PREMIER League chiefs insist the financial gap between the top clubs and those at the bottom is closing despite Manchester United’s record income from the season.

Sir Alex Ferguson’s side earned £78million in television cash and prize money over the season, £50m more than bottom side Derby County.

The equivalent figure last season, under the previous broadcast deals, was £40m – and it was just £30m in the 2005-06 season when earnings from the Champions League were not so high.

Using the criteria set down in the Press Association’s annual money league table, which does not include merchandise income and gate receipts, Liverpool raked in £63.4m – up on last year’s figure of £54.7m.

Everton’s increase was even more marked, rising from £25.7m to £42.1m.

However, the figures suggest their lengthy UEFA Cup run was worth only £500,000, while the club, when taking everything into account, have calculated the amount to be at least £3m.

In percentage terms the smaller clubs have done better than the bigger ones.

United’s income rose 25% compared to last season, while Derby earned £28.2m, a 56.5% increase on the £18m earned by Watford a year ago.

Premier League communications director Dan Johnson said: “The new broadcasting deals are closing the gap, because the biggest increases have been in the overseas contracts which are divided equally between the 20 clubs. Furthermore, the increase in money means a lot more to the smaller clubs because it is a much bigger percentage of their turnover.”

Johnson also pointed out that all clubs are now guaranteed a minimum of 10 payments for being featured in live games, whether or not they actually appear in 10 live matches.

That means all 20 clubs are guaranteed £4.6m in ‘facility fees’ plus a further £460,000 for each extra live game they are featured in.

For example, Newcastle were screened in 20 live league matches, meaning they earned £9.2m from facility fees – double the amount of the likes of Middlesbrough, Bolton and Wigan who all featured in fewer than 10.

The Champions League continues to be the big divide with a huge gap between the four clubs in the elite European competition and the rest.

United earned at least £28.1m from Europe – and will top the £30m mark if they win the final – while Liverpool took in £18m.