Manchester United are now bigger around the world than Coca Cola. The Mirror says only Google, Apple, the BBC, Dyson and Facebook are better known brands, marketing experts revealed recently, making it a bigger draw to advertisers than Coca Cola and Microsoft.

The numbers involved are staggering. The club's estimated worldwide following is 333 million with 92 million in Asia, which is why the team often heads to the Far East for money spinning close-season tours.

The club's turnover has crashed through the £100million barrier and experts estimate the value of the United brand alone as £412million, up from £197million in 2005.