Chelsea 2006

[Fulham Broadway 16,383]

It's a question that has been argued over by football fans for decades – which is the greatest English club team of all time?

Now, after inputting the results of more than 200,000 matches into his highly sophisticated computer model, one of the UK's leading sports statisticians believes he has the answer: it's the Chelsea side of 2006.

Dr Ian McHale, Director of the Centre for Sports Business at Salford Business School, and Chair of the Royal Statistical Society's sports section, has developed a mathematical method for comparing the performance of every English Football League team, taking into account their varying prowess from season to season and the standard of opposition faced.

Dr McHale explained: “The research looks to answer the ultimate football question – if you had to pick a side from one year to play for your life, who would you choose?”

Analysing every English Football League, Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup match played since the foundation of the Football League in 1888 until the end of the 2011-12 season, Dr McHale has identified the year of maximum 'strength' or quality for each team, which can be objectively compared with sides from any era.

By looking at 206,843 games in which 601,039 goals were scored, and including any team which has played at least 250 matches, Dr McHale's method suggests that José Mourinho's 2006 title-winning Chelsea is the greatest English domestic team of all time. Second in the list is 2008's Manchester United side, with the Arsenal 'Invincibles' of 2003-4 in third.

All-time greatest English domestic football team (maximum annual strength)

Ranking Team Year

1 Chelsea 2006

2 Manchester United 2008

3 Arsenal 2003

4 Liverpool 1987

5 Manchester City 2011

6 Manchester United 1998

7 Everton 1986

8 Leeds United 1969

9 Liverpool 1977

10 Preston North End 1888

So now we know :blue scalf: