https://archive.ph/AxMRI#selection-3019.0-3023.226
So annoying reading this horseshit, considering the UK press helped United demonise and diminish the achievements of first Blackburn, then Chelsea and then City during United's reign as the dominant club, for years(all because Fergie had them eating out of his hand). They made out investment was something new, "bought it" became a common phrase, which they'd use to suggest those clubs did something unfair on 'poor honest United'. I worked out, while tearing a Liverpool's fan to shreds(the 'I hate United but..." bullshit), for trying to boil it down to a "monopoly that lasted 5 years", that:
Without those 3 clubs, who 'bought success' and 'ruined football', United would have won 17 out of the first 21 PL seasons. 1993-2013, 13 titles + the 4 that were "bought"/"stolen" from United.
Since the first PL season ended in 93, maybe it's time we started counting the decades that way, for comparison's sake?
First decade,1993-2002: United won 7 out of 10 titles. They did a back to back twice in the first 5 years and then a 3-peat. Blackburn's single title win(where United were runners up), meant they were only the only club stopping United kicking off the PL era with a 5 in a row. And they still moaned and had the press fighting their corner.
Second decade, 2003-2012: United won 5 out of 10 titles, which included another 3-peat. Chelsea in 2006 and 2010, then City in 2012, were the only clubs stopping United rounding off that decade of PL football with 6 in a row. And again, the press were fighting firmly in United's corner, saying those clubs were harming the league, rather than making it more competitive. Chelsea also stopped Arsenal winning the title in 2005, which probably added fuel to the fire against them.
Third decade, 2013-2022: United won in 2013, which would have marked a 7 in a row for United. City were the only club stopping United(even though they weren't really close or that good) winning the title twice in that decade(2018 and 2021). City stopped Liverpool winning the title 3 times in much closer title races(2014, 2019 and 2022). They won 5 out of 10 titles in that decade. Which included 1 back to back at the mid-way point and they ended it with another.
4th decade, 2023-2032: So far, City have picked up the first 2 titles, which marked a 4-peat, which started at the end of the last decade. City have stopped Arsenal winning the title twice, so far(2023 and 2024).
Total times the big sly 3 clubs have been denied titles, by non-big sly 3 clubs(excluding Leicester = no money argument): Blackburn denied United 1(1). Chelsea denied United 2, Arsenal 1(3). City denied United 3, Liverpool 3, Arsenal 2(8).
The pattern with the press narrative in all of this, seems to be that anyone who stops United, Liverpool or Arsenal winning a title, is ruining football and must doing something wrong.
Although, it was probably always coming after Fergie retired, City's and Chelsea's accumulative effect on United's dominance, could have swiftened their decline and had an influence on the timing of Fergie's departure as manager. It could be said, many clubs, including Spurs and Leicester, did things that might not have been possible without someone breaking up the status-quo. The powers that be, probably wanted an Arsenal or Liverpool to be passed the torch but it was too chaotic for any such plans to be made.
The PL became the most watched league in world football in the 2010s, off the back of the competition brought about by City and Chelsea(even Neville has admitted this, in so many words). I've seen some denying this but who would deny there were plenty of Brits obsessed with Italian football during the 90s? Same as there were with Spanish football in the 00s, where they had Pep's Barca and Real's Galactico's. They were the glamour leagues that were looked up to, in those decades. Now, English football is the league that is looked up to or envied at least and it's not solely off the backs of United, Liverpool or Arsenal, as some "cretins" in the press would tell it.
Edit: I couldn't find a way to fit in the irony of the 'immeasurable damage to the PL' emotional plea. To use their favourite phrase: But what about City?
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