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The last day of the Premier League season starts with not one point to separate Manchester United from Chelsea.
This is showdown made for television and, I dare say:
In any other league, there might be fingers of suspicion pointed at the opposing teams who stand in the way of the ultimate prize for the two richest clubs.
The word integrity is tossed around malevolently by managers who should know better - unless they actually do know something we do not.
Avram Grant, the Israeli in charge of Chelsea's unshakable pursuit over seven months, started it by saying he hears rumours about the friendships and influence of Alex Ferguson.
Grant and his captain John Terry say they hope Wigan are fully focused against United today, and ready to play in the same tenacious spirit which won Wigan a point at Chelsea in April.
It was the act of a team desperate to stay in the EPL, keeping alive the £50 million (S$134million) revenue each club gets from global television.
The inference is that now that Wigan are safe, and managed by one of Sir Alex's former players Steve Bruce, it might lack the same will to defy United.
Bruce and the Wigan owner Dave Whelan refute this as utter rubbish.
But the talk got to Fergie, who came out with comments on Friday about Bolton Wanderers who face Chelsea today.
'You hear about Bolton players out all week celebrating their escape from relegation,' he said. 'If you (the press) talk about Wigan's integrity, you should look at Bolton.'
Fergie and Grant are like a couple of over-aged ruffians lobbing hand grenades of suspicion into crowded press rooms.
In self-mockery, Grant said: 'Alex is friends with Mossad (the Israeli intelligence service), but nobody believes me.'
He paused, then added: 'We know Sir Alex. I like him and respect him, but I know why he says things sometimes.
'I don't know how he knows what is happening with Bolton players.'
The insinuation goes on. Fergie says his boys are the best he has managed in 40 years, and will win at Wigan, so nothing Chelsea do can topple them.
Grant fires back that his players are handling the pressure best.
He thinks it is bad that a League can be decided on goals alone: 'If you are level on points, you are at the same level.
'Sometimes you score more goals against the weakest teams. If you finish level over a season, you should play a decider for the title.'
Great, just what we need with Chelsea and United already due to play the Champions League final in Moscow on May 21.
Why bother with the minion clubs? Why not just let Chelsea play United once a month, every month?
Make it a League of two, and cut out all suspicion of collusion with lesser clubs.
That is being facetious. The mouthing of top managers provokes that in me.
It's incendiary stuff, anyway, in a week when FC Porto have been docked points for match-fixing to secure Portugal's league five years ago.
There is also an investigation in Romania, where five people are under arrest in connection with a suitcase containing over a million-euros cash incentive - apparently offered by Steaua Bucharest to a lesser club to help them win the title.
Million or not, the other club failed, so Steaua keep their cash and lose the championship.
The issue of incentives, or bribes to teams to do well rather than to lose, is at least 30 years old in Latin countries and, I trust, has not yet arrived with all the money flooding into the EPL.
Now, if we can finish on the football, what does today's 'showdown' hold in store?
It ought to be two wins for the big boys who, if either club are worth their salt, ought to be at least two goals better than opponents who have diced all season long at the bottom end of the League.
I disagree with Grant in that United's 17-goal cushion is the reward for their greater emphasis on attacking football, and also a more solid season in defence.
However, the momentum in the past month has been with Chelsea, so midnight in Moscow might be another story. The play-off Avram Grant wants.
stsports@sph.com.sg
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