The midweek Champions League matches offered a neat synopsis of where the English challengers stand right now. While Chelsea and Arsenal are in top gear and scoring for fun, Manchester United continue to splutter along and Tottenham cannot help mixing good and bad.
It's back to the Premier League now and the title aspirants will be casting an anxious eye at Chelsea, who are highly likely to extend their 100 per cent record - and quite possibly their lead in the table - when they host Blackpool at Stamford Bridge in the final fixture on the weekend programme.
United, by contrast, have not had a good week, with and without Wayne Rooney, and now they face the prospect of falling at least six points behind Chelsea if they are unable to beat Liverpool at Old Trafford.
United have let vital points slip by conceding late goals at Fulham and Everton and the turnaround at Goodison Park last Saturday was so uncharacteristic it was the first time in the past decade United had let a two-goal lead slip in the Premier League.
That has cranked up the pressure on United for the clash with Liverpool. And they know they will have to raise their game after Tuesday's goalless draw at home to Rangers in the Champions League.
The good news is that in their other five matches this season United have scored at least two goals and the disjointed performance against Rangers was at least partly explained by the wholesale changes to the team by Alex Ferguson.