The Barclays Premiership is the leading football (soccer) division in England. Each season, between August and May, twenty teams contest the right to be crowned Premiership champions, by accumulating the highest points total over 38 games.

The inaugural season of the English Premiership commenced in 1992/93, after the then members of the First Division - the previous top-flight in the English Football League - decided to form a break away division from the Football League.

To analyse the 'best' teams in the Premiership is a difficult prospect, due to the every-changing member clubs and the varying performances of the member teams each season. Every year, three teams are relegated down a division, and three teams are promoted from the second-tier of league football. To date (2009) 43 different football clubs have played in the English Premiership, with mixed fortunes. Manchester United have been ever-present in the Premiership, winning 11 out of 17 titles, whereas Swindon Town gained promotion to the top-flight for the 1993/4 season, only to be relegated in the same season, making it there one and only appearance.

In the eyes of consistency, the 'big four' teams of Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool FC can arguably be labelled as the best teams in the Premiership. Only four teams have ever won the Premiership; Manchester United (11), Arsenal (3), Chelsea (2) and Blackburn Rovers, and during the last four seasons, Manchester Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have claimed the top four finishes in the league. Although Liverpool have not won a title since 1989/90, they still jointly hold the record for league titles (18) with Manchester United, and finished 2nd in the 2008/09 season.

The 'big-four' records;

- Chelsea holds the record for the highest points accumulation during a Premiership season, with 95.

- Manchester United became the first team to score 1000 Premiership goals, and have never endured a finish outside of the top three places.They have also claimed the title three years running, on two separate occasions.

- During the 2003/04 season Arsenal failed to lose a single game, and hold the record for the longest unbeaten run, stretching 49 games.

- In top-flight football, Liverpool have accumulated the highest points total overall, with 4997, and recorded the highest points total, without winning the title, with 86 points.

Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United are also the only Premiership teams to have completed a season without losing a home game.

The 'big-four' teams have also shared success in Europe. Manchester United have won the UEFA Champions League twice, in 1999 and 2008, with Liverpool winning arguably the greatest final, against AC Milan in 2005. Liverpool again reached the final in 2007, with a reverse result, losing to AC Milan. Chelsea were runners-up in 2008, Arsenal in 2006 and Manchester United were losing finalists in 2009. Liverpool also won the UEFA Cup in 2001, with Arsenal runners-up in 2000.

So are these four the 'best' teams in the English Premier League? In terms of consistency, the evidence would suggest that over the 17 year history of the league, Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have proved themselves to be the leading contenders in the league, domestic cup competitions and on the European stage.

Reference;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F ootball_records_in_England#FA_ Premier_League_.E2.80.93_Since _1992.E2.80.9393_season

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