According to popular belief we are now into the business end of the season. If that is the case, which I see no reason to dispute, then this weekend is when the polite chatter stops and the real negotiating starts.

Just two top-flight weekends to go and there is so much to be settled. At the top we still have Manchester United and Chelsea battling it out for the title. To many this may seem like a forgone conclusion. But it isn’t. One slip by United and the entire perspective changes. A fitting climax to the season.

Equally, however, it is not exactly dull down the bottom. Despite so few games remaining, there are still six teams who could, at least mathematically, fill the remaining two relegation places.

Charlton and West Ham currently occupy the positions below the dreaded line but Sheffield United, Wigan, Fulham and even Middlesbrough could be dragged down kicking and screaming.

The additional revenue that will be washing round the Premier League from next season means staying up this year is so, so much more important than it ever has been. So I think it is fair to say all those six clubs will be fighting like mad to get something positive out of their remaining games.

But, if staying in the Premiership is important, getting into it is equally so with top accounting firm Deloitte estimating promotion from the Championship this season is worth around 60 million sterling.

Sunderland and Birmingham have already brought joy to their respective bank managers by securing the automatic slots while a number of others are fighting it out to fill the remaining four play-off slots. And what a prize they have on offer.

In short, the business end of the season may very well be upon us but nothing has been signed, sealed and delivered yet…

Manchester United

Manchester United have a number of lessons to learn from Wednesday night’s defeat in Milan if they are to come back stronger and take their European challenge at least one step further next season.

The first thing on the educational menu is that you can’t afford to defend like Mr Bean against a world class team. I appreciate that they had a player or two missing in that department, but that is no excuse for 180 minutes of comedy defending.

The second thing they have to learn is that, no matter how good they may be, you can never pin all your hopes on one or two players. Going in to this game all the talk was about Ronaldo and Rooney and how their attacking brilliance would win the day. Sadly, neither of these two young lads turned up for the match and the day was certainly not won.

Finally, and this is the most important thing, what Manchester United need to take on board is that they will never, ever, win a European title with the likes of Darren Fletcher in the centre of the park.

What made them great towards the end of the 90s was a midfield built around Roy Keane and supported by Scholes, Butt, Giggs and Beckham. Solid, entertaining, skillful, dynamic and tough. World class.

Both Scholes and Giggs are coming to the end of their careers, Fletcher should never have started his and Carrick is decent but needs someone with more Keane-ness alongside. Of the current crop of United midfielders, only Ronaldo is truly World Class.

How different might the outcome of Wednesday night have been if United had had Hargreaves dictating the play instead of Fletcher playing with himself?

Very, I would wager. And I am pretty sure Sir Alex is thinking something pretty similar. Pass the cheque book…

Patrick Vieira

Patrick Viera reckons Arsene Wenger will not be at Arsenal for much longer.

The former Gunners midfielder, now at Inter, believes the departure of David Dein from the Emirates will ultimately end up with Wenger himself walking out the door.

“They were together a long time and I can’t see Wenger finishing the job himself. They made the decisions and one of them is not there so you can question Wenger’s long-term future, certainly,” he said.

I have to say I think Viera is talking absolute nonsense. Obviously I don’t know just how close Wenger and Dein were – they could have been spending romantic evenings curled up in front of a fire whispering sweet nothings to each other for all I know – but I think I do know that Wenger is far too smart to leave Arsenal just because his pal has.

During his time at Arsenal, Wenger has built one title-winning team and is now in the process of building another. He is only a couple of players away from putting the finishing touches to a squad that will compete at the very highest level.

And he knows it.

Wenger is what you would describe as a long-term manager. He doesn’t just look at what players he has now but at what he has coming through the ranks, what he has in the reserves, what he has in the academy.

He doesn’t build teams simply by buying players but also through grooming them. That’s why, when one of his big stars is out injured or leaves, one of the youngsters comes in to fill his place and the transition is almost seamless. The style of play doesn’t change, just the people doing the playing. And that is the joy of Wenger’s approach to the beautiful game.

And that is why he won’t walk away from the current team. Yes, he may have lost his best buddy and greatest ally, but he is busy right now, busy building a real and lasting legacy.

Arsene won’t be at the club for life. That’s for sure. In fact, as I have said before, I can’t really see him staying at Arsenal for more than another three or four years max. But he won’t walk away before the new crop of immensely talented youngsters has blossomed.

I could be wrong, but I don’t think I am.

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