Match of the Day running order: Chelsea appear first more times than any other club, but here's why it's good to be last

Manchester United have appeared last more than they have first, while Spurs have been left out despite their strong run of form

Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker (Getty Images)

Chelsea have been shown first on Match of the Day more than any other club this season as the BBC have been quick to show their dramatic fall from grace, but the running order so far this season suggests that fans should not be put out by not appearing early in the show.

BBC’s head of football, Mark Cole, has warned fans that they should “be careful what they wish for” after many fans take to Twitter to ask the Match of the Day account why their side has not been bumped up the order on Saturday nights.

Despite Chelsea standing as the reigning Premier League champions, all five of their top-spot appearances this season have been shock defeats, and the next highest club comes as West Ham – though their appearances have been the impressive victories over Arsenal, Manchester City and the Blues.

Cole suggested fans should be grateful for being placed lower down the order as it means their side are either safe from the relegation battle for now, or have avoided a shock result.

If you don't ever lead Match of the Day, you are safe in the Premier League and there are hundreds of millions coming your way next year

&#13; <p>Mark Cole, BBC's head of football</p>&#13;

"I have said it before a couple of times - I think when fans of Hull weren't particularly happy that they never led the programme, for example - that actually, for those clubs that are in the relegation mix, it is a very good thing if you don't lead,” said Cole.

“When the relegation picture gets interesting, those sorts of games start to go at the top and I think if you don't ever lead Match of the Day, you are safe in the Premier League and there are hundreds of millions (of pounds in television income) coming your way next year.

"So 'be careful what you wish for' might be a rule for some fans!"

However, Manchester United have found themselves down the order this season despite once seeming to be the shoe-in for top spot during the Sir Alex Ferguson years. United have only enjoyed top billing once this season, and have actually appeared last more often having backed the show up twice, perhaps in recognition of the lack of goals they have scored.

But United fans are not alone. Everton, Stoke, West Bromwich Albion and somewhat surprisingly Tottenham have appeared last three times, despite Spurs sitting fifth and scoring in all but three of their 12 games this season.

Cole went on to explain how a decision is reached over the running order, admitting that a draft is used ahead of the weekend before a final copy is sanctioned by the editor based on the results.

"The editor is the key person. On a Thursday probably they will put a draft running order into our script system, so they will have what they think will be the running order both in terms of times of each edit and also the order," he said.

&#13; West Ham have benefitted from wins over Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal&#13; (Getty Images)

"All that can completely change with the results, but it gives you a bit of an idea, because there is an element of the intrigue around a game, so you can put together your plans of how you think it will look. But then Tottenham-Liverpool, which was Jurgen Klopp's first game - that was top of the running order on a Thursday and Friday, but was a 0-0 game, there was much better fare around the rest of the programme and it ended up being last on the show.

"So essentially, you will have a plan in place, but then once the games happen you will move things around. You have the early game and might move that around the order, then after 3pm, you will know 90 per cent of the games so you can put that there, and then you are just waiting for the final things within the 5.30pm game.

"That is where you have to be a little bit nimble on your feet because there are eight different edit suites and there are producers in those cutting matches to a certain duration, and if you get a storming last game, then suddenly you are ringing around all those suites and saying 'right, we don't want eight minutes, you are going to have to drop that down to seven so we can give the late game some extra time'. So all those decisions are made on the day."