Manchester United clinched their third successive Premier League title yesterday after a 0-0 draw against Arsenal at Old Trafford.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were well below their best in a surprisingly subdued encounter, but the point was all they needed to end Liverpool’s challenge and win the English title for the 18th time — equaling the record set by the Anfield club in 1990.
United, who also have the Champions League final against Barcelona on May 27 to look forward to, have now won the Premier League 11 times in 17 seasons and will become the first English top-flight team to lift the title in four successive campaigns if they add another crown next season.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Arsenal arrived at Old Trafford resigned to finishing outside the top three for the third time in four seasons and without any silverware since winning the FA Cup in 2005.
INCONSISTENT
They started the penultimate league game of the season 18 points behind the leaders after an inconsistent season in which they had reached the Champions League semi-final, only to lose 4-1 on aggregate to United.
PHOTO: AFP
Yet Arsene Wenger’s side were clearly intent on spoiling the party as they subjected a nervous United to several anxious moments during a goalless first half. Robin van Persie, who was totally unmarked and 8m out, spurned a glorious chance to put the visitors into the lead when he headed Sami Nasri’s 13th-minute cross over the bar when it would have been easier to have hit the back of the net.
It was an incredible let off for United and they almost made the visitors pay four minutes later, Wayne Rooney heading Michael Carrick’s inch-perfect cross narrowly wide.
This was anything but a vintage performance from a United team that has dominated the English Premier League during the second half of the season.
OLYMPIC CHAMPION
Despite being cheered on by Jamaica’s Olympic sprint champion Usain Bolt, the hosts found it hard to make the running.
There were more signs of nerves when Nemanja Vidic and Edwin van der Sar got in one another’s way while trying to defend a free-kick, before a header by the dangerous van Persie was saved by van der Sar in the closing moments of the first half.
Arsenal continued to chip away at the United defense after the break, young fullback Kieran Gibbs rifling a 58th minute effort into the side netting after patient build up play that also involved Barcary Sagna and Andrey Arshavin.
United responded through Cristiano Ronaldo, but United’s 26-goal leading scorer fired woefully over the bar after good work by Carlos Tevez.
LAST ACTION
That was Tevez’s last action. Moments later the Argentina international was substituted to the displeasure of United fans who jeered the decision.
Tevez, whose two-year loan expires in the summer, had hardly set the game alight, yet United continued to struggle without the south American.
Ronaldo went close with a trademark dipping free-kick, before van der Sar came to United’s rescue with a stunning late save in a dramatic finish.
The United keeper got the slightest of touches on a fierce shot from Cesc Fabregas before it hammered the outside of the post.
PARTY TIME
It was a huge wake up call for United, but within five minutes the party was under way.
Referee Mike Dean’s final whistle saw a gray-suited Ferguson rush onto the pitch to congratulate his players.
“Are you watching, Merseyside” bellowed from the stands after Liverpool’s hopes of catching United finally vanished.
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