Not everybody was surprised by Wigan Athletic's 1-0 victory over a rather lethargic Manchester United last night. Or by the good grace with which Sir Alex accepted the loss.
"Manchester United were awful last night," said pundit, Mark Sleepyhead. "They just didn't seem interested. It looked like they didn't even want to win the game. Maybe it's just complacency setting in after the euphoria of the weekend."
Other pundits hinted at a more sinister agenda.
"That loss to Wigan reignited a sense of belief over at the Etihad," Gary Linebacker said off camera. "Knowing how ruthless and sadistic Sir Alex can be, it wouldn't surprise me if he's told his side to ease up on the gas, in order to make the final title run in a bit more interesting."
Pundit and journalist Ian Wight agreed.
"Sir Alex is like a cat with a mouse. He's playing with Roberto Mancini and the City fans. I think he expected City to give West Brom a good pounding last night, so United could afford to drop the points at Wigan and still remain five points clear at the top. It's still a massive dirty great big mountain for City to climb with just five games to go. Maybe United want a decider at the Etihad, who knows?"
What is known is that City fans don't know if they're coming or going this week, and despite their euphoria and all the fighting talk at the Etihad, you can bet your bottom dollar that they'll have woken up this morning with the same nagging doubts and sense of gloom that they had on Sunday night after that car crash of a game at the Emirates.
Kevin Keegan may not be 'lovin' it' right now, but the vast majority of Manchester United fans are.
It remains to be seen whether they'll be lording it up at the end of the day, or whether City will turn it around and nick the title from under their noses.
More as we get it.
