Biggest team in Manchester? United & City trophies, who has most fans & reputation explained

The Manchester derby is one of the most exciting games in English football, with United and City regularly producing memorable encounters as they bid to paint the town red or blue.

Both clubs have long and proud histories of their own, with varying degrees of success enjoyed in the 20th and 21st centuries. Some of the most talented players in the world have graced their jerseys, while they each enjoy the support of famous faces thanks to their respective glories.

But who is the biggest team in Manchester? GOAL takes a look at the trophy cabinets, the history, fan-bases and more to bring some clarity to a question that frequently occupies minds on either side of the city.

Man Utd or Man City: Who has most trophies?

Last updated: March 4, 2022

Manchester United boast a far greater trophy cabinet than Manchester City, with 66 pieces of silverware won by the Old Trafford club compared to 28 by their cross-town rivals.

United have won the most Premier League titles (including First Division), with a record 20 league triumphs, whereas City are still in single figures with seven league titles.

With 12 FA Cups, United boast twice as many as City, but the blue half of Manchester enjoys relative dominance in the League Cup, with eight trophies to United's six. United's domestic dominance is further encapsulated in their 21 Community Shields, with City claiming only six.

City have yet to taste major success on the European stage and their sole continental triumph came in 1970 when they won the Cup Winners' Cup. United, by contrast, have won three Champions Leagues (including European Cup), the Europa League, the Cup Winners' Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.

Manchester United enjoyed success in the 1950s and 1960s, with the height of their dominance coming during the Sir Alex Ferguson era, which spanned the 1990s up until 2013.

Much of City's success, by contrast, has come since their 2008 takeover by the Abu Dhabi United Group, with a significant cash injection helping to boost the club's prospects on the pitch. The majority of City's league titles came after that, with five Premier Leagues adding to the two achieved in 1937 and 1968.

Man Utd or Man City: Who has most fans?

Manchester United can safely claim to have the most fans out of the two main Manchester teams, having established a truly global brand thanks to the success achieved by Ferguson's teams in the 1990s and 2000s.

United are recognised as one of the most valuable sports teams in the world by Forbes, with an appeal to football fans that is comparable to that of Clasico rivals Real Madrid and Barcelona.

However, City are working hard to catch up and their recent era of dominance in the English game, ushered in by Pep Guardiola, has helped them broaden their appeal to supporters outside of England in a globalised market.

While it is difficult to say with absolute certainty which team has the most fans, an examination of things such as social media following, stadium size and shirt sales can give an indication of comparative popularity.

For example, as of March 2022, Manchester United's combined social media following (across Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube) stood at 180.2 million followers. That is roughly twice as many as Man City, whose combined social media following stood at 91.4 million followers.

Which stadium is bigger? Old Trafford or the Etihad?

Manchester United have a bigger stadium than Manchester City, with Old Trafford's most recent expansion bringing its capacity to 74,140 seats. The City of Manchester Stadium (also known as the Etihad) is somewhat smaller, but it is still a major stadium with a capacity of 53,400.

Of course, stadium capacity itself doesn't actually say much - it is the number of fans that fill that stadium which matters. Both teams regularly sell out games across all competitions, so their average attendance is very close to their full capacities.

Which club is older? Man Utd or Man City?

Manchester United can trace its foundation back to 1878, making the club two years older than Manchester City, which originated in 1880.

However, it should be noted that both clubs were known by different names when they were first founded, so it is slightly complicated.

Manchester United were founded in 1878 as Newton Heath and didn't officially become known as Manchester United until 1902. City, meanwhile, were founded as St Mark's (West Gorton) in 1880 before becoming Ardwick Association F.C. in 1887. They officially became Manchester City in April 1894 - eight years before United were officially 'Manchester United'.

Who is the biggest club in Manchester?

With more trophies won overall, a bigger stadium and greater global appeal historically, Manchester United can legitimately lay claim to being the biggest club in Manchester. For now, at least.

However, just as empires rise they also fall and United's time in the sun has certainly diminished over the last decade or more, with City's success leaving their local rivals in the shade.

Of course, City are in the process of building their legacy as one of England's great teams and it will take time before they can exhibit an honours list as lengthy as that of United, who some individuals regard as the biggest club not only in Manchester, but the world.