We saw the best and worst of Sir Alex Ferguson at Old Trafford on Wednesday.

The bold attacking general, throwing into battle his most prized, but wounded warrior in a calculated grab for glory.

This, just a day after the wily Scotsman had said he would not risk Wayne Rooney's ankle to further injury.

And the high-stakes ploy almost paid off. How the fans roared when Rooney sprinted through his pre-match drills, then inspired his team to a 3-0 lead before the break.

But a defensive lapse and Bayern was back in it. Rooney limped off before the hour. United was reduced to 10 men when Rafael tugged at Franck Ribery, then Arjen Robben rifled in the goal that put the German side through to the semi-finals on away goals.

Then came bad Fergie.

"The young boy showed a bit of inexperience but they got him sent off, everyone sprinted towards the referee - typical Germans," he whined.

You could afford him a degree of forgiveness for an outburst so soon after such a crushing defeat (albeit in victory).

But not much. It was out of order - churlish and offensive. And off the mark. Barely half the Bayern starters were German. There were a couple of Dutchmen, a Frenchman, a Croatian, a Belgian and an Argentinian. The coach was Dutch, too.

No, mobbing the referee to get the young United defender sent off might have been unseemly but it was not a typically German ploy. They are all at it these days, all teams. Never seen Gary Neville, Darren Fletcher et al harangue a referee?

By Thursday it was back to good Fergie, all smiles and bonhomie as he shook hands with the crowd and celebrated with co-owner Ged Mason and jockey Ruby Walsh after the latter had booted What A Friend to victory in the Totesport Bowl Chase, the highlight of the first day's action at Aintree's Grand National meeting.

It is this ability to switch off, to keep things in perspective and turn the pressure down in order to fight another day that makes Ferguson such a formidable opponent. He may have endured a horror fortnight, falling in Europe and surrendering the league lead to Chelsea, but don't bet on his United coming again down the final straight.  

And so the continentals have their revenge. After United went the same way as Arsenal the previous night, victims of the Lionel Messi Show at the Nou Camp, almost a decade of English dominance was brought to a close.

For the first time since 2003, the Premier League will not be represented in Champions League semi-finals. Teams from France, Germany, Italy and Spain fill the places.

Indeed, not since 2004 has an English team failed to contest the final.

In that time, Liverpool has won one (2005) and lost one (2007), Manchester United has done likewise in 2008 and 2009, while Chelsea, the team Ferguson's team beat on penalties in that final in Moscow two years ago, has also been a regular semi-finalist. Arsenal was beaten in the final in 2006 by the same team that sent it packing this week.

Does this indicate a significant shift in the power base of European football? A sign of the Premier League's slip from pre-eminence?

Possibly, but it would be unwise to read too much into the results of the past month.

Chelsea fell to an Internazionale side superbly organised by the Blues' former boss Jose Mourinho, Arsenal encountered Barcelona's Messi in unstoppable form and United might yet have snuck through but for a lapse here, a red card there.

At this level, matches can go either way. There might be a trend, with continental clubs regaining the ascendancy they enjoyed in the 1990s and early 2000s.

It might be a slight correction, based on their better recruiting policies born of better buying power. It might not. It might just be part of a natural cycle. Sometimes you're up, sometimes you're down.

Perhaps even in his fit of pique, Fergie told it like it is. "It [the Premier League] is still the best league in Europe. You don't always get what you want."

Liverpool might be on the slide, but you can expect, United and Chelsea, and probably Arsenal, and maybe even Manchester City, to be in the mix at the business end of the Champions League next season.