Manchester United on Course to Become the Most Successful Club in English History

Manchester United’s achievement of a record tenth Premier League title yesterday was not only well deserved after a brilliant season from the Red Devils. It was an example of the managerial prowess and drive that exists in the club thanks to Sir Alex Ferguson. With everything that Man United does, it’s clear that they want to take the crown of the most successful club in English history away from Liverpool and bring it home to Old Trafford.

While it appears inevitable that Manchester United will match and beat Liverpool’s record in the next few years, the question is whether Sir Alex Ferguson will be at the helm when they do so. Based on the performance of this season and how the team has scaled the heights of England and are one step away from doing the same for Europe, I can’t see anything stopping Ferguson.

Many managers would quit now while at the top, but Ferguson is destined and driven to make Man United not only the top club in England but the biggest one in the world. That means that Chelsea’s Peter Kenyon can kiss his dream goodbye of turning Chelsea into the biggest club in the world by 2014.

Sure, Liverpool supporters will say that Fergie may overtake Liverpool in the race for the most number of times they’ve been champions of England but it’s in Europe where the Reds have the advantage (five European Cup/Champions League trophies for Liverpool compared to two for Man United). But, look at it this way. If Man United are only two Premier League titles away from beating Liverpool’s reign at the top, then Man United is just two away from drawing Liverpool’s five European Cups — if the Manchester side can beat Chelsea in Moscow on May 21.

Whether it’s Chelsea or Man United that wins in Moscow, another record will be broken. On May 21, England will be the current leaders in the race for the most number of European Cup/Champions League trophies for a single country: 12.

Meanwhile, to illustrate how much catching up Chelsea has to do in the history of English football, here’s the number of times that English clubs have won the top trophy in English football (whether it’s the old First Division trophy or the Premier League title):

1. Liverpool, 18
2. Manchester United, 17
3. Arsenal, 13
4. Everton, 9
5. Aston Villa, 7
6. Sunderland, 6
7. Newcastle United, 4
8. Sheffield Wednesday, 4
9. Wolverhampton Wanderers, 3
10. Leeds United, 3
11. Chelsea, 3
12. Huddersfield Town, 3
13. Blackburn Rovers, 3