Independent:
Gone in 30 seconds: United's flying start ends Chelsea dream
Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1
By Sam Wallace at Old Trafford
Sir Alex Ferguson stopped twice in front of the Stretford End on his way to the tunnel at the end of the game to offer his version of a genuflection to the supporters applauding his team off the pitch. It was a nice touch but, once again this season, and for the 12th time in his remarkable reign, Ferguson bows to no man.
Manchester United's record 19th title is just one point away; chances are they will seal it on Saturday afternoon in the early kick-off against Blackburn Rovers at roughly the same time Manchester City players are walking down the Wembley tunnel ahead of their FA Cup final. You imagine that Ferguson would not want it any other way.
This was the standout performance against top opposition that Ferguson had been looking for ever since Chelsea began their late-season revival with that victory over United at Old Trafford. Given what Carlo Ancelotti's team have been through in their mid-season slump, it was extraordinary that they should be in the title race with three games left but they were never truly in yesterday's match.
Not from the 37th second when, with his very first touch of the game, Javier Hernandez dispatched the ball past Petr Cech for United's first goal. Having made up 12 points on United with that 10-match unbeaten league run, Chelsea succumbed to exhaustion and mediocrity, just as the prospect of an unlikely championship defence came into focus.
Ancelotti's team were poor yesterday. They were two goals down within 23 minutes after Nemanja Vidic scored the second goal of a first half in which Branislav Ivanovic was shocking and David Luiz was not a great deal better. From his seat in the directors' box Arkady Abramovich, his father's representative at Old Trafford yesterday, smiled the wan smile of the distinctly unimpressed.
Not for the first time this season, Ryan Giggs ran the game for United from central midfield. He was given excellent support in two standout performances from Antonio Valencia and Park Ji-sung. Frank Lampard, who scored Chelsea's goal, attempted to rally his team-mates similarly but they were shot to bits and, by the end of the game, decidedly on the back foot.
United should have scored many more in the closing stages, when they peppered the Chelsea goal, not least Wayne Rooney. The United striker had some good moments but he was lucky to escape without a red card when he flicked a V-sign at the Chelsea supporters, having already been booked in the first half for a collision with Luiz.
Rooney was responding to a song in which he was he was repeatedly described in the coarsest possible terms. As he left the pitch following treatment, he responded and the footage might yet land him a Football Association charge. He gets more abuse than any other but he would be well-advised to avoid these traps.
Nevertheless, United were comfortably the dominant force in this game, even though Ancelotti did the sensible thing and dropped Fernando Torres to play 4-3-3. Not that it did him much good in the end. Salomon Kalou – who appeared to draw attention to his dissatisfaction at being left out in his response to scoring against Spurs the previous weekend – had the chance to score with a header in front of goal, just two minutes after United's second, but it was saved brilliantly by Edwin van der Sar.
Ancelotti was always likely to be sacked this summer whatever happened at Old Trafford, which made the evens offered by bookmakers yesterday quite appealing. For the first time in a while he looked despairing at the performance of some of his players – especially Luiz.
The Chelsea manager later conceded that he would have substituted 10 of his players at half-time if he had been allowed to do so. As usual, Ancelotti was gracious in conceding the title to United and praising Ferguson and, as usual, he pleaded complete ignorance when it came to the question of his future.
Looking at the Chelsea entourage in the directors' box yesterday, which included the chairman, Bruce Buck, and the chief executive, Ron Gourlay, it would be fair to say the person who probably has the best idea of Ancelotti's likely fate was young Arkady, not long out of his teens.
In the build-up to Hernandez's goal, Luiz had the chance to cut out Park's pass to the United striker but misjudged it catastrophically. As Ancelotti spread his arms on the touchline as if to demand an explanation, the Sky cameras picked up Luiz responding belligerently: "Not me." He did not come out for the second half and it was not hard to imagine that it may have been a little heated at the interval.
At half-time, the smart money was on Ivanovic to be substituted – having been booked for a crude trip on Rooney, he looked a liability. With every foul, Giggs was in the ear of Howard Webb, reminding the referee that he too was keeping track of the Chelsea right-back's crimes. Just before half-time, Ivanovic trod on Rooney's boot and was fortunate not to pick up another yellow card. It was the right decision.
