Football news - The Warm-Up: Man City conspiracy exposed as not a conspiracy

...it is not a flawed concept aimed particularly at curtailing Manchester City, as evidenced here by a news story from 2006.

For context, in 2006 Manchester City were managed by Stuart Pearce and ended up finishing said season in 14th.

If the person or persons who conceptualised FFP did so to prevent Man City from competing at an elite level then they should be paying the lotto. Every week.

FFP was introduced to prevent clubs from lobbing ridiculous amounts of money at trying to become successful. It has obviously failed - see PSG and Man City. If UEFA want it to be a success, they have to enforce it, so if clubs do not adhere to the hard and fast rules imposed by Europe's governing body then it is the governing body's wont to sanction clubs.

They feel City have erred and have thus sanctioned. City aren't happy. Neither are their fans but to call it a conspiracy; nah mate.

....and it isn't even close. Name a better player. More importantly, name a more effective player.

The Senegalese superstar emerged from the bench with 60 minutes gone to secure the Reds a 1-0 win at Norwich to extend their lead at the top of the table to 25 points.

It is representative of the remarkable rise and transition in Liverpool that of their front three Mohamed Salah is now probably the most 'dispensable' of their forwards.

Roll back just a mere 18 months and the Egyptian was the fulcrum of the team. Now, the pecking order reads Sadio Mane, Roberto Firmino and Mohamed Salah. This is not a slight on Salah but more a reflection of the development of this Liverpool side, who have now taken 103 points from the last 105 available Premier League points.

There has been much talk of the signing of Virgil van Dijk and Alisson, or the development of Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andy Robertson but Jurgen Klopp has developed a constantly evolving aide and the changing status of their front three is testament to that. Perhaps it is that evolution that makes them so relentless and fresh.

Liverpool have won a lot of games of football; Liverpool have, as the system works, garnered a lot of points; Liverpool are excellent at football.

In the period that Jose Mourinho has been Tottenham manager, only Liverpool have won more points than Spurs. Therefore, it can be said with certainty that Tottenham have won a lot of games of football; Tottenham have, as the system works, garnered a lot of points; end of statement.

Tottenham are not good at football. They are good at collecting points, probably when they shouldn't but they are not good at association football. Their play is laboured, stoic and generally joyless.

They beat Aston Villa 3-2 on Sunday to move into top four plus one, otherwise known as the Champions League qualification spot, or in old terms fifth.

However, their win appeared due to more luck than judgement with Bjorn Engels having an unfortunate day at the office. It happens.

Unfortunate for Villa but, in some ways, unfortunate for Spurs as it gives credence to Mourinho's increasingly tired and dated brand of football. His no risk approach that basically entails capitalising on the incompetence of their opponents has a ceiling and that ceiling is the Europa League.

Tottenham sit in fifth. That is their level under this manager. They are less than the sum of their parts. Therefore, do not let some stat about them only being outdone by Liverpool fool you, they are toilet.

For not reacting with complete fury to every player who tried to encourage him to stay on the pitch after he heard racist abuse.

No one should be expected - or encouraged - to remain in a situation where they are being racially abused.

His team-mates' intentions may have been well-placed but they were wrong. Want to help? Leave the pitch with him in solidarity.

Again.

Miguel Delaney has delved deep into the corrosive influence of money on football. It represents a good and important read.

Is Nick Miller, whose status as the Warm-Up's top boy remains in tact, is here to dissect the end of either Manchester United or Chelsea's season - they face off in the Premier League this evening.