Manchester United Top the Premier League... With Number of Fans Arrested Last Season

Manchester United topped the Premier League ahead of rivals Manchester City last season - but it was for the number of their fans who were arrested at stadiums across England and Europe.

United saw 112 of their fans arrested during the 2013/14 season - 68 at Old Trafford and 43 at away sides' grounds - making their fans the worst behaved in England and Wales.

While arch rivals Manchester City was the Premier League side with the second-worst record - with 71 arrests - it was Championship side Leeds United that had the second-worst rate, with 91 arrests.

Figures released by the Home Office revealed there were a total of 2,273 football-related arrests last season, down almost 200 on the season before and a dramatic decline on the 4,162 fans who were arrested during the peak 2000-01 season.

With 54 arrests, Sheffield United were the worst-behaved fans in League One and Bristol Rovers had the most arrests in League Two with 57.

Banning orders

Newcastle United fans received by far the most banning orders, 95, with League One outfit Chesterfield in second place with 22.

The gulf between Newcastle and other clubs is thought to have arisen after more than 100 Magpies fans were arrested after widespread disorder in the city centre after a 3-0 defeat by Sunderland in April 2013.

Overall, the total number of football banning orders decreased by seven per cent to 2,273.

Of concern to clubs will be the alarming rise in the number of offences for possessing or using a firework or flare, which jumped from 76 in 2012/13 to 188 last season.

The most common type of offence across England and Wales was of a public disorder nature, of which there were 705 out of a total 2,273 crimes.