Put your shirt on Fergie again for the title

Now, however, he has a far more vital task to perform: the task of protecting his profession from the accusation that the role of the manager is given far too much significance these days.

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That, in this modern era of millionaire players and billionaire owners, the manager is no longer the most important person at a football club.

Imagine Chelsea now running Manchester United down in the home straight and actually beating them to what should be Ferguson's 10th Premier League title.

It would be an extraordinary story, the story of a club that somehow recovered from the upheaval of losing the best manager in their history, appointed the owner's best mate as a replacement and won simply because of the money Roman Abramovich has invested in players.

Avram Grant is a likeable man and someone who deserves credit as well as respect for bringing some stability to a team thrown into turmoil by the sudden departure of Jose Mourinho. But a manager worthy of membership to the Premier League's most exclusive club?

A manager who can join the pantheon that so far includes Ferguson, Mourinho, Arsene Wenger and Kenny Dalglish?

When Grant took charge, he lacked the qualifications as well as the kind of experience normally required to secure a top job.

When his team folded against Tottenham at Wembley last month, he also appeared to lack tactical nous and the charisma and self-confidence to take charge of what was fast becoming a desperate situation.

Who addressed the players during that brief break before the start of extra-time at the Carling Cup final? Much to the surprise of his employers, it was not the Chelsea manager.

Even at Tottenham last week, Grant appeared bereft of ideas as well as inspiration. And yet here he is this morning, having overseen a 2-1 defeat of Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, with a better chance of winning the Barclays Premier League than Wenger.

The smart money still says the trophy remains at Old Trafford; that United are the best team with the best manager. But a five-point lead is not an impossible gap to close when seven matches remain and one of those sees United at Chelsea on April 26. United also have to entertain Arsenal two weeks prior to that.

After watching both games on Sunday, Ferguson is unlikely to be too concerned. He did not quite get everything he wished for, having expressed a desire to see Chelsea and Arsenal lose! But he must still believe he remains in charge of the best team in the Barclays Premier League.

As one win in eight would suggest, Arsenal have clearly run into trouble.

A lack of strength in depth as well as experience is finally taking its toll on Wenger's young side.

They will eventually win the title with their wonderfully entertaining brand of football, but probably not this year. Not until Wenger has recruited a first-class goalkeeper and provided more support for players now exhausted by their own ambition.

Chelsea have the strength and the stamina, as they proved again on Sunday with their battering-ram approach to the final 20 minutes at Stamford Bridge.

They took the most direct route possible to second spot in the title race, bombarding Arsenal's fragile back four with a succession of long balls that enabled Didier Drogba to demonstrate what an extraordinary physical specimen he is.

Has a footballer ever had a more impressive physique? Is there any fat on that chiselled torso?

Drogba does, of course, have more than pure athleticism in his armoury and Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic will have to be at their most attentive when they travel to Chelsea on April 26. But Manchester United can get a draw at Stamford Bridge, having already beaten Arsenal on the 13th.

That would probably be enough to see them over the line and deservedly so after the manner in which Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney and Carlos Tevez have performed this season with the assistance of so many gifted colleagues.

Chelsea's players would be no less deserving if they emerged as champions for the third time in four seasons.

But players would never appear more powerful. Players, that is, and the men who actually pay the transfer fees and their wages.