Are Manchester United following Liverpool into oblivion?

Dear God, not content with surrendering the title, Moyes' Mancs have now contrived to exit the Capital One Fan Cup at the hands of Blunderland - and over two legs at that!

So, it is official. Manchester United's domination of the English game has passed into history, just like Liverpool's. This weekend's results drove the final nail into both team's title pretentions and there's no way back for either of them in the title race now.

But there the comparison ends. Liverpool look as if they are on the way back, and Rome wasn't built in a day. Brendan Rodgers has done a superb job this season and if a Champions League place can be secured this season, and if Suarez decides to stick around and dive to ground, then the renaissance may be completed some time over the next two years.

However, a crisis is unfolding at Old Trafford. The defeat at Chelsea will simply confirm for many that Mourinho, not Moyes, should have succeeded Ferguson, and the Chosen One, as opposed to the Special One now faces a huge mountain to climb if he is going to restore credibility.

One glance at the table tells you how bad the situation is. Tottenham sit in fifth, six points ahead of the floundering Mancs, and Tottenham sacked AVB because of a poor first half of the season. If it's not good enough for Tottenham, why the hell is it good enough for Manchester United? True, results have improved under Timmy, but that just adds grist to the mill for those wanting Moyes to take an early exit. And meanwhile, Everton, under Moyes' replacement, are also ahead of his jack-knifed juggernauts, rubbing acid into the already red raw wounds.

And it's not as if a quick fix presents itself. Ferguson left behind an imbalanced squad, with key players ageing. Scholes was never replaced, Rio in his prime was better than any of the centre backs presently in the squad, and Giggs has gone over the top at long, long last. True RVP has been sorely missed, but since when have Manchester United been dependent on one player?

Meanwhile, the shadow of Ferguson spreads itself over the Old Trafford pitch as the former manager shakes his head in disbelief in the stand. Fans are calling for his return, but the only way forward is probably for him to be asked to stay away from the ground. But you can't do that to a god can you?

Moyes has won precisely nothing in the game and the Manchester United super stars know that. When he switches on the hair-dryer, players who have achieved far more in the game than he has simply shrug their shoulders and think, "Like you know anything about winning!"

Comparisons have been made with Ferguson's slow start at Old Trafford, but Ferguson took on a sleeping giant and awoke it from it's slumbers; Moyes is taking on a team that is drifting in to a coma!

And if qualification for the Champions League is missed, the crisis will simply deepen. RVP back to Arsenal anybody; or to Manchester City? And Rooney to Chelsea? And let's be honest, Januzaj apart, none of the others will have a queue of top teams wanting to sign them, will they?

Now, let's see how committed the Glaziers are, shall we? One big signing will not be enough; for Moyes to be a winner he will need five, or six, or seven or...