Manchester United vs Man City: Who has won more Premier League and English league division titles?

Manchester City are quickly catching up their crosstown rivals Manchester United when it comes to silverware — although even the 2022/23 Premier League title won’t be anywhere near enough to make up the difference, yet.

Pep Guardiola’s management of City has put the pressure on rival clubs, including United, with the Etihad Stadium witnessing an unprecedented period of success right now. United dominated the early Premier League years but haven’t lifted the title in a decade.

But how do the numbers stack up? How many more titles will City need to lift to truly get their red rivals worried?

The Sporting News goes through the history of the Manchester clubs and their league titles here…

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How many league titles have Man United won?

If you’re visiting Old Trafford on a matchday, you’ll likely hear the Stretford End singing “20 times, 20 times, Man United” at some point. It is, of course, a reference to the number of league titles United have won throughout their history.

That figure is more than any other English club, with Liverpool the closest challenger, currently on 19 top-tier crowns following their Premier League win in 2019/20.

It’s important not to get ‘English league title’ confused with ‘Premier League’. United have won 13 Premier Leagues — all under the master management of Sir Alex Ferguson — but had topped the league seven times before 1992, when the Premier League was established.

Famously, Sir Matt Busby led United to five league titles in the 1950s and 1960s, with Ferguson winning 13 until his retirement in 2013. Their other two top-flight titles came in 1908 and 1911 under the guidance of Ernest Mangnall, who was officially the secretary of United’s committee of directors. They would not use the term ‘manager’ until later.

On this day 10 years ago, Sir Alex Ferguson received a guard of honour as he took charge of his final ever Man United game at Old Trafford 🔴👏

🏟️ Games: 1,500
✅ Wins: 895
🤝 Draws: 338
❌ Losses: 267
🏆 Trophies: 38pic.twitter.com/powgieTmAt

— SPORTbible (@sportbible) May 12, 2023

Manchester United league wins: 1907–08, 1910–11, 1951–52, 1955–56, 1956–57, 1964–65, 1966–67, 1992–93, 1993–94, 1995–96, 1996–97, 1998–99, 1999–2000, 2000–01, 2002–03, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09, 2010–11, 2012–13.

How many league titles have Man City won?

City are closing in on a ninth league success in their history and a seventh Premier League crown, five of which will have come under Guardiola. They have won six of their current eight league titles since 1992.

City were First Division champions in 1937 and 1968, but it was not until Sergio Aguero’s magic moment in 2012 that they won their third top-flight title, and first in the Premier League era. Manuel Pellegrini delivered their second in 2014 before the Guardiola years brought an unprecedented level of dominance to east Manchester.

Manchester City league wins: 1936–37, 1967–68, 2011–12, 2013–14, 2017–18, 2018–19, 2020–21, 2021–22.

In short, then, City need another 11 titles after this season to match their neighbours’ tally. But another six will match United’s number of Premier Leagues, if records since 1992/93 is your thing.

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List of Premier League winners

The two Manchester clubs have dominated the Premier League era, winning 19 titles between them — that’s expected to become 20 if and when City lift the 2022/23 trophy. That means the title has ended up in Manchester more often than not since the Premier League’s inception in 1992.

Blackburn Rovers, Arsenal, Chelsea, Leicester City and Liverpool are the only other clubs to have won the top-flight title in the Premier League era.

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