.28

READ: ‘So lucky for four glorious years’: 23 Leeds fans on what Bielsa achieved

2. Howard Wilkinson

Games: 170
Wins: 65
Draws: 52
Losses: 53

Goals Per Game: 1.34
Goals Against Per Game: 1.21
Win Percentage: 38.24%
Points Per Game: 1.45

1. David O’Leary

Games: 145
Wins: 75
Draws: 34
Losses: 36

Goals Per Game: 1.58
Goals Against Per Game: 1.06
Win Percentage: 51.72%
Points Per Game: 1.79

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Marcelo Bielsa Premier League Quick Reads Leeds United