Perhaps it is time for the Sir Alex Ferguson to call it a day – after all if he truly did think Manchester United were the better side after their 4-1 mauling by Liverpool, he must be losing his grip on footballing reality.
The United boss was as bullish as ever as he trotted out his unbelievable assessment of affairs at Old Trafford but his face throughout the encounter told an altogether different story.
The boyish grin that emerged after Ronaldo slammed the home side ahead from the penalty spot was quickly replaced by a thunderous frown that revealed more of his true feelings than a post-match press conference ever could.
Perhaps, he felt a little uneasy, given the lifeless display his players had conjured up. Perhaps the nerves were starting to jangle, perhaps the confidence with which he came into the game had been shaken somewhat. Perhaps, it is, as he might say, squeaky bum time.
United are still four points clear with a game in hand, but the air of invincibility with which they were previously strutting around Premier League pitches has been blown away.
The untouchable aura that had encircled Fergie’s men disappeared down the swanny in the same time it took Fernando Torres to leave Nemanja Vidic trailing in his wake.
Liverpool’s performance perhaps gave the lie to the belief that United were already cruising around the parade lap of this season’s title race.
They now have a scrap on their hands and Fergie knows it. This is, of course, what he does best. When the going gets tough and the real fight begins, the United boss rolls up his sleeves and gets stuck in.
But the hard-as-nails persona was showing an unwitting sign of weakness by belittling Liverpool’s emphatic performance.
Sometimes, you have simply to stand up and admit you were beaten by the better team on the day, especially if you want rest of the footballing world to believe you are as confident as you say you are.
The result and the manner of the defeat will give other sides confidence as the title run-in gathers pace. The truth, which Fergie so stubbornly refuses to countenance, was that all over the pitch United were second best.
And they were second best to the side whose Premier League challenge had up until today fallen by the wayside with poor results against struggelrs such as Stoke, Hull, Fulham and West Ham.
Of course, the title should be United’s – the odds are certainly in their favour. But they have still have tough games to come against Arsenal, Aston Villa, and the Manchester derby against City. If the nerves creep in, these games all have the potential to develop a banana-skin quality.
United fans will tell you there has been an element of luck in some of the wins this season. While everyone was falling over themselves to crown them the undisputed greatest team to have ever played in The Premier League, there were a few more reticent voices who were not convinced they matched up to the very best United sides of the past.
The midfield that started against Liverpool today was made up of three names that are not fit to lace the boots of the all conquering quartet of Giggs, Scholes, Beckham and Keane in their prime.
Of course Fergie will not admit it. He keeps telling us this is the greatest side he has ever had. But if today has taught us anything it is that the United boss doesn’t always tell the truth, even when it is blindingly obvious.