It was telling that United were one goal ahead before a single Chelsea outfield player had touched the ball – with the exception of Luiz's botched block. The game was over before it even began for Chelsea. Of the three defeats they have suffered to United over the last two months, including the two in the Champions League quarter-finals, this was the worst.
The pass for the second goal came from Giggs on the left who, having won the ball back after a short corner, beat Kalou far too easily and crossed well. Vidic got across Ivanovic to head the ball in from close range. Lampard's goal on 68 minutes was from close range, after Ivanovic won a header down from substitute Ramires' cross.
In the closing stages, with Chelsea's belief and energy utterly sapped, Rooney and Hernandez might have had five goals between them. They knew it was over and the United players left the pitch to a sense of anticipation that when they are back here again it will be with the Premier League trophy.
Substitutes: Manchester United Evans (O'Shea, h-t), Smalling (Fabio, 88). Chelsea Ramires (Mikel, h-t), Alex (Luiz, h-t), Torres (Kalou, 61).
Booked: Manchester United Rooney, Giggs. Chelsea Ivanovic, Essien, Ramires, Torres.
Man of match Giggs. Match rating 7/10.
Possession: Man United 46% Chelsea 54%.
Attempts on target: Man Utd 9 Chelsea 11.
Referee H Webb (South Yorkshire).
Attendance 75,445.
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Guardian:
Manchester United beat Chelsea to move to verge of title
The title is Manchester United's in all but name. Arithmetic states that another point is required, away to Blackburn Rovers or at home to Blackpool, but the matter, in effect, was settled here. Chelsea, the reigning Premier League champions, were forced to confront their own inferiority at Old Trafford. The narrow score misrepresented the authority of Sir Alex Ferguson's players, who had scored after 37 seconds.
Few would have anticipated that United would exercise such domination of Chelsea. Michael Carrick maintained order in midfield to establish a basis for control, but the fixture did not have an academic or technical tone. Ferguson has weighed up these foes and obviously come to the conclusion that there is no need to treat them with particular caution. Chelsea were stretched and baffled by the movement of United.
In the aftermath of this occasion, it is suddenly recalled that United had defeated them home and away in the Champions League quarter-final. If anything, the opponents were less capable still in this encounter. United had come to the conclusion that Chelsea have lost some of the former durability. Much as David Luiz is an excellent footballer, the Chelsea centre-half will need to master the basics of defending if he is to fulfil his potential.
This was no time for kindness and Luiz had to give way to the more rudimentary Alex at half-time. The manager, Carlo Ancelotti, reported the player had a minor injury, but poised and talented as the Brazilian so obviously is there was still nothing to conceal his vulnerability as United mounted their onslaught.
This was a throwback to the exuberant United of former days, when Ryan Giggs attacked with devastating speed. Time has diminished the acceleration, but impact continues to be achieved because of his shrewdness. Chelsea also have men who are edging into the veteran category and none of them could cast aside their age. With their two early goals, United must have made them feel obsolete.
Chelsea did find the net through Frank Lampard to trim the lead, but the score is deceptive. They were never likely to be denied and the inevitable point or three will make them champions of England for the 19th time, so eclipsing Liverpool's record.
Despite football's cosmopolitan cast, the old grudges and rivalries have not become obsolete. In the Old Trafford stands, there may have been nearly as much crowing over that milestone. When Ferguson was appointed a quarter-of-a-century ago, overthrowing the Anfield club was his principal aim.
Success was far from immediate on that front, but Liverpool, picking up nicely under Kenny Dalglish's management, will know more clearly than ever that the onus is now on them to undermine a dominant power. It will take some doing while Ferguson is around.
Chelsea have no role in the conflicts of the north-west, yet they also have to rethink. In some senses the outcome of this fixture is a minor consideration, since the necessity of reshaping the squad was already obvious, but defeat cannot have helped Ancelotti's prospects of dodging the sack.
Football changes rapidly and the line of credit he enjoyed after completing the double a year ago is all but exhausted. Chelsea awakened some interest when trimming United's 2-0 lead, but there was no concerted challenge against a much superior side.
The opposition harmed them immediately. Park Ji-sung had sent Javier Hernández through for the opener in the first few moments. The visitors' durability vanished and United struck again after 23 minutes. Giggs took a short corner, had the ball returned to him and sent in a deep cross that was headed in by a loosely marked Nemanja Vidic.
