Two late goals for Manchester United at Blackburn Rovers last night saw them open up a five-point lead over Manchester City at the top of the Premier League with just seven games remaining. Needless to say, this got Football Burp got wondering: what else can half a billion of Her Majesty’s pounds get you these days? Here are ten things that cost the same as City’s doomed title bid…

1. Missing masterpieces, including Monets, Manets and Cezannes, buried in an old silver mine near the Czech-German border by Nazi looters.

2. A contract from BP to re-develop the Schiehallion and Loyal fields, which is estimated will see an additional 450 million barrels of oil produced by 2035.

3. Annual boost to British economy that it is claimed could result from the UK’s approval of a Free Trade Agreement between the EU and South Korea.

4. The amount returned to the Treasury by the Department of Health this year, the revelation of which moved Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls to describe it as a “hidden bombshell”.

5. The impending redevelopment of London Bridge station, which Network Rail chiefs say will boost the local economy through the use of local construction workers and trade contractors on the Thameslink project.

6. The total tax savings that would have been made by Barclays bank if it weren’t for those pesky HM Revenue and Customs.

7. The total savings made by Asda staff since the launch of a share ownership programme thirty years ago. 

8. A portfolio of mostly UK leveraged buy-out loans from Lloyds Banking Group.

9. The annual worth of the UK’s SEO sector.

10. Keeping The Highways Agency supplied with necessary materials for the next four years.

Do you know of anything else that cost the same as Manchester City’s doomed title bid? Have your say in the comments section below…