The distance between Manchester United and Liverpool right now is commonly referred to as a gap. Small word, gap. Suggests the sort of space that is easily bridged, like stepping over a tiny stream during a walk in a forest. Mind the gap, says a voice on certain tube stations in London, indicating a space between platform and carriage floor that even Victoria Beckham would have trouble slipping down. Gap does not do justice to what lies between United and Liverpool, though. Chasm might. Abyss, maybe. If scenically inspired, one could call it a gorge.
Perhaps the reason we sugar coat Liverpool's increasingly forlorn attempt to keep pace with the champions is that were we to admit the truth, the fun would escape from the Premier League like air from a badly tied party balloon.
Manchester United are in a different class this season; and knowing how long it takes to build a squad of such magnitude, they might well be in a different class next season, too. We could be looking at the first club to win the championship four years in succession. To put that event in context, Arsenal, under Arsene Wenger, have done the double and gone an entire league season unbeaten, but have never retained the title.
Arsenal are not on United's radar right now, but Liverpool are, albeit bleeping away on the circumference of the dial, rather than near its centre. Criticism has been levelled at Liverpool's manager, Rafael Benitez, for becoming distracted by mind games and internal boardroom conflicts and letting his grip on the title slip, but there was inevitability about the way his team fell away that went far beyond petty squabbling and peripheral distractions. He simply could not compete with United's squad, which is probably the strongest assembled in the English game. Even Roman Abramovich's millions have proved powerless against United this season.
The departure of Rick Parry, Liverpool's chief executive and Benitez's nemesis in the transfer market, is seen as a victory for the manager but, in reality, little will change. The board might be more amenable to Benitez's priorities in the summer but it will take years, not months, to match Manchester United man for man.
The fact is there is no such thing as a weakened Manchester United team this season. Sir Alex Ferguson switches pairings in his midfield and forward line almost game to game. Darren Fletcher and Ryan Giggs played in central midfield against Chelsea at Old Trafford, but Owen Hargreaves and Paul Scholes occupied those positions in the match at Stamford Bridge, while Fletcher and Michael Carrick starred away at Inter Milan. Each partnership proved right for the game. Compare that to Liverpool where Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso are the big match midfield options, every time. Outstanding players, yes, but their consistent presence shows the limit of Benitez's resources as he strives to keep pace with Ferguson.
In the circumstances, Benitez does a fine job, and when he goes to Real Madrid and wins with key players absent or injured, he stands apart from the majority of his contemporaries. Until Liverpool can find a manager who can achieve that, it is madness to think about replacing him, no matter whether the club is a gap or a gorge away from the league title.
Martin Samuel is the chief sports writer of the Daily Mail, where his column appears on Monday and Wednesday.