Ah, Alisher, don’t you learn? As Chicken Yoghurt notes today, Usmanov’s recent claim that Craig Murray’s statements about his past were ‘beneath his dignity’ to respond to ring rather hollow when his lawyers continue to harass independent websites republishing Murray’s article, yet they also refrain from going after Murray himself, despite his pleas that they do so.

And it doesn’t say a lot for British journalism that this whole story has from the beginning to the present day been continually misrepresented in the mainstream press, especially when it has come out that eight prominent journalists flew on Usmanov’s private jet and stayed at a five star hotel in Moscow last week. Bloggerheads has the details, including commentary on the journalist’s reports on Usmanov’s “charm offensive”.

Nick Hornby was on Radio Five Live last week, luxuriating in Arsenal’s current success, built on Wenger’s long-term planning and asserting the only dark cloud on the horizon was Usmanov and Dein’s plans for the club. Maybe Alisher should offer him and other concerned Arsenal fans a luxurious stay in Moscow.