A look at the most successful teams in Premier League history
With another renewal of the Premier League approaching the halfway stage, and Manchester City are the favourites to lift the title for a record-breaking fourth time in a row according to the EPL winner odds, now seems like a good time to take a look at the most successful teams in English top-flight history.
Disclaimer: This article includes all First Division titles, not just Premier Leagues.
Manchester United – 20 titles
While Manchester United have had it tough in the post-Sir Alex Ferguson era, failing to win the Premier League since the great Scot stood down in 2013, it is a credit to their previous dominance that they remain in the top spot with 20 overall successes.
Ferguson was the mastermind behind the vast majority of those titles, guiding the Red Devils to glory 13 times in the top flight during his 26-year stay at Old Trafford.
Manchester United won their first English title in 1907-08, which was the 20th edition of the league, and they won it again in 1910-11.
It wasn’t until the 1950s that they tasted success again. That was the Sir Matt Busby era, and he won five First Division titles between 1951-52 and 1964-65.
Liverpool – 19 titles
Second is, of course, Liverpool.
The Reds have rather infamously won just one Premier League title when Jurgen Klopp ended their 30-year drought in the Covid-hit 2019-20 campaign.
Tom Watson was in charge of Liverpool’s first two First Divisions wins in 1900-01 and 1905-06, while they won the title again in 1922, 1923 and 1947.
Bill Shankly guided the Reds to three First Division successes in 1964, 1966, and 1973, while his successor Bob Paisley won the title six times in a nine-year stint from 1974 to 1983.
Joe Fagan added another in 1984, and Kenny Daglish won the First Division three times in six years between 1985 and 1991.
Arsenal – 13
Up next is the only side who have gone an entire top-flight campaign unbeaten – Arsenal.
The Gunners famously became ‘The Invincibles’ when they won the Premier League undefeated under Arsene Wenger in 2003-04, but they haven’t got their hands on the prize since.
That was the London side’s third top-flight success under the Frenchman, with the others coming in 1998 and 2002, respectively.
Arsenal’s most dominant era was in the 1930s when they won five First Division crowns under Herbert Chapman (x2), Joe Shaw (x1) and George Allison (x2).
Tom Whittaker (1948 and 1953) and George Graham (1989 and 1991) are two-time league-winning managers, while Bertie Mee also Arsenal won the First Division in 1971.
Manchester City – 9
A side rapidly climbing up the rankings, Manchester City are now on nine title successes after winning seven Premier Leagues since being taken over by Sheikh Mansour in 2008.
Roberto Mancini ended the Citizens’ 44-year wait for a top-flight victory in 2012, and Manuel Pellegrini added another in 2014.
Pep Guardiola is Man City’s most successful manager, however, with five Premier League titles since he joined in 2016.
Wilf Wild won the club their first First Division in 1937, and Joe Mercer was in charge for their second triumph in 1968.
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Everton are also on nine titles, but the Toffees haven’t won the top flight since 1987. Chelsea are next in line with six, five of which came during the Roman Abramovich era.