The best team in premier leagues history is...
When asking, “Who is the best team in Premier League history?”, The answer depends on what you mean by the best, I risk sounding like Mrs T. here, and answer a question with a question! The obvious answer might be the club with the most titles. However, football greatness isn’t always measured by silverware alone. Some teams have dominated for decades, while others have played breathtaking football without always taking a tile.
Some possible, but by no means all, ways that we might define the best!
- Which team has won the most Premier League titles?
- Which team has won the most games in Premier League history?
- Which team has scored the most goals in the Premier League?
- Are there teams that were great but never won the Premier League?
- Does European success impact a team’s ranking as the best in Premier League history?
- How does style of play influence the best Premier League team debate?
1. Which team has won the most Premier League titles?
The team with the most Premier League titles is typically considered the best based on silverware. As of the conclusion of the 2023/24 season, Manchester United remains the most successful club in Premier League history, having secured the title 13 times since the league's inception in 1992/93. Their dominance was particularly notable under manager Sir Alex Ferguson, with their last title coming in the 2012/13 season.
Manchester City has emerged as a formidable force in recent years, clinching the Premier League title 10 times, including a remarkable streak of four consecutive championships from 2020/21 to 2023/24.
Who doesn't love a table?
| Club | Years Won | Number of Titles |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester United | 1992/93, 1993/94, 1995/96, 1996/97, 1998/99, 1999/00, 2000/01, 2002/03, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2010/11, 2012/13 | 13 |
| Manchester City | 2011/12, 2013/14, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2020/21, 2021/22, 2022/23, 2023/24 | 8 |
| Chelsea | 2004/05, 2005/06, 2009/10, 2014/15, 2016/17 | 5 |
| Arsenal | 1997/98, 2001/02, 2003/04 | 3 |
| Blackburn Rovers | 1994/95 | 1 |
| Leicester City | 2015/16 | 1 |
| Liverpool | 2019/20 | 1 |
And what is even better than a table? That's right... A chart!
2. Which team has won the most games in Premier League history?
A team's greatness can also be measured by their total wins. The club with the most victories in Premier League history has shown consistent dominance over the years. You know what's coming...'
Ooooh! Another table... Top 10 Winningest Team
I am still not 100% sure that Winningest is a real word, It is legit, I checked the dictionary but it does sound like something I made up and sounds better than "Top 10 teams with the most wins!" IMHO, but maybe I have watched too much American TV, Anyway back to the table...
| Club | Total Wins | Total Played | Win Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United | 729 | 1213 | 61% |
| Arsenal | 673 | 1213 | 55% |
| Liverpool | 656 | 1214 | 54% |
| Chelsea | 646 | 1213 | 53% |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 534 | 1213 | 44% |
| Manchester City | 528 | 1023 | 52% |
| Newcastle United | 432 | 1137 | 38% |
| Everton | 431 | 1213 | 36% |
| Aston Villa | 382 | 1100 | 35% |
| West Ham United | 369 | 1099 | 34% |
Full Disclosure
I wanted to sanity check my results, and make sure my database query was correct and my data was accurate. So I asked chatGPT to find the Top 10 winning teams, and the results did not match. Take a look at the table below:
ChatGPT's Result Table
ChatGPT only has data upto 10th November 2024
| Club | Total Wins | Total Played | Win Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United | 750 | 1248 | 60% |
| Arsenal | 684 | 1248 | 55% |
| Liverpool | 666 | 1249 | 53% |
| Chelsea | 657 | 1249 | 53% |
| Tottenham Hotspur | 547 | 1248 | 44% |
| Manchester City | 539 | 1059 | 51% |
| Everton | 442 | 1247 | 35% |
| Newcastle United | 429 | 1130 | 38% |
| Aston Villa | 401 | 1134 | 35% |
| West Ham United | 367 | 1093 | 34% |
Outcome
I have found that chatGPT can be prone to hallicination, but after some investigation, it turns out my data only goes back to August 1993. So I only cover from the 1993/1994 season, I am guesing that chatCPT has data for the first season 1992/93. I double checked with my orginal data source and they only have the same period. So unless I can find that missing first season data, I will have to live with it, in general, it does not overly impact on my normal results.
So in summary neither data set is 100% accurate I am missing older data, and chatGPT is missing recent. Having said that the overall results are almost identical certainly for the first few spots and I think the "winner" is still apparant in this case.
There is more to dig into here, in term of most wins, so I think that will be the subject of a future blog, otherwise this article will go on longer than a test cricket match!
3. Which team has scored the most goals in the Premier League?
Another way to judge the best team is by attacking prowess. Some teams have scored more goals than others, demonstrating an entertaining and effective style of play.
I think we all like goals! of course, so once again I think this whole subject needs it's own future post, where we can break down the numbers and, of course, have some more tables and charts.
4. Are there teams that were great but never won the Premier League?
Always the bridesmaid never the bride, Some teams have played incredible football, finished as runners-up multiple times, and had legendary squads but never secured the title. Examples include Liverpool before 2020 or Newcastle United in the mid-90s.
5. Does European success impact a team’s ranking as the best in Premier League history?
Some argue, although I am not convinced, that the best teams also succeed in European competitions like the Champions League. A club’s international achievements can add to its legacy.
6. How does style of play influence the best Premier League team debate?
Attractive football, tactical innovation, and influence on the sport can also define greatness. I compare it to another sport I like; Formula 1 where Ayrton Senna is generally regarded as the greatest driver of all time, even among the drivers, while Sir Lewis Hamilton and Michael Schumacher have all the records and are great but you will never get everyone to agree. So I think I will leave this for debate on our Facebook page. With out exposing my bias, my team is pretty much always the bridesmaid and not the bride, and not even the chief bridesmaid( not sure if that is the correct ranking for bridesmaids!), more like that odd cousin your family forced you into having as a bridesmaid.
Summary
I am not even going to try and draw a conclusion, I would rather try and anwser the age old question from Mrs T. Do I look fat in this? There is no right answer to this, it's not going to end well! As a fact and figures man, I will stick with the obvious, most titles is the greatest, and being clear they are NOT my team but I like numbers. The rest is up for debate in the Facebook group.