"A day of title drama at Goodison"
Manchester United roared back from two goals down to wrap a firm hand around the Premier League trophy by beating Everton at Goodison Park. Even by United's extraordinary standards there had been something remarkable about the way they flirted with danger and at times in this game in particular, made everyone think that their title challenge was on the point of collapsing like a house of cards.
The game was set up for high drama with both United and Chelsea playing simultaneously at 12.45 kick offs. Whilst United where on Merseyside, Jose Mourinho's men had the distinctly easier task of beating Bolton at home.
The Reds had led the Premiership race for 32 out of the 34 weeks of the season played so far. Recent setbacks against Middlesbrough and Portsmouth had cut a lead that was for so long 6 points, to just 3 clear of Chelsea. With away trips to Manchester City and Chelsea to follow, any sort of slip up today could have ruined everything.
Before the match Everton paid tribute to former player Alan Ball, who had died the previous Tuesday. Ball's son and daughters placed a wreath at one end of the ground and Everton players warmed up with jerseys bearing Ball's name and number. There was also a minute's applause for the former Everton star and World Cup winner.
Even without injured star striker Andy Johnson and keeper Tim Howard, who was prevented from playing under the terms of the contract which saw him join from United on a permanent basis in January, the hosts were determined to lay on a performance fit for the occasion.
1 Manchester United 82 points (goal difference 54)
2 Chelsea 79 points (goal difference 40)
And the emotional atmosphere may have fired Everton up, as they came tearing out of the blocks and were almost ahead on two minutes when Joleon Lescott hit the bar with a header.
With the home support roaring their approval - and disapproval at their former darling Rooney's every touch - the hosts continued to push forward and take advantage of a sluggish start from United.
And Everton soon took the lead when Stubbs fizzed in a low free-kick from 30 yards and keeper Edwin van der Sar was beaten by a deflection off Carrick.
Within six minutes of the goal, news came through that Bolton had taken a 1-0 lead at Stamford Bridge.....both title challengers were losing!!!
United soon began to take control of the half after weathering some tenacious Everton tackling. But Everton continued to battle and some of their aggressive tactics had Ferguson raging on the touchline and flapping his arms in vain like a flightless bird. Things got worse as Salomon Kalo equalised for Chelsea to make it 1-1 and United fans feared the worst. Mounting rustration was not eased as Rooney had a shot saved at the near post and the striker headed tamely into the arms of Turner.
Then news of the inevitable, Chelsea had gone 2-1 up against Bolton. the gap at the top of the table was down to goal difference.
1 Manchester United 82 points (goal difference 53)
2 Chelsea 82 points (goal difference 41)
After the break United quickly resumed their offensive and Rooney, again, was denied after three Everton bodies flung themselves into the path of his shot.
But out of the blue - the ranked mass of blue that had been Everton's defence - came a quick counter-attack, and a lethal one at that. Manuel
Fernandes took one touch to move the ball wide of Wes Brown and then rocketed a shot into the top corner from just outside the box.
The blow of going 2-0 down was softened only slightly by news that Bolton had equalised against Chelsea to make it 2-2. A setback for the Blues indeed but surely they would prevail and take all 3 points as they had in so many home games before? Surely Bolton could not hold on against Drogba and co?
At two-nil down with half an hour to play, this was the moment when, to use Ferguson's own words, it was time "to show what Manchester United were all about". United were on the ropes but, as Mourinho now knows, Ferguson and his team are never more dangerous than when their backs are pressed up against the wall.
Ferguson's response to introduce Kieran Richardson for Evra at left-back, hardly eased the anxiety among visiting fans but hope came quickly.....and so did Ronaldo. Everton keeper Turner inexplicably dropped Giggs' corner at John O'Shea's feet, allowing the Irishman to bundle home. Rooney looked certain to level when he left Joseph Yobo on the edge of the area, then lifted a shot over Turner, only for his old mate Stubbs to get his body in the way.
But the finish line was a long way off for Everton, and the game was flowing totally towards their goal. As he thinks the world is working in United's favour anyway, Mourinho's discovery of the second Red Devils goalscorer would only have fuelled his paranoia and rubbed salt into the Chelsea. Phil Neville could barely believe it himself. In 11 hugely successful years at Old Trafford, Neville scored only five times in 263 league appearances. And none of them were as important as this one.
Again Turner was involved, although he could not do much more than get in the way of Ronaldo's firm header as he rose to meet Michael Carrick's corner. The ball bobbled around in the Everton six-yard box before Neville, stood virtually on the goal line, thrashed it into his own net in a desperate attempt to clear. 2-2. There was more to come for United and their story writers.
11 minutes from time Rooney still had plenty of work to do when O'Shea's far-post cross landed at his feet. But, on a difficult day from a personal perspective, how much maturity he showed to step inside Tony Hibbert, then find the bottom corner with his low curled shot. The winner and potential title-clincher? It certainly brought stunned silence at Stamford Bridge.
Ronaldo had a great chance to add a fourth when clean through, one-on-one but Turner did well to block the winger's shot with his arm. Then at 14.38 the final whistle blew at Stamford Bridge - Chelsea had somehow failed to beat Bolton provoking a joyous roar from the away support. They had more to cheer within minutes.
After Rooney had supplied the pass, young sub Chris Eagles tricked his way into the penalty area and produced a sublime curling finish past Turner in stoppage time. With news of Chelsea's slip announced to the players at full time, the celebrations could really began.
1 Manchester United 85 points (goal difference 56)
2 Chelsea 80 points (goal difference 40)
Ferguson's demeanour when the final whistle shrilled, and the news came through that Bolton had plundered a point at Stamford Bridge, was of a tipsy uncle heading for the dance floor at a wedding. This was the celebration Ferguson reserves exclusively for the special occasions: an odd hop, an uncoordinated clap of the hands, then a series of jerky twirls and running leaps, like a man with a wasp down his pants.
The grand old master of English football, on the verge of his ninth championship in 14 years, forgets sometimes that he is now of OAP age but who can blame him when he is indulged with this near-unremitting excitement?
"Torture" is the word Ferguson uses. "Why do my players insist on taking us to the edge so very often?" But this is what United do: they make life difficult for themselves, offer their rivals hope, then react like no other team. Other teams would have lost their way but even when they were struggling to find their rhythmic passing game, they had faith in one another to save themselves."
"The thing that always gives me hope is these players really want to win every game," said Ferguson. "They're all out to score, all the time. The momentum is with us now. When I see the camaraderie and the team spirit and the desire I can go to bed at night knowing I've got a good group of players."
With the thrilling comeback complete, the arithmetic was simple: Manchester United were 5 points clear of Chelsea with only three games to play. Three points at Manchester City the next Saturday, followed by anything other than a Chelsea victory at Arsenal on Sunday and the Premiership trophy was back at Old Trafford.
And that is exactly how it panned out. United took a 1-0 win at City and Chelsea could only draw 1-1 at Arsenal. Manchester United's ninth Premier League title was sealed with two games to spare and no one but Jose Mourinho could deny the best team deserved to be Champions.
EVERTON:
Turner, Hibbert, Yobo, Stubbs, Lescott, Arteta, Neville, Carsley (Van der Meyde 83), Fernandes, Osman (McFadden 72), Vaughan (Beattie 71)
Subs Not Used: Wright, Naysmith
Booked: Vaughan
MANCHESTER UNITED: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Brown, Heinze, Evra (Richardson 56), Solskjaer (Eagles 86), Scholes, Carrick, Giggs, Rooney, Smith (Ronaldo 63)
Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Lee
Booked: Heinze
Att: 39,682
Ref: A Wiley (Staffordshire)
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