If any football season deserves an asterisk, it’s this one: more injuries than fans, more away wins than home wins, the Big Six morphing into an enlarged nine.
Champions by 18 points reduced to also-rans; one-horse races in France, Italy and Germany becoming open. Even in Spain, the perennial pair of thoroughbreds have an interloper.
Covid-19 has been the insidious joker in football’s pack behind this weirdest of seasons.
And as the international break allows fans to catch up with our zeds, there is much to ponder before the final push begins.
Besides Manchester City’s relentless quest for the Quad, can Liverpool salvage their season by winning the Champions League?
Can Ole Gunnar Solskjaer convince us he’s not just a nearly man and win a trophy?
Can Jose Mourinho convince us he’s not yesterday’s man?
First the beleaguered champions whose demise is more down to an injury curse than the virus, although they’ve suffered the most from the absence of fans.
But by dodging the two favourites (Bayern Munich and City) in the draw, Liverpool have a fighting chance of a seventh Champions League trophy.
Real Madrid are not at their best but will be fancied against the Reds’ patched up central defence.
On paper, Ozan Kabak and Nat Phillips are no match for the wiles of Karim Benzema and Luka Modric among other glitterati, but Jurgen Klopp’s men will not lack motivation.
Revenge for the number Real pulled on them in the 2018 final – particularly the mugging of Mo Salah by Sergio Ramos – will be enough to have them roaring out of the traps.
That hattrick of freaks – a blatant, unpunished assault, a wonder goal by Gareth Bale and a brain fade by Loris Karius – combined to see them off.
But on top of that, this is their best shot at being among the Big Boys next season – with all the financial implications.
With Klopp having conceded they won’t reach the top four in the league, they are looking at the indignity of the Europa League or even the Europa Conference – the newly-created lower tier of the graveyard Thursday shift.
Koppites will see favourable portents with the final being in Istanbul where their 2005 heroics will be remembered forever. This time, even getting there will feel like a recovery after their recent woes.
United managed to quickly douse the joy of beating AC Milan by failing to turn up against Leicester in the FA Cup, thereby putting all their silverware eggs in the Europa League basket.
A top four place is just about assured but another trophyless season would mean the pressure will be on Solskjaer from the kickoff next time round.
One summer target surely being discussed at Old Trafford during the current break is that of Erling Braut Haaland.
Given that the others eyeing the Norwegian wonder boy are City, Chelsea, PSG and perhaps Bayern, you’d have to say that United’s need is greatest.
City will be deciding between him and Lionel Messi who still may leave Barcelona despite their upturn in form. The transfer fee will be zero but the total package could be more than Haaland’s.
Failure to win Old Big Ears might make a statement signing more urgent.
Chelsea will want to build on Thomas Tuchel’s impressive start with Roman Abramovich demanding more goals and silverware next season.
The owner is said to have told the Blues’ hierarchy to get Haaland for whatever it takes. So, don’t rule out a pre-emptive Russian strike if others dither.
Most recent speculation has been about Spurs with Jose Mourinho, as ever, at the heart of it.
Two devastating defeats – to Arsenal and Dinamo Zagreb – suggested he may have lost the dressing room, but a win over Aston Villa brought a respite.
He has a slim chance of a top four finish and an even slimmer one of the Carabao Cup against City in a month’s time.
Either would probably save him. If not, it’s hard to know where he and the club go from here. Bale says he’s going back to Madrid which raises the question: will Harry Kane follow?
One club Mourinho could never manage is Arsenal but with Mikel Arteta making gradual progress, the Gunners may have found a successor to Arsene Wenger.
There’s still work to do, but he’s got exciting youngsters coming through and has shown he can handle the big reputations.
The Europa League is within reach but he’ll be aiming for a top four slot next time.
Meanwhile, two clubs who’ve muscled into the top six, Leicester and West Ham, must ensure they can hang on and take their places in Europe, Leicester perhaps even in the Champions League.
Their rise makes a nonsense of plans to protect the elite by allowing past deeds to count in case of a temporary dip in form in qualifying.
As bad as Covid has been for football, it has at least stirred the mix.
The views expressed are those of the writer and do not necessarily reflect those of FMT.