Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken and when SAF speaks, football listens, and this time is no exception. He says he doesn’t rate Chelsea’s chances next season because the team is old, unchanged and already running at peak. He can’t see what Scolari can bring to that situation. Premiership betting fans, mulling over these musings, will be balancing the Scolari effect at Chelsea against SAF’s approach to juggling Wayne Rooney with either Dimitar Berbatov or Roque Santa Cruz, depending who he gets, for the role of sole striker in their successful 4-1-4-1 and 4-5-1 formats of last season. He can’t exclude Wayne yet he doesn’t want to disturb a winning formula.

What To Do With Wayne Rooney

This could put Rooney back on the wing where perhaps his talents might best be exploited. He’s hardly blown his boss away with his goal tally and perhaps, as a wing side marauder in a five-man mid-field, possibly including Frank Lampard, he will best serve the interests of his team.

4 Teams in the Mix

In the same statement, Sir Alex acknowledges the threat posed by both Arsenal and Liverpool. He reckons the Gunners were unlucky to lose momentum in last mid-season after so many of Wenger’s men fell to injury. A fit Arsenal will present a worthy challenge, opines the wily Scot. Liverpool can never be discounted and, with Crouch gone, the right striker purchase could transform their league fortunes, particularly with their newly strengthened defence.

It leaves the race for the title as open as has been for many-a-year. Let’s hope it lives up to and beyond expectations. Let the drama unfold.