One of the wonderful things about league football is that the best team always wins. If over 38 matches you pick up more points than any other team, you are the best team. You might not be the most entertaining, you might not be the best defensively, you might not have the best player, but it is without doubt you are the best team.

The beauty of a cup competition is any team can be victorious. That’s why the likes of FK Crvena Zvezda, Marseille and Porto have been crowned Champions of Europe in the past twenty years. It’s all about who is the better side and who has most luck on the day.

Sadly, this is a concept that passes Xabi Alonso by.

“We can win the Premier League. It is far more likely than a month ago when we were a lot of points behind,” said Alonso. “Liverpool have demonstrated this season that they are superior to United in the two matches between the teams. Nobody could dispute that.”

Beating a team home and away does not make you superior to them.

08/09 – Liverpool beat United home and away. Final league position: ?
07/08 – City beat United home and away. Final league position: 9th. United: 1st
06/07 – West Ham beat United home and away. Final league position: 15th. United: 1st