The acrimony associated with this fixture came later, with the referee Howard Webb showing tolerance when, for instance, declining to show Branislav Ivanovic the second yellow card he probably deserved. It was a raw sort of day, with Wayne Rooney alleged to have gesticulated at visiting fans, but Chelsea felt the sting of this occasion most of all. The pursuit of United had been in vain.
Any question about the outcome ended with the Vidic goal, although Lampard did score after Ivanovic had knocked a cross by the substitute Ramires into his path with 68 minutes gone. Ferguson's side can begin to focus on a Champions League final against Barcelona. While that will be a challenge of a higher order United are entitled to pause and relish their work on the domestic scene.
Their points total will be 82 at most, but United have exercised as much control as circumstances demanded. Edwin van der Sar did make good saves, but it never looked likely that Chelsea would completely repair the grave damage done at the outset and Ferguson grumbled about penalty appeals denied. The form of Ancelotti's squad had been outstanding of late, but that was still a prolonged and unavailing effort to compensate for previous lapses. Ultimately, the superiority of United has been demonstrated. The lead should have been greater still, but an unmarked Hernández headed high from Antonio Valencia's cross in the 86th minute.
While the result did not reflect the trouncing that had been inflicted, everyone present understood United's superiority.
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Telegraph:
Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1:
By Henry Winter
Sir Alex Ferguson has all but completed his mission to knock Liverpool off their famous perch as the most successful club in English league history.
Manchester United are so close they can almost reach out and touch that record 19th trophy. They certainly played like champions on Sunday.
In 1991, Liverpool had 18 titles and United seven. Twenty years on, and thanks to Ferguson’s astonishing ability to build and rebuild sides, United are within one point of breaking Anfield’s mark. The lady with size issues will sing either at Ewood Park next Saturday or against Blackpool here next week.
United demonstrated why they are the best in the land yesterday, why they feel they have a hope in the Champions League final against Barcelona. Nemanja Vidic set the tone, a goalscoring captain who embodied the team’s will to win.
Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick again excelled as the central partnership, delivering the ball constantly to friendly feet.
Wayne Rooney shuttled selflessly and productively between midfield and attack, supporting Javier Hernández, who took his goal with the ease of a natural-born scorer.
Not even Cristiano Ronaldo ever gave Ashley Cole, the Chelsea and England left-back, as much relentless grief as Antonio Valencia did yesterday.
Any number of contenders for the sponsors’ bubbly could be found in the victorious home dressing room, and it eventually went to Giggs, but the real catalyst was Ji-Sung Park, who ran and harried and created for 90 breathless minutes.
This is why United are champions, they possess so many players like Park who rise to the big occasion.
By contrast, the vanquished champions had nobody who came close to matching such high standards. Chelsea will panic in the summer, probably dismissing Carlo Ancelotti when the very obvious lesson preached at Old Trafford is the importance of stability.
Ferguson’s respect for Ancelotti was evident in the way he embraced the Italian at the final whistle, consoling him, along with his comment that Ancelotti doesn’t deserve “to have his future queried”. Sadly, it will be.
Ancelotti must take some responsibility for yesterday’s flat-footed, slack-tempo approach. The Old Trafford DJ played Pump It Up before kick-off – as if the electric atmosphere needed it, as if United needed any additional impetus.
Giggs, Park and Hernández flew through the champions, cutting through within 36 seconds to score. Red Devils? They were more like the Red Arrows.
This was United at their best, moving with speed and skill, giving an opponent little chance to form a meaningful barricade. Giggs teased a pass to Park, who let the ball run across him and then swept it forward.
Chelsea had a split second to stifle the whirlwind, to keep their title dream alive. They missed it. David Luiz should have cut Park’s ball out. He missed.
Hernández did not. A twitch of the Mexican’s shoulders wrong-footed Petr Cech, a strike from his right boot sent the ball racing into the net, bringing almost a guttural roar from the United support.
Ancelotti, not a man easily given to expressing anger, conveyed his displeasure to Luiz. He should have taken responsibility. He should have cut out the danger.
