Man Utd vs Rochdale is ultimate mismatch - Here is a comparison of the two clubs

On paper, Manchester United vs Rochdale makes David vs Goliath look like an even-money fight.

The disparity between the two clubs is astonishing in terms of silverware, finances and clout in the football world.

Few facts underline the gulf between them better than United's third-choice goalkeeper Lee Grant costing £1.5million, more than the entire Rochdale squad combined.

The Premier League giants are operating in a different stratosphere to the League 1 side and Paul Pogba's record £89m transfer fee would be sufficient to buy Rochdale 40 times over. One week of his £350,000-a-week wages is more than they have ever spent on a player.

Here, Sportsmail takes a closer look at the ultimate mismatch.

HOME GROUND

Old Trafford or 'The Theatre of Dreams', as Sir Bobby Charlton famously named it, is one of the world's most iconic stadiums. Like many dreams, the football has been forgettable in recent years but there is no getting away from the fact that United's home is still dazzling.

Expansions in the 1990s and 2000s put Sir Alex Ferguson's side on another level to many of their Premier League rivals and the stadium became a real cash cow for the club. Capacity now stands at 74,879 and the pitch itself is state-of-the-art.

The centre circle is nine inches higher than the touchline on either side, meaning water runs off easily. A total of 23 miles of plastic tubing positioned 25cm under the surface are used to heat the turf. There is even a plan to expand the ground to 95,000, which would take it beyond Wembley (90,000) and would cost around £100million.

United's Greater Manchester cousins Rochdale play at Spotland Stadium, or Crown Oil Arena as it is known for sponsorship reasons.

An intimate and traditional-looking ground, the capacity is 10,249 and it has been shared with the local rugby league team. It's even possible to see some trees behind some of the stands, making for a picturesque feel.

Social media following

In the rampant commercialism of football, clubs care deeply about the strength of their numbers online.

Social media departments are rapidly expanding and United are a behemoth in this area as you'd expect.

When you combine the Twitter, Instagram and Facebook followers of their official accounts, there are 123million people hanging on every gif, training pic and score update.

You'd have to multiply Rochdale's combined following of 123,000 by exactly 1000 to make up the difference.

To put the gap in profile into further perspective, United's up-and-coming 17-year-old striker Mason Greenwood has 703,000 followers on Instagram alone.

SQUAD COST

Obviously United are operating in a completely different market financially. The club as a whole is valued at £2billion and on Tuesday Ed Woodward revealed they have set a new revenue record of £627.1m despite the lack of Champions League football.

Their current 2019-20 squad cost a total of £575.9m in transfer fees and that's without the likes of Alexis Sanchez and Chris Smalling, who have been farmed out on loan.

Harry Maguire joined for £75m this summer, taking the spending on centre-backs alone to £169m.

Paul Pogba's fee of £89m makes him the most expensive player at Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's disposal. That figure alone would be enough to buy Rochdale 40 times over (valuation via Transfermarkt).

The Frenchman earns £350,000-a-week so would be able to buy Wednesday's opposition after just over a month and a half of earning.

The League One club have a first-team squad comprising of 12 free signings, four loanees and five trainees.

Of the three players in the 24-man group, only three cost the club anything, though the specific details are unknown as the trio joined on undisclosed fees.

In all likelihood, Grant is more expensive at £1.5m than Rochdale's entire squad put together. The club's record signing was Charlie Comyn-Platt - he joined for £242,000 back in 2007.

CLUB RECORDS

TROPHY CABINET

United's proud and decorated 141-year history is littered with accolades, trophies and legends of the game.

As one of the world's most successful clubs, they've accrued 66 major trophies, a record 20 English top-flight titles and three European Cups.

United have won four doubles and two trebles, including the famous FA Cup, Premier League and Champions League treble of 1998-99.

Conversely, in their 112 years of existance, Rochdale only have dust collecting on their trophy cabinet.

The club were runners-up in the 1962 League Cup and that's as good as it gets.

Rochdale also played a staggering 36 seasons in a row in the bottom division of the Football League with some even beginning to call it 'The Rochdale Division'.

Their average position of 79th since the English football was extended to four divisions is the lowest of all clubs who have existed continuously during that time. A model of consistency, The Dale have played 91 seasons without reaching the top two tiers or being relegated to National League football.