Jesse Marsch 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.

We’ve gone through the stats of all eight of them 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?

8. 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

7. 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

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

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

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