“Not me,” replied Luiz, unwilling to accept the blame. And that is where part of Chelsea’s problem lies, in the failure of some individuals to be accountable. And that is where part of United’s prominence, the desire of players to fulfil their missions.
Chelsea were as sluggish as United were fleet of foot and mind. Salomon Kalou was dispossessed by Giggs. Park was immense, hounding blue shirts, pressing them into losing the ball. He quickly found Rooney, whose 25-yarder was turned away by Cech.
Still United pressed, still Chelsea yielded possession. Park nicked the ball off Didier Drogba. The South Korean was everywhere, linking with Giggs, dinking a ball to the far post, where Hernández just failed to make contact. Chelsea were a mess.
United’s work-rate and superiority deserved a second. Then came another magical moment for United, another reminder of Giggs’s imagination. Giggs and Park worked a short-corner routine, and the Welshman tricked his way past Kalou. The yard of space by the byline created, Giggs lifted the ball across for Vidic, allowed a free run by Branislav Ivanovic, headed in.
The cadaver of Chelsea’s season twitched occasionally. Edwin van der Sar saved well from Kalou and then pushed away a Drogba free kick. Chelsea could easily have gone down to 10 when Ivanovic caught Rooney painfully on his heel.
Chelsea fans felt United’s No 10 was milking the contact and turned the air blue. Rooney responded with a V sign, although United claimed he was signalling to the assistant referee, Darren Cann, that he had been the recipient of two fouls by the Serb.
Few were taking bets on Ivanovic emerging for the second period and a top-class right-back is required this summer. Amazingly, Ivanovic survived.
Alex came on for Luiz and Ramires replaced Mikel. For all Luiz’s rawness as a defender in the white heat of the Premier League, the Brazilian could have been pushed into midfield, shaking it up. Chelsea claimed afterwards Luiz was carrying an injury.
Just after the hour, Ancelotti played his last card, a £50 million one that Chelsea had hoped would be an ace. Fernando Torres, still shorn of belief, was greeted by chants of “You should have signed for a big club” from the Stretford End.
The Spaniard ran hard enough but Chelsea remained too disjointed, barring one moment.
With 20 minutes remaining, Ramires crossed from the right, the ball deflecting high towards Ivanovic, whose head-down was turned in neatly by Frank Lampard. Apart from this poacher’s touch the midfielder was largely anonymous.
Moments after Cole’s desperate attempt to equalise from his own half failed, Howard Webb blew the final whistle and United players gathered in a massed, jubilant huddle.
Ferguson marched purposefully down the touchline, acknowledging the salutes. His players had proved themselves the best in England. Now they have to prove themselves the best in Europe.
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Mail:
Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1: Sir Alex laps it up after Hernandez and Vidic hand boss the glory
By Matt Lawton
Take a bow, Manchester United. Sir Alex Ferguson did so before the Stretford End moments after the final whistle and rightly so given how impressive his side were on Sunday.
Not for the first time this season, they have proved themselves players who rise to the occasion. A team who now sit within touching distance of the 19th league title they so desperately crave because they possess a spirit that has too often been missing in their main rivals.
They destroyed Chelsea on every level here at Old Trafford: technically and tactically, but also mentally. They were strong where Chelsea were weak, focused where Chelsea suffered fatal lapses in concentration. A group of players, once they secure the point they need from their remaining two games, who will be worthy champions of the Barclays Premier League.
Ferguson will obviously take enormous satisfaction from knocking Liverpool off their perch but he will also derive great pleasure from the way they have taken the title off Chelsea, too. The margin of victory might have been bigger had Howard Webb awarded a penalty, possibly even two.
Are United inferior to some of the teams Ferguson has created in the past? Quite possibly, but it is time to move on from such comparisons and instead recognise the qualities this group possess.
Qualities that have not only allowed them to all but land Ferguson’s 12th championship but gain a place in their third Champions League final in four years, too. Never mind a 17th win in 18 home league games.
Players who so impressed in the two legs of the European quarter-final against Chelsea excelled again on this occasion.
While Park Ji-sung and Antonio Valencia were marvellous on the flanks, Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick were superb in the centre. Carrick was the model of class and composure, so calm and assured in the midfield battle zone.
In Giggs he had the ideal partner — a player whose passing was bordering on perfection, as impressive as players like Frank Lampard and Michael Essien were disappointing.
