We broke the British transfer record in 1981 when we paid £1.5m to bring Bryan Robson from West Brom, two years after City broke the record to sign Steve Daley for £1.45m, who The Observer later called the “biggest waste of money in football history”.

Over the next four seasons our club broke the records again, this time for the fees paid to our club when we sold Ray Wilkins to AC Milan (£1.5m) and Mark Hughes to Barcelona (£2.3m).

United next broke the record in 1995 to bring Andy Cole from Newcastle to try and help us secure that third title on the bounce but we lost out to Blackburn on the final day of the season after failing to beat West Ham. The £7m we paid for him was superseded by Arsenal a few months later when they paid £7.5m for Denis Bergkamp and that same month, Liverpool paid £8.5m for Stan Collymore. The following summer Newcastle paid an incredible £15m for Alan Shearer after he shunned us, meaning we forked out just £1.5m for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer instead that same week.

After winning the unprecedented Treble, United meant business in the transfer market, signing Juan Sebastian Veron for £28m in the summer of 2001 and Rio Ferdinand for £29m the following year. Rio was money well spent whilst Veron was shoehorned in to arguably one of the best central midfields of all time, with Roy Keane and Paul Scholes, and never really worked. Thankfully, we made more than half our money back on him when Chelsea took him off our hands a couple of years later.

The transfer record was next broken by Chelsea in 2006 when they signed Andriy Shevchenko for £30.8m before City broke it two years later to bring Robinho from Real Madrid for £32.5m.

However, it’s obviously not just breaking transfer records which you need to look at, indicated most clearly by both City and Chelsea who have spent shedloads of cash over the past few seasons but have only broken the transfer record once each in this time.

This table proves better than anything anyone could say that money does not necessarily equal success. Of course, there’s no denying that money gives you a much better chance of being successful and in most situations, it will make you more successful than you would otherwise be without it, but spending lots of money does not guarantee success, certainly not on the scale that United have enjoyed over the past few decades at least. Per season, there’s next to no difference between the spending of Spurs and United, for example, but the difference between trophies won is obviously vast. Liverpool are the third biggest spenders in the Premier League years yet have never even won it!

In the past eight seasons, four clubs have a larger net spend than United, with Aston Villa less than £3m behind us, yet when we compare the success in this time it’s laughable. United have won four league titles, Chelsea have won three and Arsenal have won one. United have also won the Champions League, the FA Cup and three League Cups. Chelsea have also won three FA Cups and two League Cups. Arsenal have also won an FA Cup, as have Liverpool and City, whilst Tottenham have won the League Cup. Aston Villa, of course, have won nothing.

The teams are ranked in order of how much money they’ve spent but this money isn’t reflected by the success they’ve had, particularly where United are concerned.

After winning back to back titles in 2005 and 2006, Chelsea strengthened their squad with one of the best players in the world for three positions, in Ashley Cole, Michael Ballack and Andriy Shevchenko. In contrast, United just signed Carrick, despite selling top scorer, Ruud van Nistelrooy, and buying no replacement. It was United that won the league for the next three seasons though, as well as beating Chelsea in the European Cup final in 2008. If success can be bought, why did that happen?

Chelsea’s time as the biggest spenders has more or less come and gone, although they did spend more than City in the season just gone. However, with City now the biggest spenders, the most successful club has still been United. If they do win the league this season, as they are clear favourites to do, that will make it four Premier League title wins from the past five season. This table shows the net and total spend over the past five years.

So, to reiterate the point made earlier, money is needed to be successful, but it is just one of the many ingredients needed to win trophies. When you look at what United have that Chelsea and City don’t, like a brilliant manager who is a stable presence, as well as a constant stream of youth players in the first team squad who not only care more about the club but who also allow you to spend money elsewhere because they have no transfer fee, it illustrates clearly where our success comes from.

If you could buy success, Chelsea would have won the title every season since 2005, with City taking it off them last season and this. As it stands, we’re eight points clear at the top and likely to win back to back titles yet again.

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Transfer fees taken from TransferLeague.co.uk

Conclusion
Michael Carrick has played 23 games this season. He has attempted and completed more passes than any other player on the pitch in 14 of these games (61%). However, if you discount the games when he played as a central defender (2), the games where he did played 90 minutes as he was subbed on or off (4), that means out of the 17 games when he played the entire game in the centre of midfield, he attempted and completed more passes than any player on the pitch in 14 of them (78%).

In 2 of those games, he completed more passes, even though he didn’t attempt as many, meaning he completed more passes than any other player on the pitch in 16 of the 17 games where he played 90 minutes in midfield (89%).

In 1 of those games, only one player completed more passes, which was Faurlin of QPR. This means in 18 of the 18 games where he played 90 minutes in midfield, he attempted and completed more passes than any other United player and in 17 out of the 18 games he completed more passes than any player on the pitch.

Summary
- Arsenal have been awarded more penalties than any other Premier League club in 3 of the last 8 seasons. City have been awarded more in 2 out of 8 seasons. United and Chelsea have been awarded more in 1 of the 8 seasons.

