Arsenal legend Paul Merson ranks his top 3 PL managers of all time, snubs Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola

Arsenal legend Paul Merson named his top three Premier League managers of all time and surprisingly snubbed Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola from his list.

In a question-and-answer session on X, a fan asked him to name his top three managers in the history of the Premier League. Merson, who made 327 appearances for Arsenal and scored 78 goals in the process, replied:

"Sir Alex Ferguson.. Jose Mourinho... Arsene Wenger."

Sir Alex Ferguson had an incredible career at Manchester United. Taking over as the manager in 1986, he coached them for a staggering 27 years until his retirement in 2013. The Scotsman won 2.02 points per game (1490 games), conquering the Premier League summit an astonishing 13 times, alongside two Champions Leagues, five FA Cups, and countless other trophies.

Jose Mourinho is one of the most decorated managers of all time, having won 26 trophies. He spent almost 10 seasons as a manager in the PL, helming top clubs like Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea (two spells). He marshalled the Blues to one of the best-ever defensive seasons in the league as they conceded only 15 goals on the way to the 2004-05 Premier League title.

Arsene Wenger managed Arsenal for a remarkable 22 seasons, from 1996 until 2018. In 1234 games at the club, he won 1.95 points per game, leading the Gunners to three league titles and seven FA Cups among several other triumphs. He also helped them make their first-ever Champions League final in 2006, which they unfortunately lost 2-1 to Barcelona.

Pep Guardiola also has an incredible resume in his time in the Premier League with Manchester City. He has been in charge of the Cityzens since 2016, leading them to a staggering 2.34 points per game in his 458 games in charge. Along the way, he has added five league titles, one UCL, two FA Cups and many other trophies to their cabinet.

Comparing the Spaniard's resume to his aforementioned peers, Merson's omission of Guardiola could be perceived as slightly controversial.

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Pep Guardiola's injury concerns worsen as Erling Haaland plays for Norway against Czechia

Pep Guardiola's concerns over star striker Erling Haaland worsened as he started in Norway's friendly against Czechia, even though he was substituted last week after picking up a knock.

The towering Norwegian appeared to be in discomfort in training clips released earlier this week. However, he started and played 75 minutes, failing to impact the game and get on the scoresheet as Norway lost 1-2.

Last weekend, Haaland was taken off for Julian Alvarez in City's 2-0 win against Newcastle United in the FA Cup quarterfinals.

In the post-match press conference, Guardiola advised his players against over-exerting themselves in friendly matches, saying:

"They know that they fought a lot and train a lot, a lot of adrenaline and concentration to arrive in this position. They know they are friendly games and they have to handle it wisely. Hopefully they can do it."

Manchester City will host league leaders Arsenal, who they trail by a singular point, at the Etihad upon the conclusion of the international break. They are also in the quarterfinals of the Champions League (against Real Madrid) and the semifinals of the FA Cup (against Chelsea).

Guardiola will be keeping a keen eye on Haaland's situation as the forward will undoubtedly be crucial for their end-of-season run-in.