United hit 50-1 before knocking Liverpool off their perch

Sir Alex Ferguson famously said in 2002 that his greatest challenge as Manchester United manager had been "knocking Liverpool off their perch" - with one very guessable additional word before perch in the full quote.

United managed that feat again this week when Paul Pogba's goal at Burnley took the Red Devils back to the top of the table for the first time since August 2018 - and it's the first time they have led the standings after New Year's Day since Fergie prowled the corridors of Old Trafford.

The Red Devils are leaders by right now - they have played the same number of games as Liverpool, Leicester, Everton and Spurs and Manchester City would still trail them by a point if they win their game in hand.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's men are 13-2 to claim United's first title since Fergie's final season in 2012-13. They opened the late-starting season in September as 20-1 shots but their title odds have been on a wild ride to get where they are now.

Two defeats in their first three league games - 3-1 at home to Crystal Palace and 6-1 at home to Tottenham - gave little indication that United might be top of the table in mid-January and they were shunted out to 50-1.

Four points from their next two games saw those odds halved, but they were back out to 40-1 when a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang penalty for Arsenal kept United winless in their first four home league games.

That was their last league defeat, however, and their odds have steadily fallen to single-figure quotes since.

Bookmakers were understandably not falling over themselves to slash United's price as they beat West Brom with a Bruno Fernandes penalty at home in November, or when they had to come from behind to beat Southampton and West Ham.

But after a derby draw with Manchester City and a 3-2 win at Sheffield United, Solskjaer's side made them sit up with their 6-2 thrashing of Leeds, which saw their odds cut to 12-1. A draw with Leicester and three more wins later and they have been almost halved again.

The recent shortening of United's price has been exacerbated by Liverpool's lull, which has seen them claim just two points from their last three games against West Brom, Newcastle and Southampton.

The champions had reached their shortest price of the campaign before that post-Christmas run, touching evens after they thrashed Crystal Palace 7-0 on December 19.

The Reds opened up at 9-4 behind 4-5 ante-post favourites Manchester City, and that price was down to 11-10 after they opened with wins over Leeds, Chelsea and Arsenal. However, they were out to 23-10 again after their stunning 7-2 defeat to Aston Villa and a derby draw with fast-starters Everton.

The Everton game marked the start of a 12-game unbeaten run in the league, but draws with Brighton, Fulham, West Brom and Newcastle kept the pack within reach and led to United being in position to steal Liverpool's perch on Tuesday.

Jurgen Klopp's side are out to 3-1 - their biggest price of the season - and bookmakers think Manchester City, at 8-11, are most likely to be chirping at the end of the campaign. It's probably best not to ask Sir Alex what he thinks of that.

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