Are Liverpool or Manchester United the bigger club?

Ahead of Liverpool v Manchester United live on Sky Sports Premier League from 11.30am on Saturday, we reveal which club has had more success...

We have looked at the clubs' league positions over the last 50 years, their total all-time honours, average attendances and current global support to see which club reigns supreme.

LEAGUE POSITION

Manchester United and Liverpool are the most successful clubs in England, having won 20 and 18 league titles, respectively - but Liverpool have never won a Premier League crown.

The Sky Sports Ultimate League, which ranks clubs annually by their average 50-year league position, suggests Liverpool have been England's most dominant club with an average position of 3.44 - ahead of Manchester United, who have averaged at 5.08 - despite winning 13 Premier League titles since 1992/93.

So, in terms of sustained superiority in league standings, it's advantage Merseyside,

LIVERPOOL 1-0 MANCHESTER UNITED

HONOURS

In terms of major honours, Manchester United and Liverpool have won 45 and 44, respectively. While United have won more league titles, Liverpool have won the Champions League on five occasions compared with their rival's three.

But United snatch a late equaliser before the half-time break by a slender winning margin of just one piece of silverware.

LIVERPOOL 1-1 MANCHESTER UNITED

ATTENDANCE

We have looked at top-flight attendances over the last 50 years and it's good news for United, according to worldfootball.net data.
United have attracted an average crowd of 55,350 between 1967/68 and the end of last season, while Liverpool have averaged 41,403 at Anfield over the last half-century.

That means United win the attendance battle to take the lead - with global support being the final contest to decide whether the two clubs can be divided...

LIVERPOOL 1-2 MANCHESTER UNITED

GLOBAL SUPPORT

With 108.3m followers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter, United have claimed outright victory in our showdown,
Liverpool pale in comparison with a 43.9m following, according to sports index company Brandtix.


Zlatan Ibrahimovic is the most followed player from either club with 59.6m subscribers, followed by Paul Pogba (29.3m) and David de Gea (23.4m).
On Merseyside, Liverpool's Mohamed Salah tops the two teams with 15.7m, followed by team-mates Daniel Sturridge (8.3m) and Philippe Coutinho (7.3m).

FINAL SCORE

LIVERPOOL 1-3 MANCHESTER UNITED

So United are the dominant force in terms of honours, attendance and global support - while Liverpool's league success in the '70s and '80s nets them a consolation - but which club will emerge victorious on Saturday?

read more: http://www.skysports.com/football/news/11096/11075999/are-liverpool-or-manchester-united-the-bigger-club