Most Successful English Club: Liverpool’s 70 Trophies Lead

Ask five football fans who the most successful English club is, and you’ll likely get two different answers. Liverpool and Manchester United have been slugging it out for more than a century, trading league titles and European cups in a rivalry that shows no signs of ending. The answer depends on which lens you use — and that’s exactly what this piece unpacks. From all-time trophy hauls to who has dominated the 21st century, we’ll settle the debate with numbers, sources, and a few surprises along the way.

All-Time Trophies Leader: Liverpool – 70 ·
Second Place: Manchester United – 68 ·
21st Century Leader: Chelsea ·
Arsenal Total: 48 ·
Manchester City Total: 37

Who is the most successful English football club ever?

Liverpool and Manchester United have been rivals since before the Premier League existed, and their all-time records reflect that closeness. According to data compiled by Opta Analyst, Liverpool are on 47 major honours — three clear of their eternal rivals Manchester United (44). The gap narrows when you include Community Shield wins, where Wikipedia’s honours list shows Manchester United holding the record of 21.

All-time trophy counts

Four clubs stand above the rest when measuring total honours:

• Liverpool — 70 trophies total, including 20 English top-flight titles and a record 10 League Cup wins (Wikipedia Honours)
• Manchester United — 68 trophies, with 21 Community Shield wins setting an unmatched record
• Arsenal — 48 trophies, anchored by 13 English top-flight titles
• Chelsea — 37 trophies, driven by a meteoric 21st-century surge

Both Liverpool and Manchester United have secured 20 English top-flight titles each as of 2025 (Statista), making them the joint leaders in that metric despite the slight variations in total trophy counts across different sources.

Official records from Wikipedia

The comprehensive honours comparison on Wikipedia tracks every major trophy since records began. Liverpool’s dominance comes from their historical depth — the club has been winning league titles since the early 1900s, while also accumulating European trophies that few English clubs can match.

The implication: Liverpool’s claim to “most successful” holds up across most counting methods, though Manchester United remains uncomfortably close.

Who has won more trophies, Liverpool or Man Utd?

The rivalry between these two giants has defined English football for over a century. While Liverpool leads in total honours according to multiple sources, the gap fluctuates depending on which trophies you count and how you define “major honours.”

Head-to-head trophy comparison

Looking at the raw numbers from Opta Analyst and Wikipedia:

Liverpool’s European dominance (6 Champions Leagues to United’s 3) is their biggest separator, while Manchester United leads in FA Cups and Community Shields.

Rivalry context

The Liverpool F.C.–Manchester United F.C. rivalry has been fueled by periods of dominance. Alex Ferguson guided Manchester United to 13 Premier League titles between 1992 and 2013 (Statista), while Liverpool’s recent resurgence under Jürgen Klopp brought the 2019/20 Premier League title and then the 2024-25 title.

The pattern: these clubs trade blows across eras. When one pulls ahead, the other finds a way back. Liverpool’s 20th top-flight title in 2024-25 reasserted their historical claim.

Who is the most successful English club in the past 20 years?

Looking at the 21st century specifically, the picture shifts dramatically. Chelsea’s Abu Dhabi-backed takeover in 2003 transformed the west London club into a trophy machine, and Manchester City’s rise under Pep Guardiola has reshaped the landscape further.

Last 20 years rankings

Per BBC Sport analysis, Chelsea now have most trophies among English clubs in the 21st century. Their five Premier League titles since 2005 dwarf Liverpool’s two, while Manchester City’s six titles since 2018 represent the most dominant sustained run since United’s Ferguson era.

• Manchester City — 6 Premier League titles since 2018, 4 consecutive from 2020/21 to 2023/24 (Premier League)
• Chelsea — 5 Premier League titles, multiple FA Cups and League Cups
• Manchester United — 5 Premier League titles post-Ferguson (none since 2013)
• Arsenal — 3 Premier League titles in the 21st century
• Liverpool — 2 Premier League titles (2019/20 and 2024/25)

Recent dominance

Manchester City achieved 18 consecutive Premier League wins in 2017 (Premier League Official), a record that underscores their modern dominance. Their 37 total honours place them fourth overall, but their trajectory suggests that ranking will improve.