Giggs received Sky Sports’ man-of-the-match champagne afterwards and it was far from an injustice but, for this observer, he was actually pipped by Park for such an accolade.
The South Korean started with the pass that enabled Javier Hernandez to score his 20th goal of the season after just 36 seconds and he was outstanding from the first minute to the last, offensively and defensively.
At the back, United were again so much better than their opponents. Where Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic were so formidable — Vidic even grabbing what proved to be the decisive second goal — David Luiz and John Terry were surprisingly disappointing. Luiz still looks like an excellent January signing but he was very much at fault for the first goal and looked so nervous that Carlo Ancelotti decided to hook him at half-time.
Chelsea never expected to get back in a position where they could win the league this season but the moment they did they choked, their failure to cope with the pressure of the situation something that might well be used in evidence against Ancelotti by his employers.
Ferguson’s position is obviously much more secure and as a manager he looks like a genius this week. He took the decision to rest so many players in a European semi-final and the gamble has paid off beautifully. A place alongside Barcelona at Wembley and a team playing with fresh legs here at Old Trafford four days later. ‘That has won us the title,’ declared Ferguson.
Ancelotti rather hoped his decision to leave Fernando Torres on the bench would pay off but after little more than half a minute his team were a goal down. It was a spectacular start, Park receiving a pass from Giggs and then sending Hernandez clear with a super delivery of his own before watching the Mexican guide a terrific finish beyond Petr Cech. Luiz protested to his colleagues, insisting he was not at fault. But he was — he should have intercepted Park’s pass.
United were so much more alert. Wayne Rooney forced a fine save from Cech with a beautifully hit strike and Hernandez was then inches away from meeting a Park cross with a close-range effort.
Other opportunities would follow before Chelsea eventually responded with a corner that very nearly enabled Didier Drogba, then Salomon Kalou, to strike. But when Giggs followed a short-corner routine with Park in the 23rd minute by beating Kalou and then delivering a perfect cross, Vidic surged ahead of a static Branislav Ivanovic to send a bouncing header beyond Cech for United’s second goal.
Chelsea had their moments and Edwin van der Sar was forced to make a couple of decent saves — to deny Kalou and Drogba.
Ancelotti took off John Mikel Obi as well as Luiz at half-time, sending on Ramires and Alex, but United remained dominant, even if Lampard managed to reduce the deficit in the 68th minute when he pounced on Ivanovic’s header — from a deflected Ramires cross — with a close-range volley.
By then, United had been denied two possible penalties. First when Lampard blocked a Valencia cross with a raised hand, then when Valencia and Terry collided.
But Rooney and Hernandez should have scored after that — Rooney seeing one effort cleared off the line by Alex — and it would have felt hugely unfair had Chelsea snatched an equaliser during a tense, if still one-sided, final 20 minutes.
Will this be Ferguson’s greatest achievement? That is open to debate but he has not enjoyed many moments more than this one.
MATCH FACTS
MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-1-1): Van der Sar 7; Fabio 6 (Smalling 88min),
Ferdinand 7, Vidic 7, O’Shea 6 (Evans 46, 6); Valencia 8, Carrick 7, Giggs 7, Park 9; Rooney 8; Hernandez 8. Subs not used: Kuszczak, Anderson, Nani, Scholes, Berbatov. Booked: Giggs, Rooney. Scorers: Hernandez 1, Vidic 23.
CHELSEA (4-3-3): Cech 6; Ivanovic 5,
Luiz 5 (Alex 46, 6), Terry 6, Cole 6; Essien 6, Lampard 6, Mikel 5 (Ramires 46, 6); Kalou 6 (Torres 61, 5), Drogba 6,
Malouda 6. Subs not used: Turnbull,
Ferreira, Benayoun, Anelka. Booked:
Ivanovic, Essien, Ramires, Drogba.
Scorer: Lampard 69.
Man of the match: Park Ji-sung.
Referee: Howard Webb 7.
Attendance: 75,445.
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Mirror:
Man United 2-1 Chelsea:
By Martin Lipton
More than just a victory to underline the truth and rewrite history.
More than three points to prove the most important point of all.
