Mikel Arteta Hits 200 Premier League Games: How Does His Record Stack Up Against the Greats?
Arsenal’s 1-1 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford marked a major milestone for Mikel Arteta — his 200th Premier League game in charge of the Gunners. And while Arsenal couldn’t secure all three points, Arteta’s overall record places him among the best to have ever managed in the competition.
After Declan Rice canceled out Bruno Fernandes’ first-half free-kick, the match ended in a draw, but Arteta reached an impressive 118 wins in his first 200 games — the fifth-highest tally in Premier League history at that stage. Only Pep Guardiola (146), José Mourinho (137), Jürgen Klopp (127), and Sir Alex Ferguson (122) have done better — all regarded as managerial legends.
Notably, Arteta has won eight more games than Arsène Wenger (110) had after his first 200 league games, underscoring the remarkable progress Arsenal have made since Arteta took over in December 2019.
At 42 years and 348 days old, Arteta is also the second-youngest manager to reach 200 Premier League matches, trailing only Roberto Martínez.
Although Arsenal are still waiting for a Premier League title under Arteta — and currently trail Liverpool by 15 points — the club’s improvement under his leadership is undeniable. Over the last two seasons, Arsenal have been serious title contenders, only narrowly missing out to Guardiola’s dominant Manchester City.
From a purely statistical point of view, Arteta’s win rate (59%) is the highest of any Arsenal manager in the Premier League era. His points-per-game average (1.96) is also joint-best alongside Wenger.
However, despite these impressive numbers, major trophies have been elusive, with the 2020 FA Cup remaining Arteta’s only piece of silverware so far. Arsenal came close to a league title in 2022-23, leading for much of the season before being overtaken by City, and narrowly missed out again in 2023-24.
Guardiola, in particular, has proven to be a major obstacle. Since Arteta took charge, only Guardiola has accumulated more wins (140) and points (390). Arteta has faced his former mentor 11 times, suffering 7 defeats, and has the lowest win percentage (18%) and points-per-game (0.7) against him of any manager he’s faced more than twice.
Still, stability under Arteta contrasts sharply with the managerial upheaval at Manchester United, who have had three permanent managers and an interim coach during Arteta’s tenure.
In summary, Mikel Arteta’s first 200 games have put him in elite company among Premier League managers, and while his record is impressive, the next step is clear: turning strong performances and consistency into silverware.
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