So Chelsea claimed pole position at the weekend, beating Manchester United 2-1 at Old Trafford in controversial style.
Didier DrogbaâÂÂs second half strike was clearly offside prompting Old Trafford boss Sir Alex Ferguson to comment: "What I can't understand is the linesman's directly in front of it. He has no-one near him and he gets it wrong a game of that magnitude, you really need quality officials and we didn't get them today. It was a poor, poor performance."
Or maybe he was remarking on his own sideâÂÂs goal which came off the arm of UnitedâÂÂs striker Federico Macheda, but somehow I doubt it.
LetâÂÂs not forget ChelseaâÂÂs opening goal though, a wonderful effort from Joe Cole, who cheekily backheeled a Florent Malouda cross past Edwin van der Sar giving the Blues first blood after an opening 20 minutes which were tighter than ColeâÂÂs own shorts. Well maybe not that tight.
But we must have sympathy for Fergie (stop laughing at the back). ChelseaâÂÂs winning goal was miles offside, and itâÂÂs difficult to see how the assistant failed to make the call.
How will his girlfriends take him seriously when he brings out the faithful salt and pepper to explain the offside rule? Then again, he is an assistant, surely he doesnâÂÂt have a girlfriend.
The battle for fourth place is really hotting up, and to quote Alan Partridge: âÂÂItâÂÂs hotter than Debbie Harry, in cammy knickers, spoon feeding chicken vindaloo to PanâÂÂs people, thatâÂÂs half as hot as it is!âÂÂ
Tottenham slipped up as did Liverpool, but Villa and Man City kept their dreams alive with wins over Bolton and Burnley respectively.
Game of the week was at SunderlandâÂÂs Stadium of Light, where the home side fully deserved their 3-1 win over Spurs, but didnâÂÂt half make hard work of it.
Darren Bent did his World Cup chances no harm, scoring two goals, and adding to his already impressive tally of 23 goals this season. HeâÂÂs really beginning to look like an England player, but worryingly only because he failed to score from two penalty kicks.
Then again, calling them missed penalties doesnâÂÂt really give Spursâ keeper Hurelio Gomes credit; the Brazilian brilliantly saved both spot-kicks, keeping his team in the game before Bolo Zenden wellied in an absolute beauty to put the game beyond Spurs, and putting the Black Cats top of the Alternative Premier League.
Meanwhile, Manchester City took full advantage of the slip-ups of Spurs and Liverpool and did it in style, with a 6-1 battering of Burnley at Turf Moor. They surely must be favourites now to get knocked out of the Champions league qualification rounds next season.
Spare a thought for poor Burnley manager Brian Laws, who saw his side go 4-0 down within the amount of time it takes to prepare, cook, and eat a hard boiled egg.
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