Manchester United top of the table in new study into best fanbases

A new study has concluded what many of us already knew – that Manchester United fans are the best in England.

United currently dwell in 18th place in the actual Premier League table after another dismal start to the season on the pitch.

But the Football Fandom Index, compiled by researchers at kwiff, has the Red Devils comfortably in first place.

The index ranked all 20 Premier League clubs, plus the 24 teams currently in the Championship, based on the passion and dedication of their supporters.

One of the factors used to determine the strength of connection between a club and its fans was the number of stadium sellouts they had delivered over the last decade.

The number of murals, statues, monuments, club-affiliated venues and street names related to a club in its local area was also considered, while each club’s matchday traditions were also taken into account.

A total of eight criteria were used, with each club then receiving an overall score out of 100.

The Red Devils ended up with 63/100, which left them seven points clear of Arsenal in second place.

Liverpool were down in third, with Chelsea, Everton, Manchester City, Newcastle and Leeds completing the top eight. The highest-ranked club outside the Premier League was Derby County in ninth.

At the other end of the table, the lowest-ranked Premier League fanbase was Brentford, with a score of just 14. Crystal Palace, Hull City and Aston Villa also found themselves below many Championship clubs, while Tottenham Hotspur were only 23rd.

Check out the rankings in full below.

Obviously, we would much prefer to be top of the real table.

But studies like this prove that form may be temporary, but the great Man United will never die thanks to the strength of those who back this great club.