Why Alex Ferguson is the only 'top four' manager with something to smile about this week: Martin Lipton's big afternoon read
Chelsea in a bit of a panic, Liverpool in crisis, Arsenal shareholders being fobbed off and Manchester United floating above it all.
Nobody could say the Big Four always have it their own way.
The confirmation from the Court of Arbitration for Sport that Chelsea want their appeal over the Gael Kakuta transfer ban delayed until after Christmas is a clear sign of reality dawning at Stamford Bridge.
All the blithe talk of the FIFA-backed suspension being overturned has disappeared in recent weeks, with Chelsea facing up to the expectation that they must serve the full punishment.
And while Carlo Ancelotti's side are looking good at the moment, with qualification for the knock-out phase of the Champions League almost assured already, the Italian is a concerned man.
Not just concerned about the looming African Nations Cup robbing him of Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou, Michael Essien and John Obi Mikel, but also the lack of genuine depth and cover in his squad.
Ancelotti, it seems, is ready to write off any prospect of making changes next season to bolster his numbers this winter.
You would think he was at the sort of club where they sack a manager after seven month, or get rid of his predecessor when they lose out on the biggest prize of all because of one missed penalty......
At least, for now, Ancelotti is not under threat, and neither, officially at least , is Rafa Benitez.
Yet promises from Messrs Hicks and Gillett are not worth the hot air they are spoken on and the mood at Anfield on Sunday, especially at the final whistle, may determine whether or not Benitez has a Merseyside future.
Should Liverpool lose a fifth successive game, finding themselves 10 points behind United and behind Spurs, City, Villa and Sunderland as well as the normal suspects, things could get very ugly, with Benitez beginning to ask himself if he really wants it any more.
Arsene Wenger, 60 today, clearly does, but "Silent" Stan Kroenke's refusal to clarify his intentions over whether or not he wants to buy out Danny Fizsman and take control of the club does not augur well.
At some stage Kroenke has to say something. Hiding behind the the Takeover Panel - why should it matter to that body if he is not making a takeover? - is cowardice.
In this country, club owners have to at least pay lip service to the idea of being accountable to the fans. It is not like the USA, when the franchise system means the owner can simply up sticks a move a club to the other side of the country if he doesn't get what he wants from the local authority.
Authority at Old Trafford, despite the Glazer ownership, unquestionably resides in the hands of Sir Alex Ferguson, who will be relishing the chance to push old foe Benitez closer to the brink on Sunday.
Fergie had the perfect trip to Moscow, able to leave a clutch of first-teamers at home, duck all questions about Alan Wiley and see Antonio Valencia continue his improvement as United, like Chelsea, made it to the verge of knock-out qualification after just three games.
Sometimes life is pretty easy, as Ferguson will be happily reflecting. Not quite like that at Stamford Bridge. And especially not at Anfield.
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