After the latest Premiership weekend of surprises, the manager with the biggest smile is one not involved in this weekends league fixtures.

Sir Alex Ferguson must have been overjoyed to see nearest rivals Liverpool fail to turn up against a Middlesboro side who had not won in 14 league games.

More strange team selection from Rafa Benitez, which coincided with a desperately poor second half display, cost Liverpool another 3 points and leaves them 7 points behind their arch enemies.

The decision to play Martin Skrtel at right back seemed bizarre at best, leaving the big centre half to look like a fish out of water against an inspired Stewart Downing.

The England winger was in great form, being involved in all Middlesboro’s good work on the day, and perhaps starting to justify his England team selection.

Meanwhile, the Guus Hiddink effect continued to inspire Chelsea, with the Londoners again leaving it late to put to bed an unlucky Wigan side.

Chelsea now appear to be the only side capable of making any sort of challenge on the leaders, with Real Madrid's chasing down of Barcelona in La Liga proving anything is possible.

The Catalan club were 12 points ahead, but Real Madrid are now only 4 points behind. Chelsea can look on that as inspiration for their title charge.

They will be rueing the disappointing performance at Old Trafford earlier this season, which leaves them relying on a big reverse in fortunes for the Champions if they are going to make an impression on the top of the table.

However that looks unlikely, with United remaining on course for the quintuple by winning the League cup at Wembley yesterday.

Ferguson’s ability to rest key players in a game of such magnitude, will be the envy of other Premiership managers like Martin O'Neill, who saw his Villa side inexplicably throw away a 2-0 lead at home to Stoke.

If ever one event could illustrate the difference between a title winning team and a pretender, the inability of Villa to see out a two goal lead at home to a poor Stoke side, shows that the Midlanders still have a long way to go to fulfil their lofty aspirations.

Ferguson’s sides have notoriously been hard to catch once out in front, and their dominance over the Premiership looks set to continue this season.

Although, after this weekend continued a season of surprises, United throwing away their massive lead would be a fitting end.