Controversial start to the week from Martin Samuel at the Mail who suggests that if the Glazers continue to plough Manchester United into debt, it would be bad for the club, but better for the wider football world.

"Bumped into Geoffrey Boycott, England legend and Manchester United fan, in Johannesburg this week. ‘So,’ he said, with the smug smile of one who is not used to hearing bad news about his club, ‘who are we buying, then?’

It would appear Geoffrey had fallen a little out of the loop while on tour, so he was brought up to speed on a few things. Ending on a positive note, I mentioned United were considering having a whip-round among famous fans and had heard he was good for a few quid. He didn’t seem too interested in that, and wandered off to resume butchering England’s batsmen.

And this is the contradiction at the heart of the Glazer saga. Empathy for Manchester United supporters, while quietly relishing what is happening to their club for the change it might bring to English football.

Not because anyone has it in for United specifically but because the balance of power in football must alter over time if the sport is not to become moribund. Evolution takes place when the alpha club mess up. Mistakes may occur on the field, or off, but the bottom line is, when somebody gets it wrong, a rival, better managed, better prepared,
becomes prominent."

It's been everywhere in the last few days, and the fervent speculation continues about Rafa Benitez on Monday, with Richard Williams at the Guardian suggesting that any potetnial takeover deal for Liverpool would spell the end of the Spanish boss.

"Rafael Benítez forced a smile afterwards but his customary touchline pantomime – the dissatisfied grimaces, the dismissive shrugs, the odd little shapes he makes with his hands – had carried an extra edge of exasperation and frustration during Saturday's match. A man accustomed to scrutiny during his five years on Merseyside is now seriously on trial.

If it is indeed true, as a few newspapers reported yesterday, that Tom Hicks Sr and George Gillett have finally managed to identify a Middle Eastern investor willing to fork out £100m in exchange for a 25% holding in Liverpool FC, then the US owners' undeserved stroke of luck would enable them to prioritise the removal of what is coming to appear the biggest obstruction to the club's progress."