On Monday night Chelsea ended Manchester City’s unbeaten start to the season.

In doing so they moved seven points behind City, who themselves are now just two points clear of United.

In the build up to the match Andre Villas Boas was pretty clear that defeat would mean the end of their title ambitions, but after the victory he was quite bullish about their chances.

So are Chelsea back in the race? Are Tottenham serious contenders? Do Arsenal have a sniff? Or can we really look past the Manchester Clubs?

The short answer to those questions would be: yes but they won’t win, no, yes – just about and probably not. But that wouldn’t make for much of a blog would it? So I will expand.

Manchester City, let it be said, should win the league. If you made a list of the best players in each position in the league I would argue that they would have about six of them, maybe more, and some of them aren’t even in their starting 11. In Hart, the best keeper, is there a better centre back than Kompany? If there’s a better midfielder than Yaya Toure then I haven’t seen him, they have the most creative player in the league in the magician that is David Silva and up front, if Balotelli and Aguero don’t get you than Dzeko probably will – and that’s before we even talk about the likes of De Jong and Nasri, who aren’t regular starters. In short Roberto Mancini’s squad is frighteningly good. But everyone knows that the best team doesn’t always win the league, which leaves the way open for the chasing pack.

Manchester United have some exceptional players too. Phil Jones has looked a brilliant signing – arguably better than Sir Alex himself might have expected, and after a shaky start, David De Gea is looking better in goals. But if you are being honest, you do wonder about – of all things – about United’s strength in depth. Vidic being out for the season is a massive loss, especially when coupled with Rio Ferdinand’s ongoing fitness issues and Fletcher’s illness leaves them a little short in a midfield that is already without Anderson and Tom Cleverley.

Up-font too, if Rooney doesn’t score then Dimitar Berbatov isn’t exactly banging them in – or looking interested – this season and although Danny Welbeck has many qualities, he is not yet the type of player who can carry a team to a title.

It’s been a trying start to the season at Stamford Bridge as the club has struggled to adapt to its new Manager’s beliefs and he in turn has struggled to sort out a squad in need of overhaul.

There have been signs recently of a changing in fortunes, though, with the Manchester City game perhaps the embodiment of this.

The clearout is starting too, with Nicholas Anelka leaving the club in January and other established players set to join him, the future of the club is increasingly looking like being the likes of Oriel Romeu and Daniel Sturridge, but with such transition taking place it is too early to expect a serious and sustained challenge. Another year though and it might be a different story, especially if they can add a couple of quality players, maybe at the back or on the wings.

So to two other clubs who always seem to be the proverbial one or two players from the title. Tottenham and Arsenal.

The latter’s recovery from that start to the season where they got destroyed 8-2 at Old Trafford has been little short of astonishing and all the doubters who thought Arsene Wenger were somewhat premature in their dismissal of the Frenchman, but really, can you see them winning the league?

Maybe, just maybe they have an outside shot of taking their first championship since 2004 if Robin Van Persie stays fit. The Dutch master is that good. No club at the top is a one man team, of course, but they are as close as it gets. Its not that they don’t have great players, because they do, its just that somehow all those players do better and look more confident if RVP is there.

It is their defence that will cost the Gunners though. Injuries have ravaged their full-backs and Per Mertesacker is struggling to adapt to the Premier League and as such they still look some way short.

As do Tottenham. As much as Spurs have played some fine football this season and arguably posses the best midfield quartet in the top flight in Lennon, Bale, Modric and Parker, it is their soft centre that might ultimately count against them.

Harry’s men play such attacking football that the opposition feel they can “get at” them. It’s fantastic to watch but doesn’t look like bringing a trophy.

Tottenham too suffer from another issue. They don’t know what it takes to win the league. And that is why, whilst I am backing City to win the title for the first time since the 1960s I will not count out United either. Their greatest strength in the race is that they are United. They are still the benchmark to which others need aspire, but the team that Fergie called “noisy neighbours” could – and probably should – be singing loudly in May.