Three tough fixtures at Portsmouth, Liverpool and Chelsea in the opening four games of the league campaign looked to have handicapped the champions from the off.
B BENITEZ: Rafa Benitez's January rant was a turning point. The Liverpool manager's amazing out-of-the- blue fact sheet outburst puzzled many and it derailed his own side who were top of the table on the day of his explosion at Fergie. And there were no congratulations last night!
C COMEBACKS: Had the Reds lost at home to Tottenham last month it could have turned the climax into a real nail-biter. 2-0 down at Old Trafford and playing poorly it was the worse-case scenario until they hit back.
D DISCIPLINE: A lack of discipline became a nationwide issue after Wayne Rooney and Paul Scholes were both sent-off at Fulham. In the previous match Nemanja Vidic had been red-carded against Liverpool. It was the Serb's third early bath of the season and Scholes' second for handball. Ronaldo had also been sent-off at City in November.
E ENTERTAINMENT:
United might be set to be deposed as the Premier League's top scorers but they have scored more than any other side at home in the division.
F FERGUSON: 22 years in the job last November and he is still as hungry as ever. Baulks at any suggestion that he should retire and now dismisses the notion.
G GIGGS: Topped the 800 appearance mark this season, won the PFA Player of the Year award and has reinvented himself as a central midfielder at 35.
H HOME FORM: United have won more league matches at home than any of their title rivals. Though they have one blemish on their Old Trafford record which was that defeat against Liverpool, the Anfielders own record in front of the Kop proves just where United had the edge.
I INJURIES: United have battled through the usual catalogue of injuries. They lost Owen Hargreaves for the season in September. Wes Brown's campaign was effectively over in October. Paul Scholes was out for two months in the first half of the season with a medial knee ligament injury. Cristiano Ronaldo also began the season slowly after a summer ankle op.
J JAPAN: The trip to the Far East for FIFA'S Club World Cup was seen as a critical period in the title race. United had to postpone a match at Wigan to fit the adventure in before Christmas.
United returned as world champions but what would be the cost? Jet-lag was a problem as they flew back for the festive season and a return to league action at Stoke on Boxing Day. The Reds returned with added fire and an 11-match post-Japan winning sequence that saw them through the winter.
K KIKO: Apart from regular reserve watchers 17-year-old Italian Federico Macheda was an unknown up to April 5. Then the striker became the new kid on the block.
Losing 2-1 at home to Aston Villa and desperate for a win, Kiko was sent on by Fergie.
His control, swivel and magnificent hit that won the match for the Reds took the roof off Old Trafford.
L LOW POINT: No prizes for guessing this category. The seven-day March period when United were blitzed 4-1 at Old Trafford by Liverpool and then followed up with a 2-0 defeat by Fulham.
M MIDFIELD: United's engine room is the most heavily populated department in Fergie's first team squad. Even though the Reds lost Hargreaves, it was still a formidable and inter-changeable unit.
N NUMBER ONE: The title holders were playing catch-up virtually from day one after their appearance in the Super Cup against Zenit St Petersburg.
It wasn't until January 17 following the 1-0 win at the Reebok against Bolton that the champions finally hit top spot for the first time.
O OLD GUARD: The Class of 92 survivors and Dutch veteran Edwin van der Sar have been the crucial backbone for a young United squad.
The Reds keeper plus Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville have a combined age of 141 and Fergie reckons his dinosaurs have shown the hunger, desire and experience that has rubbed off on the younger generation.
P POST CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: League games following a European night are always a minefield and Fergie wasn't happy with the Premier League computer for arranging away games after all six of United's Champions League group section.
It almost undermined United's title challenge.
Q QUINTUPLE: With the World title in the bag after Japan and the Carling Cup success against Spurs at Wembley, quintuple became the buzz word in the media. The nine-letter word was a pain in the backside for Fergie as he ruled out the possible five-trophy sweep.
R ROTATION: Rotation has been the key to the Reds surviving a marathon campaign during which they have taken virtually all the competitions right to the death.
S STOKE CITY: The Britannia Stadium Boxing Day match was the critical game of the season as far as Sir Alex Ferguson was concerned.
It came just five days after United landed back in England as world champions.
T TRANSFER MARKET: The club splashed out a club record £30.75m on Dimitar Berbatov on the final day of the summer transfer deadline to add to the League and European champions already formidable squad.
But once the Bulgarian was installed, United effectively went with what they had got.
U UNITED: Sir Alex Ferguson has consistently praised the Reds' united dressing room. The team spirit that exists in the current Old Trafford dressing room has been one of the factors that has driven United to the title.
V VAN DER SAR: The veteran Dutch No1 set a new English top flight record for clean sheets in January at West Bromwich when he kept his 11th blank in succession. His 1,032 minute shut-out beat Petr Cech's previous record set in 2005 with Chelsea.
W WONDER STRIKES: Candidates for United's goal of the season in the Premier League include Macheda's last-gasp swivel and hit winner against Villa, Carlos Tevez's audacious effort against Wigan, Cristiano Ronaldo's free-kick against Blackburn in February, Danny Welbeck's strike against Derby and Ryan Giggs' winner against West Ham in February.
X X-FACTOR: Whatever it is that Simon Cowell looks for on the stage United have got it on the football pitch
Y YOUTH: United's accent on home-produced gems continues to flourish. Academy products Jonny Evans, Kiko Macheda and Danny Welbeck have made the biggest impressions.
Z ZERO: United have kept 23 clean sheets in the League this season.
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B- Bitter losers in the shape of Benitez, The Liverpool fans and Liverpool Echo (this gutter press refused to mention our title win).
Who gives a damn what Liverpool say anyhow
We won didnt we ?
D for Defence and I for Individualism have been the story of United's season, a season in which we have rarely looked like a great "team" but have won more games due to a fantatsic defensive display and some great individuals. We won and congratulations to all, but as a team we didn't look great with the midfield lacking all year.
I would like to thank Mr Benitez for his gracious comments. He has obviously been spending too many hours at the 'Sons of Shankly' forum / meetings held at the Kenny Dalgleish ice cream parlour in Walton Vale. (Notable attendees list comprising of...are Billy like, are Willy like, our Terry like, are Diggsy like, are Chrissy like, are Higgsy like, are Friggsy like, are Johnny like, are Kingy like, are Rafaelly Benitezzy like,.... (Thats enough scousers for one season)
Gilly Belgium;it's a fact.
Looking over the seasons games today its quite scary how many 1-0 wins we had against poor opposition and that we only won 3 times against the top 8, def a drop in entertainment from last season,but the same results hopefully
Surely it should be
E- Euorpean super cup winners were Zenith. It is a blank to manure fans just like pre 92
S- Stoke City have more money than manure
W- World club chumps but no manu fan if you ask them straight away know they beat
Enjoy whay you have achieved. money talks
After reading 'A Manc and Blue' comment, add City to B for Bitters too.