Best teams of the Premier League era

Just how good is the current Chelsea side? There may have only been 11 matches played this term, but Jose Mourinho's men already look a sure bet to win a fourth Premier League title in 10 years.

They've certainly captured the imagination of former Arsenal defender Martin Keown, who said after the 2-1 defeat of Queens Park Rangers at the start of the month: "This is one of the best teams we've ever seen in the Premier League. They are almost perfection."

Where does this current Chelsea team rank, though, among some of their counterparts from yesteryear?

Here, Sports Mole has picked out five other successful sides from the Premier League era.

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Throughout his 27 years at the Old Trafford helm, Sir Alex Ferguson had the ability to evolve, which allowed him to build several memorable teams. While opinions vary, there are many that feel that the double winners of 1994 were Ferguson's finest creation.

Playing in a 4-4-2 formation, it was hard to identify a weakness in the team. Behind a solid centre-back pairing was the division's best goalkeeper, while further forward there was pace and trickery out wide, accompanied by tenacity and brute power in midfield. Up front, Eric Cantona and Mark Hughes formed a partnership that was capable of scoring any type of goal.

Honours: Premier League, FA Cup

Usual lineup: Schmeichel; Parker, Bruce, Pallister, Irwin; Kachelskis, Ince, Keane, Giggs; Hughes, Cantona

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Five years after he had guided United to their first ever Premier League and FA Cup double, Ferguson and his team went one better by adding the Champions League trophy to that haul. With the likes of Steve Bruce, Gary Pallister, Paul Ince and Hughes all gone, the team was now heavily influenced by the 'Class of 92'.

This side's major strength was a sheer will to win, even when all appeared to be lost. In various competitions, the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, Charlton Athletic and Southampton all fell victim to United's never-say-die attitude. Yet, they saved the best until last as two stoppage-time goals from Teddy Sheringham and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sunk Bayern Munich to end a 31-year wait for Europe's top prize.

Honours: Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup

Usual lineup: Schmeichel; G Neville, Stam, Johnsen, Irwin; Beckham, Keane, Scholes, Giggs; Yorke, Cole

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Arsene Wenger has managed Arsenal to three Premier League titles, but it is the team of 2003-04 that will forever be remembered. Despite competition from champions Man United, a Chelsea side now armed with Roman Abramovich's billions and a free-scoring Newcastle United, the Gunners went the entire campaign without losing a match - winning 26 games and drawing 12.

Built on solid foundations and with Gilberto Silva and Patrick Vieira as a protective shield, Freddie Ljunberg, Robert Pires and Dennis Bergkamp were given a licence to roam, while loading the bullets for Thierry Henry to fire. The scarily clinical Frenchman finished the campaign with 39 goals to his name in all competitions. The one major regret must be that this team did not go on to win further trophies - at home and abroad.
Honours: Premier League

Usual lineup: Lehmann; Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Cole; Ljunberg, Gilberto, Vieira, Pires; Bergkamp, Henry

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Abramovich had the funds to construct a Premier League-winning side, but in the popular and likeable Claudio Ranieri, he did not have the necessary tactician. With that in mind, it could be argued that the 2004 appointment of Mourinho as Ranieri's replacement is the best addition that Abramovich has made since he gained control at Stamford Bridge.

Instantly, the self-proclaimed "Special One" transformed the West Londoners into a winning machine that seemed to take conceding a goal as a personal insult. The 2004-05 title was won by a 12-point margin (15 goals shipped) and a season later eight points separated the Blues and Man United (22 goals conceded). Among the team's many qualities, it was their ruthlessness that set them apart from the rest.

Honours: Premier League (2), League Cup

Usual lineup: Cech; Ferreira, Terry, Carvalho, Gallas; Makelele; Duff, Cole, Lampard, Robben; Drogba

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In his recently released autobiography The Second Half, Keane claimed that when United were going through a barren spell by their standards in the mid-2000s, he was always confident that the major prizes would soon return to Old Trafford. His reasoning behind that opinion was that in Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, the club had two of Europe's finest young talents honing their skills on the training ground.

Keane had departed a year before that duo started to fulfil their potential, having been helped along by the experience of Edwin van der Sar, Rio Ferdinand and Paul Scholes to name three. In 2007, the Premier League title was regained, but it was in 2008 that the world stood up to take notice. Ronaldo hit 42 goals as United beat Chelsea to the Premier League and Champions League trophies. At the time, there were few better counter-attacking teams.

Honours: Premier League, Champions League

Usual lineup: Van der Sar; Brown, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra; Hargreaves, Carrick, Scholes, Ronaldo; Tevez, Rooney