Weeks don’t come much better for Liverpool football club.
Not only have our Merseyside neighbours whisked Man City off their throne to become Premier League champions for the first time in their history, they’ve also usurped Man Utd as the most popular club in British football.
After analysing data from around the world via Google Trends, football price comparison site Footy.com discovered that Jurgen Klopp’s side have amassed an enormous global backing that’s turned them into the world’s new favourite team.
A silver lining for the Old Trafford faithful, however, is that United have still enjoyed the most interest out of any English side over a longer timeframe of ten years.
The following table shows the popularity of each Prem club over the last decade, ranked across different continents around the world:
Footy.com spokesperson Ben Hyde said: “As you can imagine, Manchester United’s place on the top spot is to be expected, given their dominance of the Premier League during the Fergie era.
“However, the club does appear to have fallen from grace somewhat since Alex Ferguson’s retirement back in 2013.
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“When you look specifically at the stats from more recent years, Manchester United’s popularity seems to be fading. In fact, in 2019, Liverpool overtook United as the most popular Premier League team worldwide.”
The image below shows the figures from 2019 – showing how Liverpool have toppled United to take the “most popular” trophy award to go along with their shiny new Premier League medals.
Reflecting on the data, Ben says: “This is perhaps unsurprising given Liverpool’s Champions League success last summer.
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“However, Manchester United fans will be frustrated to see yet more evidence that their team is continuing to fall further behind their historic rivals.”
Is this the beginning of a new chapter in Premier League football where Merseyside rule supreme?
Mancunians, red and blue, are praying hard that isn’t the case…
News
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
The Manc -
26th June 2020 
