Data Munching | Three charts to explain why soon-to-retire Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is the best of the best

While others may have managed more matches or clinched more victories, Klopp’s success story emphasises quality and places him in the Premier League pantheon

In an announcement that shook the world of football, Jürgen Klopp announced his decision to step down as Liverpool manager at the end of the current season. Overcoming years of mediocre performances, Klopp’s firebrand style of football not only brought in the trophies, including the ever-elusive Premier League title as well as the Champions League but also a sense of spirit and oneness at Anfield.

Liverpool's manager Jurgen Klopp celebrates towards his teams fans after the end of the English Premier League soccer match between West Ham United and Liverpool at the London stadium in London, Wednesday, April 26, 2023. Liverpool won the game 2-1. (AP Photo/Alastair Grant)(AP)

Here, we take a look at some data that emphasises why in just eight years, Liverpool’s prolific German manager was so universally loved by fans, and why his departure will leave behind a major gulf in English football.

How does he fare against the greats of English top-tier managers?

Even when seen alongside four other managers who would stake claim at being the best in the Premier League — Arsène Wenger, José Mourinho, Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola — Klopp manages to not only hold his own but also ends up being a standout figure, the best of the best.

Having led Liverpool in 318 Premier League matches to date, he is a long-distant third (behind Wenger’s 828 games and Ferguson’s 810) in terms of league experience. Klopp has notched an impressive 200 wins in these with a win rate of around 63%. Only Pep has managed a better win rate in the PL — 73.5% — data shows.

His 2.12 points-per-game (PPG) average reflects a consistent ability to garner valuable points and places him third behind Pep (a clear first with 2.34 PPG, and the only manager here who is still active in the top English league) and closely behind Ferguson’s 2.16 PPG.

But what sets Klopp apart is also the meticulous avoidance of defeat, evident in his remarkable 13.8% loss rate, the second lowest and just shy of Guardiola’s 13.2%. This contrasts sharply with the likes of seasoned Arsenal manager Wenger, who, despite amassing 476 wins over his 828 league matches, grapples with a higher loss rate at 18.5%.

Is he Liverpool’s best manager in recent years?

Simply put, quite apparently so. Not only does he have as illustrious a trophy cabinet as Rafa Benitez (June 2004 to June 2010), but he stands head and shoulders above other recent managers at Anfield. Having steered Liverpool through 466 matches in all competitions, Klopp has an impressive 290 victories and 2.07 points-per-game average.

Even when compared to the highly regarded Benitez, these numbers shine. Benitez accumulated 197 wins in 350 matches, with a points-per-game average of 1.90.

The others, despite much smaller stints, don’t come close.

Brendan Rodgers, who led Liverpool from June 2012 to October 2015, amassed 85 wins in 166 matches, yielding 1.77 PPG. Kenny Dalglish’s stint from January 2011 to May 2012 yielded 36 wins in 74 matches, with a PPG of 1.68. Roy Hodgson, in his brief tenure from July 2010 to January 2011, secured 13 wins in 31 matches, resulting in a points-per-game average of 1.52.

Chart 2

And in terms of managing to win trophies, he not only matches but also beats Benitez as he managed to win the all-elusive Premier League title in the 2019-20 season during his stint — a feat no other manager has under their belt. Both have given the Kop Champions League glory.

In fact, he came breathtakingly close to the title even in the 2018-19 season when Liverpool managed to secure 97 points in the league, but was beaten to the title by a magnificent showing by Guardiola’s Manchester City. That figure of 97 points, in fact, is the highest-ever point haul in the Premier League that has not resulted in a title.

Chart 3

 

While others may have managed more matches or clinched additional victories, Klopp’s success story emphasises quality as well as quantity, establishing him as a managerial legend in the Premier League pantheon.

Data Munching is a weekly column in which Jamie Mullick takes data sets from around the globe, chews on them and puts forth an in-depth analysis of an event in the news.