- Arsenal and City have conceded more penalties than any other Premier League club in 1 of the last 8 seasons.

- Arsenal have had the most penalties awarded for and against them in the last 8 seasons.

- Chelsea have had the fewest penalties awarded against them in the last 8 seasons.

- Over 8 seasons, there is a difference of 11 penalties awarded for between Arsenal and United, or 1.4 a season. There is a difference of 17 penalties awarded against between Arsenal and Chelsea, or 2.1 a season. Essentially, the difference is negligible so any argument suggesting the refs give preferential treatment to one club is pretty soft.

Disclaimer
- This table is just a comparison of these five clubs. The clubs which had the most penalties for and against have been included to give some perspective.

- How many penalties each club is awarded doesn’t prove anything as it is the quality of the decisions that would determine any preferential treatment.

- Attacking/dominating teams are going to spend more time in their opponent’s box than less successful teams. They are also less likely to have the opposition in their own box. This can have bearing on the opportunity for a penalty to be awarded for or against.

vs Liverpool – attempted and completed more than any other player with 92/98 (94%)
vs Chelsea – attempted and completed more passes than any other player with 66/76 (87%)
vs Stoke – attempted and completed more passes than any other player with 129/139 (93%)
vs Arsenal – completed more passes than any other player with 51/56 (91%). Song attempted 56 and completed 47 (84%).
vs Bolton – attempted and completed more passes than any other player with 59/66 (89%)
vs Newcastle – attempted and completed more passes than any other player with 69/80 (86%)
vs Blackburn – played as a central defender because of injuries. Completed 34/38 passes (90%).
vs Wigan – played as a central defender because of injuries. Completed 39/40 passes (98%).
vs Fulham – attempted and completed more passes than any other player with 67/74 (91%)
vs QPR – one player attempted and completed more passes (Faurlin – 52/71 or 73%). Completed 49/58 (85%).
vs Wolves – attempted and completed more passes than any other player with 66/73 (90%)
vs Villa – attempted and completed more passes than any other player with 55/62 (89%)
vs Newcastle – one player attempted and completed more passes (Giggs – 52/64 or 81%). Completed 45/54 (83%).
vs Swansea – attempted and completed more passes than any other player with 92/96 (96%)
vs Sunderland – subbed on in the 83rd minute. Completed 4/4 passes (100%).
vs Everton – injured. Not in matchday squad.
vs City – injured. Not in matchday squad.
vs Liverpool – Not fully fit. Unused sub.
vs Norwich – Not full fit. Unused sub.
vs Stoke – injured. Not in matchday squad.
vs Chelsea – subbed on in the 63rd minute. Completed 19/21 passes (91%)
vs Bolton – Anderson, Rio and Reo-Coker attempted and completed more passes. Completed 46/51 (90%)
vs Arsenal – injured. Not in matchday squad.
vs Tottenham – Not fully fit. Unused sub.
vs West Brom – Not fully fit. Unused sub.

Average passing completion: 90.35%

Further Carrick stats from Doron Salomon:

- most interceptions (49)
- averages more interceptions per game than any other United player (3.06)
- makes an interception more frequently than any other United player (every 27.8 minutes)
- made more clearances than any other United player (35) – excludes defenders*
- averages more clearances per game than any other United player (2.18) – excludes defenders*
- makes a clearance more frequently than any other United player (every 39 minutes) – excludes defenders*
- only Jonny Evans has made more blocks than Carrick (19 for Evans, 10 for Carrick)
- only Jonny Evans makes more interceptions per game than Carrick (1.1 for Evans, 0.63 for Carrick)
- only Jonny Evans makes a block more frequently than Carrick (every 76 minutes for Evans, every 136.5 minutes for Carrick)
- Carrick averages more passes per game than any other United player (61.9 per game)

*having played CB impacts that

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Pride of all Europe – Is Carrick United’s best player this season?

- Adebayor has more assists (10) than any other striker in the league.

- Rooney has more shots per game (4.7) than any other player in the league, followed by van Persie (4.6) then Suarez (4.3).

- Van Persie is the best striker on home turf (13), followed by Augero (11) then Rooney (9). Welbeck scored 4 of his 6 goals at Old Trafford, 2 out of 8 for Chicharito, 6 out of 7 for Berbatov.

- Dzeko and Van Persie are the best strikers away from home (9), followed by Rooney and Ba (8). Then Chicharito, Odemwingie and Sturridge (6).

David Silva is behind more goals than any other midfielder, having a total of 17 goals and assists, followed by Gareth Bale on 16. Nani and Mata are tied on 13, Valencia and Nasri on 10, Giggs with 9 and Young on 7. However, when you take in to consideration the games they’ve actually played in, specifically focussing on starts, Giggsy comes out top with an impressive 1.13 goals scored or created per each start. This is followed by Valencia with 0.83, Silva on 0.81, Bale on 0.73, Nasri on 0.67, Nani on 0.65, Young on 0.64 and Mata on 0.62.

