To paraphrase an old RL term, Fergie instills great belief in his teams which is why they don't crumble in the say way other title contenders can and do. His track record, in the Premier League, demands more respect from everyone. The Champions League is usually a better indicator of how well they're playing and they might find Marseille a tougher nut to crack particularly if they don't get an away goal in France. It has all the markings of another Porto type tie.

United do have a tough run in when it comes to away games, and Arsenal could get a slight advantage if, as is likely, they get knocked out of the CL and don't have the extra games to play.

I was reading somewhere a few weeks ago that United's much fabled amazing post-xmas form is a bit of a myth, and their average points per game is only minimally different from the first halves of seasons - It's just that other teams usually can't keep up their own form.

Its main service would be to the fantasy life of Beckham, who advances on his 36th birthday believing that he can go on piling up the most gratuitous heap of international caps in the history of the game.

Its main service would be to the fantasy life of Beckham, who advances on his 36th birthday believing that he can go on piling up the most gratuitous heap of international caps in the history of the game.

I know a lot of people dont like him, but Joey Barton has been absolutely brilliant for us so far this season.

So pleased he has turned it around. In recent seasons, he hasn't been anywhere near as good as he has been this season.

He is playing so well at the moment, take note Fabio.

Did ol' Stevie G miss that pen on purpose? He looked very casual about it, he usually drills his penno's too. Or am i just being mischievious

I think there would be several heart attacks at the FA if Fabio even mentioned the idea of picking Barton.

I simply don't follow very much football outside of CFC enough to even begin to consider who will be brought in when Ancelotti is finally removed.

I think being our manager is a pretty much impossible job. The power of the players, the ridiculous standards Abramovich seemingly demands, the achievements of Jose and Guus to live up to. We're in a dreadful position when it comes to who manages us.

For me this all goes back to the removal of Jose. I've said it ever since Jose left. Getting rid of Mourinho is the dumbest decision in the history of football. There's simply no way that Jose should have left Stamford Bridge without CFC doing everything and more to keep him. If we'd wanted him to stay and he'd walked to go to Real Madrid, it would have been easier because it would have been a move that made sense. But sacking Mourinho??? WTFF???

Hiddink came in and proved himself worthy of the job, but for whatever reason decided not to take the job permanently. That's made the situation even worse, because not only does any new manager have to live up to Jose they've got to live up to Guus as well. We've got two ghosts hovering over SB instead of one.

People say that managing Chelsea and Citeh would be so easy because you've got so much money to spend and such talented players. But especially our lot are impossible to manage unless you're Shanks/Paisley/Clough/Ferguson rolled into one.

In a way I really do think we're screwed for the next few years. We need Hiddink to come back, but I think he's too smart to come back and ruin the great record he had with us.

Decent point at Bolton last night with two HUGE home 6 pointers against Fulham and Villa

If his name wasn't Joey Barton, he would walk into the next squad.

Of course he would!