Manchester United v Chelsea- What Choice For A Neutral?

The first ever All-English Champions League Final, yet this is a game that fails to stir the blood. Choosing between Man United and Chelsea is a thankless task.

Watching football matches without a point of view is a bit soulless but rooting for either of these teams is a struggle for the neutral. Partly that is based on the fact that both are so succesful- no obvious underdog to go for here.

Apologies to genuine Reds and Blues but each club has a fan base that carries with it a huge tail of glory hunters ready to gloat about the success of their side, or to bleat endlesslly about conspiracies that denied their side.

Not that the fans can be blamed for complaining about refereeing decisions as both managers have spent part of the season arguing that the officials are doing their level best to ruin their club's chances. They can't both be right but they could both be wrong.

In the boardroom? Well choose between a Russian billionaire who made his money in ruthless ways or a bunch of American carpet-baggers who bought into Old Trafford to make money pure and simple.

Both teams routinely strip Premiership rivals of their best players and operate on a business plan that sees participation in the Champions League as a right. Each club appears to view the FA and its rules as an irritation in the way of acquiring more wealth and power.

Both clubs have a talismanic player who spends more time on the floor that is strictly necessary. Both clubs are perceived - despite their own protestations- to get the rub of the green from officialdom.

The list could go on. Suffice to say that outside their respective fan bases most football fans enjoy seeing either of these sides come off the park defeated.

So who to go for? Chelsea because they have never won this before and Avram Grant isn't as annoying as Sir Alex Ferguson? Or Manchester United because they play better football and are a less manufactured side?

Perhaps the best policy is to start watching hoping for a goal in every attack, then see how the game develops. Treat that match like a spread bet and switch allegiances depending on which side is exhibiting the most paranoia or benefitting from the most luck- and hope they don't both get there next year.