Graphic: United's easy ride to the title

Much as the term recession cannot be applied in an official sense unless it is seen to have taken hold for successive quarters, so must the doom-mongers hold fire before diagnosing the full extent of the depression that has begun to engulf Chelsea.

It is looking grim, not least because even Roman Abramovich appears to be braced for a downturn, but their decline might be less pronounced at this stage were it not cast in the unflattering light of Manchester United’s continuing resurgence.

There had been an acute shift in the balance of power between these clubs over the previous two campaigns, with United winning the league title on both occasions, but always after an almighty season-long battle. When United won the Barclays Premier League and Champions League titles over the course of 11 dramatic days last May, Chelsea’s agonised players drew solace from how close they had come and inspiration from the challenge of putting the record straight this season. What they did not need — do not need — is for that shift to become something more seismic, with United on course to win a third consecutive Premier League title that would leave Chelsea supporters wondering just what happened to their own plans of domination.

The answer is that two things happened: an inevitable and damaging collision of egos behind the scenes at Stamford Bridge, culminating in José Mourinho’s departure, and, less predictable, the United revival. This time three years ago United were in crisis — well adrift in the Premier League, knocked out of the Champions League at the group stage, held to an embarrassing 0-0 draw by the part-timers of Burton Albion in the FA Cup third round, even dumped by Vodafone, their sponsor. Sir Alex Ferguson was doing a very passable impression of a manager who had gone beyond his shelf life. Chelsea, well on their way to a second successive Premier League title under the seemingly irrepressible Mourinho, appeared to represent the future as well as the present.

Fast-forward three years and United have re-established the old order, the status quo ante Roman (Abramovich). Chelsea are in disarray, they hope temporarily, while United, newly crowned as world as well as European champions, march on. It is as if the Abramovich revolution, which coincided with and appeared to accentuate United’s brief downfall, was a trick of the mind.

Chelsea, in Ferguson’s view, have declined as a result of short-termism, reflected by their policy of buying ready-made and in some cases fading superstars while United were investing — at great expense, admittedly — in the boundless potential of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney as well as buying foot-soldiers such as Nemanja Vidic, Patrice Evra and Michael Carrick and, crucially, waiting for Rio Ferdinand to come of age at last.

Chelsea’s meek performance at Old Trafford on Sunday — so lacking in spirit, guts and organisation, the three qualities that above all made them great under Mourinho — was one reason why Luiz Felipe Scolari felt moved to talk of the “big damage” done to their title hopes, but it was not the only one. It was the sight of United, defending resolutely and coursing with the spirit that characterised Mourinho’s Chelsea, that did most to convey the feeling that the Premier League title will not be returning to Stamford Bridge soon.

Had United been gripped by the malaise that threatened them at regular intervals during the first half of the campaign, Chelsea’s problems would not appear too stark. As it is, with United back in rude health after just a touch of travel sickness, it seems increasingly that it will fall to Liverpool, not Chelsea, to stop them.

For now, Liverpool lead the Premier League — four points clear of Chelsea, five points clear of United — but that position has begun to appear more misleading with each frustrating draw. United have two games in hand and, given that they are at home to Wigan Athletic in the first of them tomorrow evening before making the short trip to Bolton Wanderers on Saturday, they could be top of the pile by the time that Liverpool take on Everton in the Merseyside derby at Anfield on Monday evening.

Little wonder that Fernando Torres, the Liverpool forward, conceded yesterday that “they are the favourites and the champions — a very powerful team”. The force is with United. Not only do they have the greater momentum — 13 points, as opposed to Liverpool’s nine, from their past five matches — and by far the greater experience, but they have a considerably gentler run-in. Ferguson protested vehemently about the lop-sided nature of their fixture list, raising the hackles of Rafael Benítez, the Merseyside team’s manager, by calling it a “handicap” and suggesting some kind of conspiracy, but United have worked it in their favour.

Ferguson has expressed concern about his team’s away form — only four wins and nine goals in ten matches so far — but he knows that many of their toughest assignments are out of the way and that they will have home advantage when they face Everton, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Arsenal in the coming months.

Torres said yesterday that Liverpool’s visit to Old Trafford on March 14 “could turn out to be the decider”, but that will only be the case if his team can make light of the kind of obdurate opponents who have frustrated them so far.

His return to fitness cannot come quickly enough for Liverpool but, whatever momentum he can inject, the fear at Anfield must be that they will struggle to keep pace with United. There is the odd chink in United’s armour — continuing concerns over Ferdinand, who is likely to miss their next two matches with his back problem — but it is nothing to give their rivals too much encouragement. Chelsea, meanwhile, should concentrate on their own problems. The house that Roman built looks a mess and this does not seem like the economic climate to find yourself in a downturn.