What this means: if you’re measuring success by recent performance alone, Manchester City and Chelsea have surpassed the historical leaders. Liverpool’s 2024-25 title was their first since 2019/20, breaking a five-year drought.

Who are the 5 most successful Premier League clubs?

The Premier League’s official records from PremierLeague.com provide the clearest picture of modern success.

Premier League performance

Only seven clubs have ever won the Premier League, according to the official Premier League explanation page: Manchester United, Manchester City, Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Blackburn Rovers, and Leicester City.

Manchester United’s 13 titles remain a record, but their last came in 2012-13. Manchester City has closed the gap rapidly and could challenge the record if their dominance continues.

Top 5 by points or titles

Six clubs have played every Premier League season: Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Tottenham Hotspur (Wikipedia), which speaks to their consistent presence among England’s elite even when trophy counts vary.

Who is more successful, Liverpool or Arsenal?

Despite Arsenal’s rich history and 13 English top-flight titles, Liverpool’s comprehensive trophy cabinet puts them comfortably ahead. Arsenal’s 48 total honours compared to Liverpool’s 70 shows the gap, though Arsenal remains one of England’s true giants.

Trophy comparison

Arsenal’s trophy room is impressive by any measure — 13 league titles, 14 FA Cups, and a legendary unbeaten season in 2003/04 — but Liverpool’s European success (6 Champions Leagues to Arsenal’s 0) and domestic dominance make them the clear overall leader.

• Liverpool — 70 total trophies, including 6 European Cups, 20 league titles, 10 League Cups (Wikipedia Honours)
• Arsenal — 48 total trophies, including 13 league titles, 14 FA Cups

Historical vs modern

Arsenal’s last league title came in 2003/04, while Liverpool won as recently as 2024-25. Arsenal finished second in the Premier League multiple times in the 2010s but couldn’t convert consistent top-four finishes into trophies.

The catch: Arsenal’s “Invincibles” era and sustained relevance keep them relevant to the conversation, but Liverpool’s sustained European success and recent domestic triumph separate them.

What English club has won the most total honours?

Looking at comprehensive trophy counts, Liverpool’s record of 70 total honours leads all English clubs. Manchester United’s 68 puts them a close second, while Arsenal’s 48 and Chelsea’s 37 round out the top tier.

According to Opta Analyst’s major honours count, Liverpool has 47 major honours to Manchester United’s 44 — a three-trophy gap that reflects years of European success separating the two.

Liverpool are on 47 major honours, three clear of their eternal rivals Manchester United (44).

— Opta Analyst (data journalism outlet specializing in sports analytics)

Manchester United have won the most league titles since 1992, with a total of 13.

— Statista (data aggregation platform tracking global statistics)

Man Utd have had the most success with 13 titles in the 31 seasons so far.

— Premier League Official (governing body of English football)

The debate between Liverpool and Manchester United will continue as both clubs compete for supremacy in the coming decades. Liverpool’s historical edge gives them the all-time claim, but Manchester United’s Premier League dominance and Chelsea’s 21st-century surge show that “most successful” depends entirely on your timeframe.

For fans, investors, and analysts tracking English football’s evolution, the answer is clear: no single club has dominated all eras equally. Liverpool leads historically; Manchester United dominates the Premier League era; Chelsea and Manchester City have reshaped what success looks like in the 21st century.

Related reading: 2025 Ballon d’Or Winners · IPL 2024 Points Table Update

Liverpool’s slim edge over Manchester United in total trophies underscores a fierce rivalry that will ignite again during the Liverpool vs Man United clash at Old Trafford in 2026.

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