This weekend the Premier League took a pause to allow the FA Cup to come charging through the football season. Now that's over - and riveting it wasn't - we can get back to the serious business by asking ourselves the question: Is the Premier League really going to Man Utd again?
The bookies seem to think so. Manchester United are currently as low as 1/2 to take the title this year, while Chelsea are 4/1, Liverpool a huge 5/1, Arsenal as high as 40/1, while Aston Villa, just three points off the top spot are a mind boggling 50/1.
And it is easy to see why after they plugged a nine-point gap in just a week to overtake Liverpool at the top on goal difference.
Since the inception of the Premier League in 1992 they have been the most successful team in the UK, if not Europe and the world. They have won the league title 10 times in that time, done the double with the FA Cup three times, and the treble with the European Cup once.
Also, in that time, they have grown the business side of Man Utd making it the biggest club in the world by turnover alone. This season they have overcome an indifferent start with a stronger team than the one which won the title last year, recording five straight victories since a draw at Tottenham on December 13.
But are people being too quick to call the most open Premiership in two decades over in favour of the perennial champions. There are still far too many variables and far too many inconsistencies to declare a price about Man Utd of 1/2 (one pound back for every two pounds you put on), as value.
This year there are five teams still in with a good shout of winning the title: Man Utd, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Aston Villa.
All five teams have shown that they have the talent to win the title. In fact, all five teams have beaten at least one of their rivals for the title so far this season. And there are still eight games to come between the top four - that's 24 points to play with before you even start talking about other teams.
There are some interesting stats coming out of the Premier League this season.
While Liverpool look to have the best record with only one defeat in the league all season, they are still not top. But, it can be argued, that Man Utd are only top because of their ability to score in the last three minutes to turn defeats into draws and draws into victories.
In fact, Man Utd would be fourth behind Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea without late goals.
We can take this fact two ways: United's knack of scoring at the death is the sign of a class team who have what it takes to win games, win titles when the chips are down. Or, it is a sign of an inherent weakness. The facts suggest that it is the latter rather than the former.
The last five winners of the Premier League have not needed the late winner to the same extent in their armoury. Man Utd last season won what was considered to be their least impressive title since 1992 and needed late goals three times to gain valuable points.
This is the most that a title-winning side has needed. In fact, title winning sides usually suffer from late goals rather than gain. Chelsea in 2007 and 2006 - the kings of the 1-0 victory - needed a late goal twice each season, and lost points to the late sucker punch.
And the Arsenal side of 2004 did not score a single goal in the last five minutes of any consequence. In fact, on several occasions they dropped points in the last few minutes and still took the title by 11 points.
The figures suggest - and memory backs up the claim - that champions tend to be dominant throughout a game and generally hold an advantage going into the final quarter. It is the lesser teams that still need a late score.
The bookies are also pricing in a misnomer that has been doing the rounds among TV pundits over the last few weeks: Man Utd have the easier run-in. I'm sorry, what genius has crunched the fixture list into a master computer and decided that the champions have the easier run-in? The mighty Alan Hansen and Andy Gray that's who.
I've had a look and I'm not so sure.
Of course, with predictions like these it is all about what factors you decide to focus on, so my predictions are generally exposed to the same variables as Alan Hansen's masterly mathematics.
My take on the fixtures (see below) are that there are a few teams outside the top five that are likely to have a huge influence on where the title goes - it is the same every year.
It is a question of picking out which teams these are.
From what I have seen, and also from what I expect to happen in the closing four months of the season, the four teams likely to have a major influence are: Fulham, Hull, Wigan and Man City.
Fulham are perhaps the story of the Premiership so far. They were expected to be struggling at this stage but they have built up a strong home record and only need to improve on their away form to make a major impact in the Premier League. Their strength is in defence, conceding just 17 all season and only eight at home.
Every top five team has to play them - Aston Villa and Liverpool must travel to Craven Cottage.
Regulars to my column will know that I began the season telling my readers that Wigan are a side that will not be worried about relegation this season, and are likely to be at the right end of the table challenging for honours. Most must have thought I was mad when they won just two of their first ten Premier League games. But they now sit in seventh after winning six out of seven from the end of November. They've had three defeats since the end of October and those have been away to Man Utd, Man City and Arsenal. All 1-0.
All of the top five have to play Wigan but Arsenal, Liverpool and Man Utd all have to go to the JJB Stadium where Wigan are unbeaten since October.
Hull are off the boil a little since their lightning start to the season, but they have shown their ability to surprise teams with their fast counter-attacking. They beat Arsenal at the Emirates, almost shocked Man Utd at Old Trafford and drew with Liverpool at Anfield.
