Match of the Day celebrates it's 60th anniversary this week and in the lead up to the anniversary on Thursday, I've decided to do a top 10 based on the topics Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Micah Richard have discussed on their Match of the Day top 10 podcast.
Over the summer I read their book Match of the Day Top 10 of Everything and whilst I was reading it, I thought to myself about doing my top 10 using their list of contenders.
The first top 10 I'm going to do is Premier League champions.
CONTENDERS:
Blackburn - 1995
Arsenal -1998
Man United - 1999
Arsenal - 2004
Chelsea - 2006
Man United - 2008
Man City - 2012
Leicester - 2016
Man City - 2018
Liverpool - 2020
GARY, ALAN AND MICAH'S TOP 10:
Leicester - 2016
Blackburn - 1995
Arsenal - 2004
Man City - 2012
Man United - 1999
Chelsea - 2006
Man City - 2018
Liverpool - 2020
Arsenal - 1998
Man United - 2008
MY TOP 10:
Man United - 1999
Man City - 2018
Arsenal - 2004
Liverpool - 2020
Man United - 2008
Chelsea - 2006
Man City - 2012
Arsenal - 1998
Leicester - 2016
Blackburn - 1995
MY VERDICT:
I can understand why Lineker, Shearer and Richards went with Leicester as their no.1 as they went on an incredible journey to do so and their victory was so unlikely. But I'm picking mine based on the greatest teams in Premier League history and for me, it has to be Man United's side in 1999.
They probably did this list before their book was released in 2022 and back then, the greatest team in Premier League history for me was Man United's treble winning side from 1999. That is because they won the Champions League as part of that treble and had an incredible side which included Peter Schmeichel, Jaap Stam, Roy Keane and David Beckham.
Man City's centurions in 2018 and Arsenal's Invincibles in 2004 were outstanding sides when you look at what they achieved, but United's treble winning side of 1999 just pips both of them and Liverpool's title winning team of 2020, which was also exceptional when you look at the amount of games they won that season.
I'd put Liverpool's mentality monsters ahead of Man United class off 2008 because of how relentless they were throughout the season. The United side did win the Champions League that year and did have Cristiano Ronaldo in their side, but I don't think they were as relentless as Liverpool were in 2020.
OTHER POTENTIAL CONTENDERS: Man City - 2023, Chelsea - 2005, Man City - 2019
Had they done their list a year later, I'm very sure that Man City's treble winning side of 2023 would've been one of the contenders. They might've even been top of the list and especially mine as I now see them as the greatest Premier League side of all time. Especially as they won the Champions League as part of that treble and were a side that played some exceptional football.
Chelsea's 2005 title winning side were unlucky not to be on the shortlist considering that they got 95 points and conceded just 15 goals. Their side is without a doubt one of the greatest in Premier League history along with Man United's treble winning team of 1999, City's centurions and Arsenal's Invincibles. They were incredibly well organised defensively and it was their defence that was the catalyst behind their title win.
Man City's domestic treble winning side of 2019 was also unlucky not to be on the shortlist because of them winning a treble. The weren't as plain sailing as their Centurions side the year before as they had Liverpool breathing down their neck all season, but for them to win a domestic treble was still a great achievement.
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