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The advent of the Premier League era has completely overhauled the landscape of English football. Since its inception in 1992, the Premier League has been regarded as Europe’s top domestic league, as it has brought some of world football’s biggest names to English shores.
Premier League has played host to some of the greatest footballing sides in the history of our beautiful game. This involves a host of Manchester United squads under Alex Ferguson, Arsene Wenger’s “Invincibles,” Jose Mourinho-led Chelsea, and more recently, Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City and the miracle workers of Leicester City.
Today, we rank the five greatest Premier League teams of all time.
#5 Liverpool | 2018-19 season
The 2018-19 season witnessed one of the most thrilling title races in Premier League history. Liverpool and Manchester City went head-to-head till the last matchday of the season, with the teams separated by just one point at the end of the campaign.
The Reds amassed an incredible tally of 97 points in the 2018-19 Premier League season, a points total that would have seen them win every Premier League season before 2018. It was not to be, as Manchester City staged an emphatic 14-match winning streak to pip Liverpool to the Premier League title by a solitary point.
However, this takes nothing away from the greatness of the 2018-19 Liverpool squad. The Reds lost out on the Premier League title but received the sweet consolation of the Champions League trophy, their first in 14 years.
Mohamed Salah joined the squad in 2018-19 after an injury layoff but did not perform at his peak. Yet the Egyptian won the Premier League Golden Boot of the season along with his partner-in-crime, Sadio Mane. The duo notched up 22 goals each and formed one of world football’s most lethal attacking trio alongside Roberto Firmino.
The Liverpool squad was also blessed with the presence of Virgil Van Dijk at the heart of their defense, who emerged as one of world football’s best center-half.
#4 Chelsea | 2004-05 season
Arguably the most important season in Chelsea’s history was the 2004-05 Premier League campaign. It served as the first step in Chelsea’s claim to be counted among the very best in English football.
Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich took over ownership of the Blues in 2003, and the club ushered in a new era of increased spending and investments in infrastructure. The restructuring of the football club led to the acquisition of elite manager Jose Mourinho, along with some of the brightest prospects in world football, including John Terry, Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Arjen Robben.
Under Jose Mourinho, Chelsea functioned like a cohesive, well-oiled machine and were one of the most consistent teams in Premier League history. The likes of John Terry and William Gallas exhibited a masterclass in defense throughout the Premier League season, setting the record for most clean sheets (Petr Cech, 24) and the least goals conceded (15) in a PL season.
Chelsea would go on to lift the 2004-05 Premier League title, amassing 95 points for the season. Frank Lampard was the highest goalscorer for the Blues that season, with 13 Premier League goals to his name.
#3 Arsenal | 2003-04 season
Arsene Wenger assembled one of the greatest Premier League teams of all time for the 2003-04 season, and achieved a feat that has never been repeated since.
The 2003-04 Premier League season will go down in the history books, as Arsenal remained unassailable throughout the course of the season. Manchester United put up a courageous fight for the title, but the Gunners stayed unbeaten in all of their 38 league matches. “The Invincibles” won 26 and drew 12 of their Premier League matches, accumulating 90 points in the campaign.
The Arsenal squad contained some of Premier League’s greatest-ever recruits, including Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Robert Pires and Freddie Ljungberg, to name just a few. Henry netted 30 goals for the season, followed by Pires with 14 goals. Dennis Bergkamp was exceptional in his role as a playmaker, with a direct involvement in 11 goals (four goals, seven assists) in the Premier League season.
The elite forwards were supported exceptionally well by the men behind them. Patrick Vieira was a one-man midfield dominator for the Gunners and remains one of world football’s finest holding midfielders. Kolo Toure, too, exhibited some of his best football in the historic 2003-04 campaign.
#2 Manchester City | 2017-18 season
The 2017-18 season laid down an astonishing benchmark in Premier League football, as Manchester City became the first team to score 100 points in a single season.
Pep Guardiola-led Manchester City showcased some exhilarating and breathtaking football throughout the 2017-18 season, as they broke several records along the way. The Cityzens now hold the Premier League record for most goals scored (106), most wins (32) and most away wins (16) in a single PL season.
Kevin De Bruyne was at his creative peak and was perfectly complemented by Sergio Aguero at his lethal best, as the Argentine notched up 21 goals in the Premier League season. Conceding a mere 27 goals in the season, Manchester City registered 32 wins, four draws and lost only two Premier League fixtures.
The Cityzens won the title by a 19-point margin over arch-rivals, Manchester United in second place, a record for the biggest title-winning margin in Premier League history.
#1 Manchester United | 1998-99 season
Manchester United became the first and only English team to win the elusive European treble when they lifted the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup titles in the 1998-99 season.
The Red Devils joined an exclusive club of only seven European teams to have achieved the feat. While many English teams have come and gone since, none have managed to match the incredible feat of Sir Alex Ferguson’s men. Manchester United’s midfield of David Beckham, Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Roy Keane in the 1998-99 season is arguably the greatest-ever in the Premier League era.
Manchester United were defensively solid as well, with the likes of Jaap Stam, Dennis Irwin and Gary Neville sitting in front of Peter Schmeichel's goal. Two of Premier League’s greatest managers, Arsene Wenger and Sir Alex Ferguson, were locked in a tactical battle throughout the 1998-99 Premier League campaign.
Manchester United emerged as the Premier League champions that season, finishing just one point above Arsenal. While the 2008-09 United squad were more emphatic in their manner of victory, the 1998-99 squad will go down as one of English football’s greatest-ever.