Instead, simply an object lesson in quality from first minute to last, the sort of display that even Barcelona will have to acknowledge that demonstrated this is a United team to stand comparison with those of their glorious past.
Forget the scoreline, the statistical blip that might fool you into believing the title decider was a contest.
It wasn’t. It was a mauling, a massacre, the sort of comprehensive dismantling of your closest rivals that can take years for a team to get over.
As Old Trafford rose as one to celebrate the triumph that will surely be confirmed at Ewood Park next Saturday, the dividing line between trophy haves and have-nots has never been so graphic.
Chelsea might have spent £75million in January but in the final analysis it made no difference. Didn’t even close the gap a fraction.
Indeed, rather than Howard Webb giving United the benefit of the doubt as Sir Alex Ferguson had wanted, the referee could easily have sent Chelsea down to 10 and awarded two penalties.
Those potential decisions illustrated the gulf.
Nobody in blue could compete with the energy shown by the outstanding Ji-Sung Park.
None had an iota of the vibrancy of Javier Hernandez, the imagination of Wayne Rooney.
Neither, either, did the Chelsea back-line look even close to their counterparts, Ashley Cole destroyed by Antonio Valencia, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic the very embodiment of the defensive solidity the Londoners misplaced as they walked out of the tunnel.
Last night, Fergie’s raised-arm salute to the Stretford End was the symbol of United’s dominance, while a chastened Carlo Ancelotti looked as beaten and battered as his team.
And beaten, battered, bewildered they were, a side that will now be broken up, with Ancelotti’s successor asked to rebuild rather than work off the architect’s design bequeathed by Jose Mourinho.
A monument seven years in the construction but brought down, for good, in the space of 90 minutes in which United simply took Chelsea apart piece by painful piece.
Ancelotti’s final message to his players was simple: be calm, relax, believe in yourselves. Fergie’s was even simpler: win.
Within 37 seconds, it was clear who was listening, and who not.
Receiving from Ryan Giggs, Park made ground before slipping beyond David Luiz’s desperate, mistimed lunge, sending Hernandez through on goal.
More than half of the players on the pitch had not touched the ball as the Mexican unerringly found the back of the Chelsea net, Luiz’s response of ‘not me’ as Ancelotti sought to apportion blame summing everything up.
Still 89 minutes to go but Chelsea were totally thrown and for 25 minutes, United utterly in command.
Park was everywhere, it seemed, Rooney dropping into spaces and causing mayhem, Valencia starting to terrorise Cole, Chelsea passing the ball into touch with staggering, almost inconceivable regularity.
Only the reactions of Petr Cech – needing every inch of his frame – denied Rooney’s 30-yarder, Hernandez needed just a touch to convert a curling Park centre, with the England superstar narrowly wide after a truly thrilling length-of-the-field move that summed up everything good about United.
And on 24 minutes, they had what they deserved.
Cech excelled again to keep out Park’s surprise snapshot but Chelsea fell asleep at the resulting short corner, Giggs skated past Salomon Kalou and Branislav Ivanovic stood there as Vidic powered in from behind him to head down and over the line. Maybe, had Kalou headed past Edwin Van der Sar when John Terry flicked on soon afterwards, or Didier Drogba’s free-kick beaten the Dutchman, it might have been different.
But Ivanovic, on a search and destroy mission to get Rooney, was lucky to stay on and while Luiz and John Obi Mikel were hooked at the break, and the ineffecutual Fernando Torres sent on with half an hour to go, United were far, far better.
Frank Lampard escaped as he handled Valencia’s cross, Terry also appeared to down the winger and even when Lampard nudged home after Ivanovic nodded on from Ramires’ deflected cross, United rarely looked worried.
Alex’s brilliant goalline clearance denied Rooney, who then missed three presentable chances in quick succession.
And when Torres, fed by Florent Malouda 18 yards out, pulled lamely wide of the near post, it was a metaphor for his contribution since deadline day.
There was nothing left for Chelsea to give.
United, though, have effectively completed part one of the grand odyssey.
Part two stands before them at Wembley on May 28.
Play like this and anything is possible.
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Sun:
Man Utd 2 Chelsea 1
By SHAUN CUSTIS
THE table does not lie. Manchester United are deservedly the Premier League's team of the season.
