Plucking random teams isn't as useful as plucking the top two/three and comparing the performances each year against money spent. See below.
Season 85/86: MUFC 4th (939k), LFC 1st (400k), EFC 2nd (1.1mil)
Season 86/87: MUFC 11th (65k), EFC 1st (2.4mil), LFC 2nd (700k)
Season 87/88: MUFC 2nd (2,7mil), LFC (5.5mil) 1st NFFC 3rd (600k)
Season 88/89: MUFC 11th(2.02mil), AFC 1st (0) LFC 2nd (850k)
Season 89/90: MUFC 13th (11 mil), LFC1st (3.8mil), AVFC 2nd (1.4mil)
Season 90/91: MUFC 6th (1,4mil), AFC 1st (2mil), LFC 2nd (2.3mil)
Yes, these are gross fees, and no, I don't have the time to net these off against all the teams I listed above. The point I made was the amount of money MUFC spent.
It is quite clear that in the late eighties, MUFC spent an absolute wad load (which they had to do) to achieve their successes. The only myth is that Man U fans cannot accept this.