Premiership finances: Manchester United's spoils from the season mount up to £50.6million from television and prize money alone - highlighting the gulf between the haves and the have-nots in English football.

Arsenal have earned slightly more, £51million - as 2002/02 champions last season they took the biggest share of Champions League TV cash - while by comparison West Brom brought in £16.6million.

The earnings from the Premiership, UEFA and Football Association competitions do not include gate money, which will swell the coffers at the big clubs even more.

The key to financial success is qualification for the group stage of the Champions League. That guarantees a share of the television money which has been worth between £7.75 million and £12million to the English clubs who qualified, then there are match and performance bonuses which increase the further each side progresses.

Sports finance expert Dr Bill Gerrard claims the huge rewards of the Champions League make it impossible for those clubs not in the competition to challenge for honours in the domestic championship.

Gerrard, from Leeds University's Business School, said: "The Champions League is having an impact on domestic leagues. It creates a virtuous circle where those inside it are more able to dominate in the domestic league and then qualify for the Champions League again.

"It could be a problem for UEFA because it has created a situation where only a limited number of clubs in Europe have the financial base to get to the quarter-finals.

"It is also creating a three-tier Premier League. There are the clubs who qualify for the Champions League every year, and the longer they stay there the further ahead they pull ahead.

"You can see from the Premiership table that Arsenal and Manchester United are significantly ahead of Chelsea and Liverpool and that's because they have been in the Champions League year after year.

"Then you have a middle tier, competing for UEFA Cup places but significantly behind in what they can spend in wages.

"Finally, you have clubs effectively on the cusp of Division One and the Premiership."

The figures also highlight the shortfall Liverpool can expect next season after losing out to Chelsea for a Champions League place.

When the situations were reversed for the season just past, Liverpool brought in £16million more than Chelsea.