United Champions!!!

Hurray!!! United are champions again!
In what was supposed to be a high pressure game, Man United showed why they're the best team in Europe by comfortable coasting to a 2-0 victory and hence sealing the Premier League title for the 10th time.

Things didn't seem to be all that rosy from the start. It was pretty much a given that United needed nothing less than a victory to capture the title - as if to say Chelsea winning at Stamford Bridge against Bolton was a foregone conclusion. Teams travelling to Wigan this season have struggled there, mostly because of the quality of the turf. Mathew Flamini had termed it as the worst he had witnessed in his professional career, after Arsenal had failed to score in a nil-nil draw. But United were lucky though - there were to play on lush green relaid pitch.

United didn't look their fluent best in the first half - perhaps the pressure was telling. Wigan looked the better side initially, creating most chances but not really able to take any of them. Though United were playing 4-4-2, chances looked hard to come by. Midway during the first half, United were lucky to not concede a penalty through Rio Ferdinand. Just minutes later United obtained a deserved penalty, when Rooney was brought down by in the box. As usual, it was Ronaldo who stepped in to take the penalty and given the kind of form he's been in nobody would dare doubt his confidence - and convert he did with consummate ease - as if there was no pressure on him at all! With that, United went into the half time with the comfort of having scored a crucial goal. The other good news at half time was that Chelsea were yet to open their account at the Bridge.

Before the start of the second half, with rain coming down heavily there were fears of rain affecting the freshly-laid pitch. But with just a single-goal cushion, United showed desire for more. They seemed to come to their own in the second half, creating more chances. But most times, the Wigan keeper Kirkland seemed to be the one hurdle they couldn't breach. Kirkland came up with some brilliant saves - he first prevented Rooney from scoring and then came up with a quick reflex action save to deny Tevez. Meanwhile Giggs was brought on who, playing in his record appearance seemed to add some pace to the wings. And that pace was going to bring United their second goal - Rooney put in a clever little pass for Giggs who found himself clear of defenders and came up with a dream goal. It was a goal befitting Giggs' durability and class given the importance of the goal. That was pretty much the title-sealing goal and United had no problems getting to the finish line.

Over all, United showed why they're the team to beat in Europe at this moment. Second league title in succession from a young side talks volumes of talent that is in store.

United 4 : 1 West Ham

West Ham have been United's bogey team for some time now. For a team that was battling relegation till the last day, they did extremely well to beat United last year and had beaten United at home in their home fixture this season too. With such a reputation preceding the Hammers, United were bound to be nervous going into this fixture at Old Trafford. The fact that two of their star men this season, Rooney and Vidic, were unfit to play in this one made things more interesting going into this must-win tie for United. But United weren't going to get distracted by any jinxes in such a crucial tie especially after the mighty delight of making it to Moscow. So, a scoreline of 4-1 in the end pretty much sums the ruthless efficiency with which United got the job done.

First half was one eventful period of the match. United had their peddle on the gas right from the word go. Christiano Ronaldo, the man of the season so far, wasted little time in letting his opponents know that he meant business. His goal came as early as in the 3rd minute and that was one goal that could describe the confidence with which he's played all of this season and gone on to be voted the player of the season - he drove the ball in from the half-line, kept pegging, cut-in from the right and unleashed a furious shot past the goal-keeper. West Ham weren't doing too badly on the other side. United had to make one goal-line clearance and were lucky to survive a hand-ball claim against Brown. Second goal came pretty soon after that for United - Hargreaves, playing on the right-back, where he's been doing pretty well, put in a smart left footed cross which, courtesy of some poor West Ham defending, found Ronaldo who smartly thighed it into the goal. Just as it was beginning to seem that United had settled any nerves that existed before the start, there was some real delight to follow - Tevez came up with one of the goal's of the season - a 25-yard scorcher that had enough swerve and pace to easily bamboozle the West ham goalie. So, there you were, within 30 minutes, the match seemed to have been put to bed and United had probably started thinking about Wigan already. But there was more drama to follow - Nani's immaturity seemed to explode unnecessarily and had to be sent off for head-butting the Hammers' skipper Lucas Neil. That was followed by a brilliant Dean Ashton bicycle-kick goal to make the tie more interesting. With United down to ten men, there were fears of seeing a West ham revival.

Following the Ashton goal, United settled down to play the holding game - most of the second half saw United doing that. But West Ham didn't seem to be doing too much to make use of the advantage they had been provided with. United kept the odd attack going and they did score the fourth through Micheal Carrick around the 60th minute. That fourth goal pretty much put the game to rest and United calmly saw through the remaining of the match with little hassle.


United will now head to Wigan where they'd be playing the last game of the season. If they win there, the title would stay at Old Trafford. The focus now is on Chelsea who travel to Newcastle for their penultimate fixture. They need to win that to keep the pressure on United. I'm hoping Kevin Keagan's in-form team will do some damage to Chelsea's title hopes.