They proved it at Old Trafford yesterday by seeing off nearest challengers Chelsea with a cracking performance not reflected by the narrow scoreline.
That record-breaking 19th title, which will eclipse arch-rivals Liverpool, is in the bag. One point from their last two games will confirm they have wrestled the trophy back from the Blues and it is surely just a formality.
The players are convinced. They jumped around in a big huddle at the end, while manager Alex Ferguson bowed to the fans.
And how much better will they enjoy the champagne if they wrap it up against Blackburn next week, 20 minutes before neighbours Manchester City take to the field for the FA Cup final against Stoke.
Isn't that just typical? Though City knocked United out in the semi-finals, they will still have to play second fiddle to the big beast across town even if they win at Wembley.
Fergie is not usually a man to count his chickens. But even he was talking like the job was done and, with the Champions League final to come against Barcelona, the domestic and European double is on.
Meanwhile, the inquests will begin at Stamford Bridge about where it has gone wrong. Manager Carlo Ancelotti is tipped to lose his job, despite winning the Double last season and finishing runner-up this time.
Owner Roman Abramovich should take a step back and have a good think about that before he swings the axe. A couple of new faces to freshen up the squad could make all the difference.
Supposedly, this has been a mediocre season, where United have merely been the best of a bad job. Yet the Red Devils were infinitely superior to a Chelsea side which had been coming on strong with eight wins and a draw in their previous nine outings.
United were in control within 36 seconds of the kick-off and never looked in danger from then on.
The brilliant Ji-Sung Park collected the ball from Ryan Giggs and his pass through the middle evaded the outstretched leg of David Luiz.
Javier Hernandez was on to it and, left one on one with Petr Cech, calmly tucked the ball into the corner. It was the 20th goal of a stunning debut season for the young Mexican.
Luiz protested to the bench that it was not his fault. But it certainly looked like he could have done better and Ancelotti thought so too. At half-time the £23million man was subbed.
The early goal set the tone for the afternoon and it took an excellent save from Cech to stop Wayne Rooney making it two.
Park, whose batteries never run low, was everywhere - hurrying, scurrying, getting in tackles and powering in shots, such as when Cech beat away his right-foot strike to concede a corner which led to United's second goal on 23 minutes.
Giggs took a short one, got the ball back and, when his cross cleared Luiz, skipper Nemanja Vidic nipped in front of the static Branislav Ivanovic to head home.
It was unusual for this Chelsea defence, the misers of the Premier League, to be cut open so easily. They just did not look at it.
Ashley Cole, for instance, was having a torrid time against Antonio Valencia. The Ecuadorian star is getting better every week after coming back from six months out with a broken ankle.
The visitors had a couple of chances but veteran Edwin van der Sar was equal to the task. He pushed away Salomon Kalou's header and saved Didier Drogba's free-kick.
When Ivanovic, already on a yellow card, caught Rooney on the ankle it looked like Chelsea might go down to 10 men.
Ivanovic got away with it but Rooney was not happy and, as he limped towards the touchline, aimed two fingers in the direction of the baying Blues fans.
It is a shame he could not keep himself in check. He was playing so well and making his point well enough on the pitch.
Rooney was soon back on, giving his opponents trouble again, and it was an awful long way back for Chelsea.
They were fortunate not to concede a penalty when the ball clearly struck the sliding Frank Lampard's arm from a Valencia cross.
United dropped the tempo briefly and Fergie spotted it. He was out in the technical area trying to sort it all out when Chelsea pulled a goal back.
A cross from sub Ramires flicked off Jonny Evans and Ivanovic's header down was instinctively diverted into the net by Lampard with 22 minutes remaining.
Yet you did not get the feeling this was the start of a great Chelsea comeback. It was just a United hiccup. They could have restored their two-goal advantage immediately. Hernandez squared for Rooney, whose sliding shot was blocked on the line by Alex.
Rooney then had three opportunities within about 30 seconds, as he shot wide, just failed to dribble round Cech and had another effort deflected over the bar.
It was a tidal wave and somehow Hernandez also headed over from another Valencia cross.
The Blues had one sniff to equalise but £50million Fernando Torres, who had come on for the last half-hour in place of Kalou, dragged his effort wide.
More misery for the Spaniard, total despair for Chelsea.
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