Date: December 25, 2025
Season: 2025/2026
As the Premier League pauses for breath on Christmas Day 2025, the table tells a story of disruption, evolution, and surprise. While familiar faces like Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola continue to duel at the summit, the real intrigue of the 2025/26 campaign lies in the dugouts of the chasing pack.
This season has seen a wave of new managerial talent—some fresh appointments from the summer of 2025, others settling into their first full campaigns—who have drastically altered the fortunes of their clubs. From a stunning promotion fairytale in the North East to a seamless transition in West London, here are the managers making the greatest positive impact this season.
### 1. The Miracle Worker: Régis Le Bris (Sunderland)
Appointed: July 2024
Current Position: 6th
Undoubtedly the manager of the season so far, Régis Le Bris has orchestrated a rise that few predicted. After guiding Sunderland to promotion via the playoffs in May 2025, the French tactician was expected to be fighting a relegation battle. Instead, the Black Cats are sitting comfortably in 6th place, dreaming of European football.
Le Bris’s impact has been built on a tactical pragmatism that belies his squad’s relative inexperience at this level. His 4-3-3 system transforms into a compact low block out of possession, frustrating top-tier attacks, while his “man-to-man” pressing traps on goal kicks have caught several elite teams napping.
The masterstroke of his tenure, however, was the audacious summer signing of Granit Xhaka. Handed the captain’s armband immediately upon his arrival, the former Arsenal midfielder has been the on-field general Le Bris needed, bringing elite mentality and control to the midfield. Combined with the flair of fellow new arrival Simon Adingra and the tactical discipline of Le Bris, Sunderland have become the Premier League’s ultimate “giant killers,” taking points off Chelsea and Manchester United already this season.
### 2. The Stabilizer: Keith Andrews (Brentford)
Appointed: June 2025
Current Position: 12th
When Thomas Frank departed for Tottenham Hotspur in June 2025, the fear at the Gtech Community Stadium was palpable. Frank was more than a manager; he was the architect of Brentford’s modern identity. Enter Keith Andrews.
Promoted from his role as set-piece coach, Andrews was a gamble, but one that has paid off handsomely. Rather than ripping up the script, Andrews has evolved it. Brentford sit safely in 12th, a position that represents a massive success given the magnitude of the managerial change.
Andrews has retained the “Bees’ DNA”—high energy and verticality—but has tightened the defensive structure. Statistically, Brentford are conceding fewer high-quality chances (xG against) than they did in Frank’s final season. Furthermore, his background as a set-piece specialist is evident; Brentford remain the league’s most dangerous team from dead-ball situations, a critical edge that has kept them well clear of the relegation zone. In a season where other clubs in transition (like West Ham and Wolves) have imploded, Andrews’s steady hand has been invaluable.
### 3. The Reviver: Enzo Maresca (Chelsea)
Appointed: June 2024
Current Position: 4th
While not a “new” appointment in the strictest sense of the current season, Enzo Maresca is overseeing his second campaign with a level of control that has been absent at Stamford Bridge for years. After a turbulent debut season, Maresca has finally imposed his “Pep-adjacent” philosophy on this expensively assembled squad.
Chelsea sit 4th on Christmas Day, firmly in the driver’s seat for Champions League qualification. Maresca’s greatest success has been the integration of Cole Palmer as the undisputed fulcrum of the attack, while finally finding a defensive balance that allows his full-backs to invert without leaving the back door open. The chaos of the Boehly-Clearlake era seems to have subsided on the pitch, replaced by a possession-heavy style that is finally translating into consistent wins.
### 4. The Project Manager: Ruben Amorim (Manchester United)
Appointed: November 2024
Current Position: 7th
Ruben Amorim is currently navigating his first full season at Old Trafford, and while the league position of 7th might feel underwhelming to some, the underlying metrics suggest a positive shift. The “Amorim Ball” philosophy—a rigid 3-4-3 with aggressive wing-backs—has given United a clear identity for the first time in a decade.
The Portuguese manager has faced significant headwinds, most notably a catastrophic injury to captain Bruno Fernandes in December, which Amorim admitted made the midfielder “impossible to replace.” Despite this, United look like a coherent coaching project rather than a collection of individuals. If Amorim can navigate the winter injury crisis and find consistency in the final third, a push for the top four remains a possibility.
### The Verdict
While the title race remains a familiar battleground, the managerial landscape below it has shifted. Régis Le Bris is the undeniable standout, proving that a clear tactical vision and smart recruitment can bridge the financial gap between the Championship and the Premier League elite. Meanwhile, Keith Andrews has shown that continuity can be just as powerful as revolution. As we head into 2026, these new leaders are proving that the manager’s dugout remains the most influential place in English football.