TITLE RACE? YOU'RE HAVING A LAUGH: Premier League battle becoming biggest farce of all - and there's no quick fix

The title race is becoming the biggest farce of all.

Manchester City are clear at the top and appear to actually be using the Premier League case to fuel their campaign.

Enzo Maresca’s men have seven straight wins and normally we would be building it up as an exciting showdown with Arsenal and questioning whether Brighton can last the pace.

Instead, we have been left with a table which no-one is taking very seriously because of the assumption that, at some point, City will be docked all those points and there will be a reset in the title race.

And at some point, you have to question whether the ongoing City case is affecting the way that the other challengers are approaching games.

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Normally, there would be more tension on games. Blimey, Liverpool are nine points behind. But they’re not really, are they?

It’s the same for Chelsea who might end up being surprise title challengers. Are they five points off the top? Or is it eight? Five looks do-able, eight already looks a bit intimidating. Don’t worry, because it will probably soon be five.

Would Arsenal have been more attacking at Nottingham Forest if they really needed to keep up with City? We will never know.

Brighton are proving to be one of the best stories of the season. Fabian Hurzeler has built an exciting, well-coached and attacking team.

They put three past Arsenal, smashed five past Crystal Palace and might push for a top four place. Brighton are getting some coverage and headlines but I can’t help but think they would get a bit more if the table was a reality rather than just a holding pattern.

And the problem is we cannot inject the tension into the title race until we really have a clear picture of what the future holds for City.

It is impossible. What do the games mean? We certainly can’t call City’s games title showdowns.

City boss Maresca is doing brilliantly, has managed to keep his players focused and has also taken over from Pep Guardiola which felt like it would be the impossible job.

City look the best team in the Premier League right now, they are playing some of the best football and are providing great entertainment. In any normal season, we’d be building this as an epic fight between City and Arsenal.

City might just be favourites. Instead, bookies are offering odds on them going down and City fans even chanted at Ipswich supporters on Saturday: “Down with the City, you’re going down with the City.”

So, when will we know and when can we start actually looking at the table? There is a set - or recommended - timescale of 12 weeks for City’s appeal to be heard. They have lodged an appeal, they are insistent they will be cleared and they have the evidence to prove it.

The Independent Football Regulator chair David Kogan said this last week: “My understanding is that there is a prescribed process which is 12 weeks and so people are assuming it will be heard by the middle or end of January.

“The Premier League have said they want this resolved within season. I think we’ll know in the early part of next year which is still of course in season.”

The Premier League statement in finding City guilty in the first instance talked about the full process (including appeal) being “concluded as soon as possible” rather than abiding to a set timescale.

The sanctions are actually separate from the appeal and could be decided and announced whenever is appropriate. But there is a feeling among clubs that the sanctions may be imposed at the same time as the appeal verdict is known.

That may mean we will know City’s fate in January. Again, that cannot be set in stone. And City could still challenge the legal process after the sanctions are imposed. So it has the potential to drag on even after the appeal outcome and punishment is delivered.

That scenario would at least offer some clarity and give us back the league. Yes, the original case took too long. But actually the depth and seriousness of the case surely gives more context as to why the Premier League took as long as it did.

There is no quick fix here. And, sadly, that means the title race is well and truly on hold.