@Doctor Troy So it is over?

I've actually thought that too regarding the noticable drop off. The front 3 have barely had a rest since 2018. They must join up with their national teams completely knackered. There was a tweet of bad news Pearce today basically saying Fabinho doesn't want to play centre back long term incase the club get too comfortable with him there. Basically to avoid spending the money.    I'm sure the Wijnaldum contract saga has been noted by them. Wijnaldum may want to leave but the clubs stance of offering less than he expected may have the others thinking that they aren't likely to get a better contract in the future.   The lack of competition has made a few if them too comfy as well. No matter how shit some of them play they will always be on the team sheet because there's no one there to push them.   Also, the club policy of buying youngsters who won't be ready for a few years whikst completely ignoring the centre back issue is making them think that there won't be any first team squad building for a while and running the existing squad into the ground.

The thing the owners have probably been counting on is the bank of Barcelona and Madrid to fund rebuilds. If both of them are skint then who do our top players end up going to, unless they move to another English club

Well, duh. There’s no way a near-30 year old Van Dijk stays with a couple of seasons left and no CL. He makes way for someone like Ben White, the remainder of the fee covers contract renewals for Fabinho and one of Salah or Mané while the other leaves wand covers the CL shortfall and possibly funding for a Robertson-like signing.

I wouldn't be surprised if the number of decision makers at major companies who support the Mancs far exceeds the number who support us. They had 10- 15 years of more or less complete dominance while we could only point at the past and people love to attach themselves to winners.  If we continue winning titles for another decade the situation will probably be reversed.