Source: Planet football

More than 60 clubs have played in the English top flight since 1888 – but which of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United come out on top?

You might be surprised to learn that Liverpool are top, with 7332 points, while Tottenham are the lowest of the big six, in eighth, with 5406.

The rest of the big six clubs are as follows: Arsenal second on 7148 points, United fifth with 6733, City sixth with 5740 and Chelsea seventh, on 5417. Filling the gaps, very rarely relegated Everton are third, with 6917 points, and Aston Villa are in fifth, on 6227.

The two giants of Northeast football, Newcastle and Sunderland, sit ninth and 10th, the Magpies the higher of the pair, with 5186 points, while their rivals are 10th, with 4560.

West Brom, in 11th, are the highest club not currently playing in the top-flight, with 4091 points in their history.

Between 10th and 20th, they’re joined by a fair few Championship clubs, in Blackburn Rovers, Sheffield Wednesday, Derby County and Sheffield United.

The first team not in any of the top two divisions currently are Bolton, who are 14th, on 3692 points, and the next best current League One club historically is Blackpool, in 31st and on 1527 points.

After halfway, some interesting names begin to crop up, with juxtaposition between big and small, as well as some clubs that are no longer around in the same guise they once were.

Crystal Palace have the 38th-most points in the history of the top flight, with 1118, and just below them are Bury, with 1017 points.

They had to withdraw from the Football League in 2019 due to going into administration.

Other highlights include now dissolved side Wimbledon – who reformed under another name in recent years – in 42nd, Bradford Park Avenue in 54th, Accrington FC in 55th, Darwen in 61st and Glossop North End, who are dead last, in 65th, with 22 points in one campaign.

Here is the full league table in the history of the English top-flight, ranging from September 1888 to May 2025:

1. Liverpool – 7332pts

2. Arsenal – 7148pts

3. Everton – 6917pts

4. Manchester United – 6733pts

5. Aston Villa – 6227pts

6. Manchester City – 5740pts

7, Chelsea – 5417pts

8. Tottenham Hotspur – 5406pts

9. Newcastle United – 5186pts

10. Sunderland – 4560pts

11. West Bromwich Albion – 4091pts

12. Wolverhampton Wanderers – 3716pts

13. Blackburn Rovers – 3702pts

14. Bolton Wanderers – 3697pts

15. Sheffield Wednesday – 3552pts

16. West Ham United – 3428pts

17. Derby County – 3303pts

18. Sheffield United – 3266pts

19. Leeds United – 3189pts

20. Burnley – 3148pts

21. Nottingham Forest – 3084pts

22. Middlesbrough – 3065pts

23. Stoke City – 2917pts

24. Leicester City – 2813pts

25. Birmingham City – 2755pts

26. Preston North End – 2403pts

27. Southampton – 2296pts

28. Huddersfield Town – 1810pts

29. Portsmouth – 1765pts

30. Coventry City – 1686pts

31. Blackpool – 1527pts

32. Ipswich Town – 1493pts

33. Fulham – 1359pts

34. Charlton Athletic – 1318pts

35. Notts County – 1276pts

36. Norwich City – 1256pts

37. Queens Park Rangers – 1146pts

38. Crystal Palace – 1118pts

39. Bury – 1017pts

40. Cardiff City – 890pts

41. Luton Town – 833pts

42. Wimbledon – 729pts

43. Watford – 622pts

44. Oldham Athletic – 606pts

45. Grimsby Town – 598pts

46. Bradford City – 582pts

47. Brighton & Hove Albion – 569pts

48. Brentford – 474pts

49. Bristol City – 436pts

50. Swansea City – 422pts

51. Bournemouth – 354pts

52. Wigan Athletic – 331pts

53. Hull City – 171pts

54. Bradford Park Avenue – 147pts

55. Accrington FC – 138pts

56. Reading – 119pts

57. Oxford United – 119pts

58. Millwall – 79pts

59. Northampton Town – 43pts

60. Carlisle United – 41pts

61. Darwen – 41pts

62. Barnsley – 35pts

63. Swindon Town – 30pts

64. Leyton Orient – 27pts

65. Glossop North End – 22pts