New data reveals Manchester’s most wanted football shirts

When it comes to being the best football team in Manchester, City have taken the bragging rights over the last few years.

Their fortunes have been on the up since Abu Dhabi bought the club in 2008. And their record speaks for itself since Pep Guardiola was appointed boss in 2016.

And you definitely see more City shirts on the streets of Manchester since their fortunes took a turn for the better.

United, on the other hand, have been in decline since Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Most popular local team

But when it comes to being the most popular team in Manchester, surveys suggest United are still out in front.

Now a new study of the most sought-after football shirts in Manchester by uksoccershop has confirmed what previous surveys have always said – that United are the most popular team locally.

Using regional Google keyword search data to reveal Manchester’s most popular football shirts over the last year, the data reveals the football shirts Manchester residents are most eager to get their hands on. And United take the top spot, with City runners-up and Liverpool in third place.

Clear preference

The research, conducted by football shirt retailer UKSoccerShop, utilised Google Keyword Planner to analyze regional searches for Premier and Championship League teams’ shirts in 2023, pinpointing each region’s preferred team.
The data revealed a clear preference among football supporters residing in Manchester, with Manchester United’s kit leading the pack, with 7,270 searches in 2023.

Following closely behind is Manchester City’s shirt, ranking as the second most favoured among Manchester residents, with 5,220 searches. The Liverpool kit is Manchester’s third favorite football shirt, boasting 2,790 searches throughout 2023.

Rounding out the rankings are Arsenal and Chelsea, securing fourth and fifth positions respectively. Over the course of 2023, there were 2,270 searches for the Arsenal kit and 1,550 searches for Chelsea shirts among Manchester’s football fans.

The survey also revealed the most popular football shirts nationally over the past five years. And the winners for the fourth year running are… Manchester United, followed by Arsenal, Liverpool, Man City and Chelsea.