Liverpool: The greatest team ever

Liverpool: The greatest team ever

Now it's official: 2005 Champions League winners Liverpool are the greatest team in the history of English football. The oldest bar-room debate in the country has finally been put to rest by number-crunchers at top actuarial firm EMB Consultancy of London.



Premiership clubs, such as Charlton Athletic, have hired the consultancy to analyse exactly when and where they are most likely to fall foul of injuries.

Now the firm has ploughed through the annals of English football -- and produced a conclusion that will no doubt make Manchester United fans around the world bristle.

Boosted by their 2005 Champions League triumph, Liverpool amassed 615 points according to EMB's special scoring system. Manchester United are second with 605.

Though separate statistics have found Arsenal to be the most successful league team of the 20th century, the Gunners meagre success in Europe leaves them only third on 540. Fans of Glossop North End can content themselves with a single point and 72nd and last place on the list.

''The scoring system is actually biased toward Manchester United's dominant years of the nineties,'' says Actuarial Consultant Patrick Nolan, the study's compiler. ''If you give historical results equal weighting, they actually fall a poor second to Liverpool.''

BRAGGING RIGHTS

Arguments are sure to rage on. But whichever way you look at it, bragging rights go to Anfield, says EMB.

''For all Manchester United's dominance of English football in the 90s, it is still hard for them to claim success over the consistent trophy-winning ability of Liverpool,'' says Nolan.

Clubs amass points according to where they finished in the top five of the league. Winning the championship garnered 5 points until 1915, 7 till 1939, 12 to 1992 and 15 since 1993. European Cup winners were awarded 8 points till 1987, and 10 points since. Points are also awarded for cup success.

EMB leaves no stone unturned. Winning the UEFA Cup before 1999, for instance, was worth more than winning it post-1999 when it lost much of its prestige.

Top 20 list Points

1 Liverpool 615

2 Manchester United 605

3 Arsenal 540

4 Everton 402

5 Aston Villa 356

6 Tottenham 350

7 Chelsea 315

8 Newcastle 288

9 Leeds 270

10 Manchester City 269

11 Wolves 238

12 Sunderland 255

13 West Brom. 220

14 Nottm. Forest 219

15 Sheffield Weds 208

16 Derby 191

17 Blackburn 188

18 West Ham 184

19 Bolton 172

20 Leicester 166

Source: EMB