United Crowned

Rooney and Ronaldo: Dream strike duo

In the end it was all too little too late for Chelsea. All United had to do was beat Wigan at the JJB Stadium to take their 10th Premiership title... and they managed that relatively easily.

Although some – mostly from West London – will argue that they should thank referee Steve Bennett for a helping hand. Overlooking what appeared to be a handball in the penalty area from Rio Ferdinand early on, United then won a penalty of their own which Ronaldo coolly slotted home for his 41st goal of the season.

Before Ryan Giggs added a second to secure the title, United seemed lucky to see out the game with 11 men. Paul Scholes, already on a yellow for a foul on Wilson Palacios, appeared to blatantly bodycheck the same player.

The referee stopped the game, the home crowd assumed Scholes would be off... and somehow he got away with a warning. Bennett at least avoided rubbing salt into the wound by not then awarding Scholes a penalty when Titus Bramble took him out a few minutes later.

At least there was no doubt about the second goal. Giggs, picking up his record-equalling 758th appearance for United, calmly drilled the ball home to secure the title. He's now expected to beat Bobby Charlton's record in the Champions League Final.

Meanwhile over at Stamford Bridges, Chelsea could only manage a draw against Bolton, after the visitors snatched a last minute equaliser to cancel out Shevcheko's opener.

More worrying for the Blues was the loss of John Terry with a dislocated elbow after a collision with his own keeper however he's already declared himself fit for the big grudge match against United in Moscow.

Down at the other end, Reading and Birmingham both enjoyed impressive victories – Reading taking Derby apart 4-0, Birmingham beating Blackburn 3-1 – but it wasn't enough for either to avoid the drop, as Danny Murphy's goal in Fulham's 1-0 win over Portsmouth saved the Londoners for another season.

We expect them to bounce back next year... and pass West Brom, Stoke and whoever else gets promoted on the way back down.

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