1. Keeping Up The Fight
Though the red half of Manchester will be in mourning, the blue half will surely feel more jubilant than ever. In the last three years, Manchester City have firmly established themselves as major contenders for the Premier League, shunting the place of Chelsea in the process to become Uniteds most formidable rivals. After conceding their crown to the reds, City will be desperate to make the right additions in the summer and prepare themselves for the next round, so it is inevitable that they will spend lavishly after the prudence of last summer backfired. Whether Roberto Mancini is still in charge remains to be seen, but City are here to stay, and if they do recruit a new man to lead the team, their selection will be someone who boasts decent credentials. With the fires stoked and rising ever higher, United will have to be at their best to keep City at bay. Seeing as there is not much between them in terms of quality, next season will be crucial in terms of establishing the order of the hierarchy. With the big dog sauntering off into more relaxed confines, will United still bite with conviction? Also, plenty of thought needs to be reserved for Chelsea, who look to have enticed The Special One back to Stamford Bridge in hope of building their own dynasty. The last few managers have walked with rickety legs on a treacherous surface, each of them failing to charm their sugar daddy, Roman Abramovic. With Mourinho back at the helm, Chelseas strength will increase tenfold, giving the experienced players a new lease of life, whilst further coaxing out the abilities of Eden Hazard and Oscar. With the Londoners back in the mix, the title will be an enthralling three horse race that could go right to the wire. Under Ferguson, United never finished lower than third since the inception of the Premier League, and it would be a catastrophe if they were to fall behind their rivals, battling for a European spot instead of first place. This prospect is highly unlikely, but if the side were to begin the season sluggishly, the press would be quick to latch on to Uniteds shortcomings. One word that Moyes and co. will have to avoid is crisis, for that is simply not a part of Uniteds vocabulary.