A Jaw Drops In Brooklyn*

To say that I was shocked when I read the news would be an understatement - maybe not as shocked as Martin O'Neill, mind - but I think Fergie has just pulled off his best bit of work in the transfer market since that one winter night in the Pennines in November 1992, when he mugged Howard Wilkinson for Eric Cantona.

Larsson as United's talisman to deprive Mourinho of his third Premiership title in a row? Just whisper the words Paris, 17th May 2006 into the ear of Arsene Wenger and see how he responds to the suggestion. It may only be a three month loan period at the start of the new year whilst the Swedish football season beds down for the dark nights and a Ingmar Bergman DVD marathon, but at a time when the football pundits - whilst applauding Man Utd's strong start to the season - have also been setting their clocks to when Man Utd title challenge will fall away due to the lack of depth in their squad in comparison to Chelsea**, Larsson could emulate the role that the aforementioned Cantona played when he went to Leeds Utd in the second half of the '91-92 season, and was that icing on the cake that delivered Leeds the old First Division title at the expense of Man Utd.

As is Larsson's nature, he is playing down the impact that he can deliver in the three months he is at Old Trafford, only stating: "It feels good to come and play for such a big club. I may not start every match, but it feels like a fun thing . . . ", but don't be fooled by the playful words. Everybody thought he was just having a season in the sun when he went to the Nou Camp, but Thierry Henry knows differently. (This post seems to have it in for Arsenal for some reason. I don't know why.)

Though, according to the fixture list, he can only play in a maximum of eight league games, I'll stick my neck out and say that Man Utd will win the title this year and that Larsson will play a not so insignificant role in the victory. Man Utd won't suffer the blip that everyone is expecting, 'cos Larsson won't get injured, he will score (important) goals every other game he plays and come May of next year John Terry will have a face like a ripped arse.

This rash prediction is not just about my devotion to Larsson; I've never really liked Chelsea - even before the Chelski days of dodgy money and arrogant swaggering.Though there is no denying they've deserved to win the Premiership the last two years - spending hundred of millions of pounds makes a club very deserving - they've won with a lack of elegance and style. They'll never be anyone's second favourite team, and however much people rant and raved against Liverpool in their heyday in the seventies and eighties, and against Man Utd in more recent years when they dominated English football, there was always that grudging respect for their good football. Chelsea haven't been able to buy that. Or at least buy it back. They had it in the sixties and seventies in spades, but that was the era of Osgood and Cooke. Alongside Rangers, they continue to be the ugly sisters of British football. That's my petty-minded prejudice and I'm sticking to it.

Apologies to Richard Headicar***. You're a good man fallen amongst GQ readers, and I'm off to sign up for a Fantasy Football League in time for the start of January. This could be fun.

*Apologies to Betty Smith. I couldn't resist it.

**What better proof than last Sunday's game at Old Trafford when Utd substitutes who came on were Darren Fletcher and John O'Shea versus Chelsea's Joe Cole, Paulo Ferreira and Arjen Robben.

***Good comrade from the SPGB, whose excuse for being a Chelsea supporter is that he was born in Chelsea, so I'll forgive him. If only 'cos it must be lonely being a Chelsea supporter who was actually born in Chelsea. Bit like being being a working class member of the SWP.