Honestly, if you look at the record books, it seems like the same three or four names just rotate every few years. But the history of the winners of the EPL is actually way weirder than most fans remember. Since the breakaway in 1992, the Premier League has changed from a playground for Sir Alex Ferguson into a high-stakes, multi-billion dollar arms race.
We’ve seen seven different clubs lift that trophy. Just seven. Out of the 51 teams that have tried, only a tiny fraction have ever actually touched the gold. It’s a brutal, exclusive club where having "potential" usually just gets you a 10th-place finish and a sacked manager.
The Dominance Nobody Expected
When the Premier League started, Manchester United hadn't won a league title in 26 years. People forget that. They weren't the "inevitable" winners back then. Then 1992-93 happened, and Ferguson basically broke the game.
Between 1993 and 2013, Manchester United won 13 titles. That’s an insane stat. Basically, if you were a kid growing up in the 90s, you just assumed the trophy lived at Old Trafford. They won three in a row from 1999 to 2001, and then did it again from 2007 to 2009. Nobody else has that kind of sustained, decades-long grip on the league.
But things shifted. Money moved.
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Chelsea entered the chat in 2004 with Roman Abramovich and José Mourinho. They didn't just win; they strangled the league. In the 2004-05 season, they conceded only 15 goals. Think about that. Across 38 games, teams could barely score once every three weeks against them. It changed the blueprint of what a winner looked like.
The Modern Era and the City Monopoly
If you’re watching today, you know the deal. Manchester City is the boss level of English football. Under Pep Guardiola, they did something no one else ever managed: four titles in a row (2021 to 2024).
They also hold the "Centurions" tag for that 100-point season in 2017-18. It’s sort of scary how efficient they’ve become. While United’s dominance felt like a relentless force of nature, City’s feels like a surgical strike. They just don't miss.
However, the 2024-25 season reminded everyone that the script isn't always written in stone. Liverpool, under a new era after Klopp, managed to snatch their second Premier League title (and 20th English title overall), stopping the City streak at four. It puts Liverpool and United neck-and-neck at 20 English top-flight titles each if you count the pre-1992 era.
The Outsiders Who Actually Made It
We have to talk about the anomalies. Most winners of the EPL are the usual suspects—City, United, Chelsea, Arsenal. But twice, the "script" completely fell apart.
- Blackburn Rovers (1994-95): Alan Shearer was a machine. With 34 goals that season, he led a Jack Walker-funded squad to the title on the final day, even though they actually lost their last game to Liverpool.
- Leicester City (2015-16): This is the one. The 5000-to-1 shot. No one—literally no one—thought Jamie Vardy and N'Golo Kanté would be lifting the trophy. It’s arguably the greatest sporting upset in history. They didn't just "luck" into it; they won it by 10 clear points.
Arsenal’s "Invincibles" of 2003-04 also deserve a shout. They didn't lose a single game. Not one. 26 wins, 12 draws. While they "only" have three Premier League titles total, that unbeaten run is a gold standard that even Pep’s City hasn't touched.
Why Some Big Clubs Never Win
It’s the elephant in the room. Tottenham is part of the "Big Six," but they've never won the Premier League. Neither has Everton or Aston Villa, despite their massive histories.
Winning this league requires a specific kind of perfection. You can’t just be good; you have to be flawless for nine months. Look at Liverpool in 2018-19. They got 97 points—a total that would win the league in almost any other year in history—and they still finished second.
What the Stats Actually Tell Us
If you want to understand the hierarchy, look at the managers. Sir Alex Ferguson has 13. Pep Guardiola has 6. After that, it’s Arsène Wenger and José Mourinho with 3 each.
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The league has become more top-heavy over time. In the early 90s, 75 points could sometimes get you the trophy (United did it in 96-97). Nowadays? If you don't hit 90, you’re basically playing for second place. The bar for being one of the winners of the EPL has moved into the stratosphere.
Total titles since 1992:
- Manchester United: 13
- Manchester City: 8
- Chelsea: 5
- Arsenal: 3
- Liverpool: 2
- Blackburn Rovers: 1
- Leicester City: 1
Actionable Insights for the Future
If you’re trying to predict the next champion or just want to sound smarter at the pub, keep these things in mind:
- Watch the Defense: While "attack wins games," the 15-goal record by Chelsea proves that titles are built on backlines. Every winner in the last decade had a world-class center-back pairing.
- The 90-Point Rule: Don't get excited about a team being top in December unless their projected points total is north of 90. The margin for error is gone.
- ** Squad Depth over Stars:** City wins because their "B team" could probably finish in the top four. To be a winner, you need 18 starters, not 11.
- Managerial Stability: Look at the clubs that change managers every 12 months. They aren't on this list. Success in the EPL is almost always tied to a long-term tactical identity.
Keep an eye on the 2025-26 season currently unfolding. With Liverpool defending their latest crown and City looking to reclaim the throne, the race for the next spot on the list of winners of the EPL is as tight as it's ever been.