Last week I wrote here about Camus and La Peste — The Plague — in an effort to stiffen up the sinews, etc, writes Michael Moynihan

How the football world will look in another decade...

Happy anniversary to us, dear reader. It’s 20 years to the week since this column began, and how very different the United world is today.

One of Lampard’s greatest skills is his effortless communication skills.

And now the end is near for Maurizio Sarri, who can at least say “I did it my way.”

The score is 1-1, there are literally seconds until the final whistle and you win a corner. What do you do? Obviously put everyone in that box and swing it in and pray for the best. Well that’s what you do if you are anyone but us. We simply play it short. And that few seconds summarises perfectly what it’s been like to watch Chelsea this season.

In the run up to yesterday’s game, there was a lot of talk of the game five years ago — the famous Stevie G slip-up game. The media pondered whether history could repeat itself.

All eyes might be on Liverpool and Manchester because of the two horse nature of the Premier League title race but the also-rans from London could yet prove pivotal to the outcome.

If reports of Manchester City’s demise in the title race before Christmas were premature then the ones about the long-term future of Maurizio Sarri as Chelsea manager may be proven completely accurate in the coming weeks.

Every now and then there comes a match which not only has the potential to define a season but also possesses the power to force a seismic change in the football tide; and Liverpool’s visit to the Etihad tonight is one such game.

It’s never a good day for Manchester United when they lose to Liverpool but to offer such a toothless display and be beaten so comprehensively by their bitter rivals, as they were in the 3-1 defeat at Anfield on Sunday, was clearly the final nail in the coffin for Jose Mourinho, writes Liam Brady.

It’s the ultimate battle of philosophies in Manchester tomorrow. A classic clash of styles as the family pulling every stroke to pump as much money as possible into their club faces the family working every trick in the book to take it out.

Jose Mourinho has enjoyed some remarkable days at Stamford Bridge — in fact it took him 78 matches to even lose a game there as manager — but as he returns to west London with struggling Manchester United today, he will be aware of some pretty painful memories, not least two sackings after poor performances at a ground he once called home.

Shortly after Roman Abramovich bought the Château de la Croë property about a decade ago on the exclusive Cap d’Antibes peninsula in the south of France, the taxman came knocking.

Don’t judge me. If I’m on trial for soaking up the splendours of the south of France this week, looking out at the mile-high yachts of Roman Abramovich and the like, I am guilty as charged, writes Colm Cooper. 

Conte has left the Blues 55 days after lifting the FA Cup in his final match in charge - and having taken pre-season training earlier this week.

Antonio Conte has reportedly been sacked by Chelsea.

Chelsea are unlikely to sack manager Antonio Conte following the 4-1 defeat at Watford last night.

Chelsea 3 Newcastle United 0: The Sunday newspapers may have made difficult reading for Chelsea and their Italian manager but the chants of ‘Antonio, Antonio’ ringing around Stamford Bridge during a routine 3-0 FA Cup fourth round victory over Newcastle suggest it is too early to write off Antonio Conte’s future in west London just yet. Transfer deadline day, mind you, looks likely to provide a better barometer.

There have been regular reports of friction between head coach Conte and the Chelsea hierarchy, mostly over transfers.

Antonio Conte has suggested there is a fixture conspiracy against his Chelsea side.

On the morning of yesterday’s match, I had a heartening message from a Mourinhoan in Lisbon. “He is so incredibly desperate to beat them today. Apparently, he’s been urging all the players to have ‘no mercy’.”

Antonio Conte insists he is “not afraid to face the difficulties” at Chelsea.

Fancy serving on a superyacht like the one owned by Roman Abramovich?

Paris St Germain’s record spending spree in the transfer window, bringing in Neymar for €222m and Kylian Mbappe for a projected €180m, has led many to suggest all the pressure is on them to provide value for money by winning the Champions League this season.

“Sure there’s a catch, Doc Daneeka replied. “Catch-22. Anyone who wants to get out of combat duty isn’t really crazy.” — Joseph Heller, Catch-22

The opening weekend of the season may be too early to talk of a crisis, but the mood music around Stamford Bridge is not good and Saturday’s humiliation by Burnley was not out of character from a club that has appeared dysfunctional since before becoming champions last May.

WHAT THE PAPERS SAY

Same old owner, same old manager, same old players, and same old results? Is that what Arsenal supporters can expect for the next two seasons as their club prepares to announce today that Arsene Wenger has agreed a new two-year contract?

Chelsea will reach a big moment in their history when they arrive at Wembley today not just because of the opportunity to complete a ‘Double’ but because it marks the first game in a new era without captain John Terry, the man behind so much of their modern success. So, the big question is who will step up to replace him?

After the fairytale of Leicester City’s unexpected success last year, this season marked a brutal back to business return for the Billionaire Boys from The Bridge, writes Nick Callow.

Guus Hiddink, Antonio Conte's immediate predecessor as Chelsea boss, reckons the Italian will stay at Stamford Bridge due to "perfect circumstances" at the club.

Tactically astute, the bookies were able to lure the punters into dangerous areas and dispossess them at will. But the indefatigable underdogs never knew when they were beaten, never knew when to stop, writes Larry Ryan.

Chelsea 3 Arsenal 1: The annual post-mortem into the death of Arsenal’s title challenge started long before this demoralising defeat, even though some experts claimed to see life in the fading beast before kick-off. Not now.

Leicester 0 Chelsea 3: As Chelsea maintain their grip at the top of the Premier League it appears as though even the millions of Chinese football cannot stop them marching towards the title.

Diego Costa will be absent for Premier League leaders Chelsea's clash at Leicester, with his future uncertain.

Chelsea last night got the go-ahead to redevelop Stamford Bridge into a 60,000 seater stadium.

Jose Mourinho is unlikely to be find his position as Chelsea’s most successful manager under challenge, but that does not mean Blues fans will welcome him back with open arms as he returns with Manchester United tomorrow.