Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal have established themselves in the world top five of highest-earning clubs, according to a new report. They made €780 million between them last season and Deloitte, the business consultancy which compiles the Football Money League, believes their revenues will only increase as English clubs as a whole seek to maximise their money-making potential abroad.

"Manchester United have 300 million overseas supporters but do not make as much money from them as possible," said Deloitte's Alan Switzer. "Even £2 (€2.70) extra from each fan would make an enormous difference. That is something all the big English clubs are now focusing on. The idea of a 39th game is part of that strategy."

A ninth Premier League title combined with a run to the Champions League semi-finals and a €19 million-a-year shirt sponsorship deal helped United earn €285 million in 2007. Chelsea made €257 million in the same period and Arsenal took €240 million, mainly from corporate revenue which doubled to €123 million in their first season at the Emirates Stadium.

There are six English clubs in the top 20, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United being the others. Financial analysts expect more to follow in 2008 because of this season's €404 million Premier League broadcast deal.

"This is the first time that any country has had three clubs in the top five of the Money League," said Dan Jones, a partner at the Sports Business Group at Deloitte. "Arsenal's move to the Emirates Stadium has transformed their revenues while Chelsea's revenue increase sees them return to the top five."

"With the new Premier League television deals now online for the 2007/08 season, Manchester United have the opportunity to significantly close the gap on Real (Madrid, who are in top spot)," Jones said.

"A successful Champions League run may even see them challenge again for the number one position."

Combined revenues for the top 20 clubs rose by 11 per cent to €3.7 billion, the highest rate of growth since the 2002/'03 season, Deloitte said.

Meanwhile, United defender Rio Ferdinand believes the only way to lay the ghost of a "very bad" weekend is to send their title rivals Arsenal crashing out of the FA Cup.

Arsenal claimed a huge psychological advantage over United in the battle for Premier League supremacy by surging five points clear at the top after the last round of matches.

United flopped to a 2-1 derby defeat against Manchester City on Sunday before Arsene Wenger's side beat Blackburn a day later to cement their position as title favourites.

There is, however, a chance to dent Arsenal's soaring confidence on Saturday when the two sides face off in an FA Cup fifth-round tie at Old Trafford. And Ferdinand insists his team-mates are fully focused on hitting back.

"We didn't do any of the things that have taken us into a good position in the league and made us a threatening, compact team," he said of Sunday's performance.

"It was a very bad weekend. We've all been thinking about the reasons it happened and how we want to pull ourselves together and get the result out of our minds. The best thing you can do is to come into training and just get focused on winning the next game, and that's what we're doing."

Alexander Hleb believes Arsenal's recent form has helped to erase the memory of getting thrashed at Tottenham - and has backed Emmanuel Adebayor to help continue the run against Manchester United.

Arsene Wenger's side have won four on the spin since they lost 5-1 in the second leg of the League Cup semi-final at White Hart Lane last month.

Hleb said: "It was very important for us to get things right again after the Spurs defeat.

"Sometimes matches like that one happen in football - maybe we didn't have the right level of concentration, it's difficult to say.

"It seemed to me that they maybe wanted the win more than we did. But then, it was as if every shot they took went in."

Full-back Gael Clichy also felt the performances have atoned for the defeat to their rivals.

He added: "I think it was really important to do that, for the fans and the club. So we have to carry on like this - combining that spirit with the kind of game we play, then we can achieve great things this season."

Arsenal remain in three competitions, with AC Milan their opponents in the Champions League next week.

Central to their hopes of silverware is Adebayor, the Togo international striker who has scored in his last nine games for his club.

"He's in fantastic form. It's great for him and great for the team," Hleb added. "Now with important games such as Manchester United and AC Milan and others coming up, it's ideal to have a striker who is taking his chances whichever way they come and showing such all-round ability." ...