Penalties from Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov either side of half time on transfer deadline day lead Manchester United on their way to 3 points as Manchester City were being beat at Everton thanks to a strike from former Red Devil Darron Gibson.  Chelsea had some fortune in scrapping a stoppage time equaliser at Swansea City.

Chelsea head into this fixture on the back of two draws in the league, without regular first teamers John Terry, Ashley Cole, Ramires.  Frank Lampard remains a doubt.

In 39 previous Premier League meetings, Chelsea lead the head-to-head record with 13 victories to Manchester United’s 12 (with 14 draws).  In fact, you have to go back to April 2002 when Sir Alex Ferguson’s side last won at Stamford Bridge in the Premier League.

Paul Scholes, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored the goals that day, in a pre-Roman Abramovich era match against Chelsea.  Both John Terry and Frank Lampard played 90 minutes for the Blues that day, managed by Claudio Ranieri.

Earlier this season, Manchester United tore Chelsea apart in the opening 45 minutes as they cruised into a 3-0 half time lead.  Chelsea improved in the second half and would have been back in the game but a miss of the season candidate from Fernando Torres.  The 3-1 victory was Andre Villas-Boas’ first defeat as Chelsea manager following his move from FC Porto.

Including last season’s Champions League quarter final meetings, Manchester United have won the last 4 meetings with Chelsea.

Sir Alex Ferguson has the tough choice of choosing between Wayne Rooney, Javier Hernandez, Dimitar Berbatov and Danny Welbeck to play up front on Sunday.  The latter 3 strikers have found the back of the net in 2012, whilst Rooney is without a goal since December 21 in the 5-0 thrashing of Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Manchester United are averaging 2.43 goals per game through 23 games, compared to Chelsea’s 1.78.  United have conceded just 7 goals on their travels this season; a league low at this point.  To give you an idea how well the 4 strikers are playing this season, no Liverpool player has scored more goals in the league so far this season.

Antonio Valencia has been a star player for Manchester United during the recent run of form.  The Ecuadorian winger unselfishly setup Danny Welbeck’s winner at the Emirates a fortnight ago and then won the second penalty against Stoke midweek.  The ex-Wigan star won’t be facing Chelsea’s first choice left full back on Sunday as Ashley Cole misses the tie through suspension.

Defensively for Manchester United, Phil Jones looks set to remain absent.  Patrice Evra, Chris Smalling and Jonny Evans are all available – these three played alongside Jones in the 3-1 victory at Old Trafford.  Rafael and Rio Ferdinand are available for Sir Alex Ferguson to call upon should he wish to.

David de Gea is due back for this tie having missed the midweek game.  The Spaniard was between the sticks when Chelsea visited Old Trafford in September, making 6 saves and being beaten only by Fernando Torres.  The former Atletico Madrid stopper has yet to feature in the Premier League in 2012, but did feature in the FA Cup loss to Liverpool.  Anders Lindegaard has been Sir Alex’s first choice in 5 of Manchester United’s last 7 league games, but an ankle injury for the Dane is expected to rule him out for the whole of February.

Stat of the day: Fernando Torres has picked up more yellow cards than scored goals for Chelsea

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Follow Barrie on Twitter and read his football blog.

It’s interesting to see that, despite all our complaints, that we’ve only bettered our current points total on 21 games on just one occasion in recent years, back in 2006/2007. Even if you didn’t take in to account the fact our injury list has been far worse than our title rivals, Manchester City, to be three points off the top at this stage in the season is a good position to be in. When you think even in 2007/2008, when we had that magical team we always rave about, our points total was identical to what it is now with a worse goal difference to the one we’ve amounted this season, it’s fairly incredible.

This doesn’t mean an awful lot where this year’s title race is concerned and I’m not trying to argue that because we’re three points better off than we were this time last season that we’ll certainly go on to win the league this season. Whether you win the title is obviously dependent on the strength of your title rivals, which is why 80 points was enough to win it last season but we needed 90 points to win it two seasons earlier.

However, for all our moaning, it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world to take a step back and give this current team the recognition they deserve. We’re not at full strength, there are areas we want to see new signings put in to, yet here they are on a level with the 07/08 team in terms of points.

It does make you wonder where we would be without the likes of Nemanja Vidic and Tom Cleverley out for months, or if we had bought that special midfielder we were all hoping for in the summer…

The Dane, who caught people’s attention when he kept 5 clean sheets in his first 5 Premier League starts has saved 84.28% of shots he’s faced this season.

In comparison, David de Gea has saved 76.71%. Both Manchester United goalkeepers are well-above the league average 69.47%.

David de Gea has only conceded 2 goals outside the penalty area in the league this season. Arsenal’s Wojciech Szczesny has conceded 6 from 18+ yards, form Manchester United goalkeeper Tim Howard has conceded 4, and Blackburn’s Paul Robinson leads the league having conceded 12 from long range already this season.

Anders Lindegaard averages a goal conceded every 2 games (180 minutes). The next nearest to him in that category is Liverpool’s Jose Reina who concedes a goal on average every 100 minutes in the Premier League.

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Follow Barrie on Twitter and read his football blog.