They travel to Aston Villa and Chelsea, but Liverpool and Man Utd must go to the KC Stadium - and there could be surprises there.
Meanwhile, nobody knows how much Man City will have spent by the time the January transfer deadline closes next Monday, but they have already brought enough to make a difference to their performances this season.
City may have failed in their bid to sign Kaka, but Dutch midfielder Nigel de Jong, left back Wayne Bridge and Craig Bellamy from West Ham are all strengthening assets. With a shot at Europe out of question this season they may use the rest of the season to bed their new players in, move away from relegation and make a statement about their intent next season.
Which will make games against Arsenal (a), Aston Villa (h), Chelsea (h), Liverpool (h) and particularly Man Utd (a) prime targets.
Arsenal do not have to play Hull, but play Fulham (h), Man City (h) and Wigan (a).
Aston Villa Wigan (h), Man City (a), Hull (h) and Fulham (a)
Chelsea face Hull, Wigan and Fulham at home, while travelling to Man City.
Liverpool travel to Wigan, Fulham and Hull, while entertaining Man City.
And, Man Utd play Hull, Wigan and Fulham away, and Man City at home.
The top five play each other eight times (Arsenal 3, Villa 3, Chelsea 2, Liverpool 4, Man U 3:
Liverpool v Arsenal
Arsenal v Chelsea
Man Utd v Arsenal
Villa v Chelsea
Liverpool v Villa
Man Utd v Villa
Chelsea v Liverpool
Man Utd v Liverpool
By my reckoning, Chelsea have the easier run-in. They only have two games against fellow challengers for the title (home v Liverpool, away v Villa) and only travel away to Man City among the danger teams.
Liverpool have by far the worst with four games against opposition (home v Arsenal and Villa, away v Chelsea and Man Utd) and only have to travel to Wigan, Fulham and Hull.
Although Man Utd do not have to play Chelsea again, they have to face Liverpool, Arsenal and Villa at home. Of the four danger teams, they travel away to three of them and have a huge Manchester derby against City on May 9.
Arsenal only have to play three danger teams but if they are to win the title it is in their hands with trips to Liverpool and Man Utd on the cards and a home fixture against Chelsea.
Verdict: Man Utd are not worth 1/ 2 and will be odds against at some point before the end of the season. Chelsea (4/1) and Arsenal (40/1) are the real value. If Arsenal win their games against their rivals they can plug the gap, and they have the easiest run-in.
Fixtures:
Arsenal
Position: 4th; Points: 41; Games to play - 16; Price - 40/1
Everton (a)
W Ham (h)
Spurs (a)
Sunderland (h)
Fulham (h)
WBA (a)
Blackburn (h)
Newcastle (a)
Man City (h)
Wigan (a)
Liverpool (a)
Boro (h)
Portsmouth (a)
Chelsea (h)
Man Utd (a)
Stoke (h)
Aston Villa
Position: 4th; Points: 44; Games to play - 16; Price - 50/1
To play
Portsmouth (a)
Wigan (h)
Blackburn (a)
Chelsea (h)
Stoke (h)
Man City (a)
Spurs (h)
Liverpool (a)
Man Utd (a)
Everton (h)
W Ham (h)
Bolton (a)
Hull (h)
Fulham (a)
Boro (a)
Newcastle (h)
Chelsea
Position: 3rd; Points: 45; Games to play - 16; Price - 4/1
Boro (h)
Liverpool (a)
Hull (h)
Villa (a)
Wigan (h)
Portsmouth (a)
Man City (a)
Spurs (a)
Newcastle (a)
Bolton (h)
Everton (h)
W Ham (a)
Fulham (h)
Arsenal (a)
Blackburn (a)
Sunderland (a)
Liverpool
Position: 2nd; Points: 47; Games to play - 16; Price - 5/1
Wigan (a)
Chelsea (h)
Portsmouth (a)
Man City (h)
Boro (a)
Sunderland (h)
Man Utd (a)
Villa (h)
Fulham (a)
Blackburn (h)
Arsenal (h)
Hull (a)
Newcastle (h)
West Ham (a)
WBA (a)
Spurs (h)
Manchester United
Position: 1st; Points: 47; Games to play - 17; Price - 1/2
WBA (a)
Everton (h)
W Ham (a)
Fulham (h)
Blackburn (h)
Spurs (h)
Newcastle (a)
Liverpool (h)
Fulham (a)
Villa (h)
Sunderland (a)
Wigan (a)
Spurs (h)
Boro (a)
Man City (h)
Arsenal (h)
Hull (a)
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