THIS MADE ME FEEL WARM INSIDE
Although it is inevitable that Manchester City will force their way into the Champions League sooner rather than later, qualification this season could be the catalyst to a seismic power shift in English football.
Even though speculation continues to dog Roberto Mancini - he does not seem particularly bothered - City are getting it done on the pitch.
They have suffered one defeat in six games and, with Liverpool now way off the pace and despite the setback of the 2-0 loss to Everton a fortnight ago, City are hitting form at exactly the right time.
At times they have not looked cohesive, but in the 6-1 hammering of Burnley there was a real flow and relentlessness to their play and the front four of Carlos Tevez, Emmanuel Adebayor, Adam Johnson and Craig Bellamy will take some stopping.
A point clear of Tottenham, they face matches against Birmingham, Manchester United, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Spurs and West Ham as they look to close the deal.
It is an intimidating proposition but they have only lost twice in eight matches against top-seven opposition so far this season and have also beaten Arsenal and Chelsea at Eastlands, where they play four of their final matches.
"We are all fighting to finish in the top four, and we have the spirit to achieve that," Adebayor told the club's official website. "We have to keep fighting now.
"We have got Birmingham next week, we still have to go to Arsenal, and Tottenham have to come to us - we needed these three points, and we have got to try and win all our games."
The effect of Sheikh Mansour's takeover certainly put a different slant on the transfer market with the Eastlands club paying over the odds to take players to City.
But, other than the £34m signing of Robinho, they have not been competing with Manchester United or Chelsea for players.
The next six games could change all that. Where they have been rejected in their pursuit of the likes of Kaka, John Terry, Samuel Eto'o and Ronaldinho in the past, they will now be able to offer the world's stars Europe's top competition as well as unlimited cash.
Even the likes of Real Madrid will be praying they slip up in the next few weeks as the effects of City pulling through would be felt throughout Europe.
Before it would have taken quite a leap for someone like Franck Ribery or Fernando Torres to move to City but if they close out Champions League qualification, whoever is the manager will supervise what could be the most pivotal transfer window since Roman Abramovich took over at Chelsea in 2003.
If Liverpool ca not live with them now, they will have no chance of challenging them next season and Chelsea, United and Arsenal will also be pushed hard for the title.
They will be able to offer anyone in Europe what any other club can, plus a load more money and will be able to take on all comers in the transfer market.
All of that is potentially just 540 minutes of football away.
