Manchester United are on the brink of a record 19th League title after delivering another knockout blow to Chelsea.
Having beaten the London side in the Champions League quarter-final, United moved six points clear of their closest Premier League rivals with just two games remaining.
Mexican strike sensation Javier Hernandez gave the Reds the perfect start with a goal after just 35 seconds before Nemanja Vidic headed in the second after 23 minutes.
Frank Lampard pulled a goal back for Chelsea midway through the second half, but it proved only to be a consolation.
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United have been described as the least impressive of Sir Alex Ferguson's assembled title challenging personnel.
Even though the Reds hit the top back on November 20 following a home win against Wigan and haven't been knocked off the pedestal since they've still been vilified.
And the unfavourable critiques haven't just come from the ABU's (Anyone But United). Even the staunchest supporters have had a serious question mark over the capabilities of this squad.
Not all of it has been unjust because they do not possess the entertainment value of past United sides who've had fans drooling.
Fergie accepts their away record is deserving of some condemnation.
It is typical of this eccentric campaign that United's form away from Old Trafford should be equalled by top flight babes Blackpol who find themselves in the relegation quicksand.
From inferior to near Invincibles that's been the roller coaster story of the Reds.
Then you have Chelsea. The champions were unstoppable in autumn but a stunning 3-0 home defeat against Sunderland saw the Reds leap frog the Londoners and suddenly they could barely muster a Premier League point.
From that November point to early January they picked up a damaging meagre seven points from the 27 available.
Suddenly they were a dysfunctional bunch with a dressing room split and a last seasons double winning coach Carlo Ancelotti finding himself questioned by some of his squad and his relationship with owner Roman Abramovich in tatters.
United's rivals for the league crown then see-sawed between Arsenal and City.
But as both those challenges fell to pieces Chelsea built up a momentum that not even the Reds, who by now were attracting more favourable publicity, could match.
Wins
Just 69 days ago when Wayne Rooney struck in the league match at Stamford Bridge United were 18 points ahead of the Stamford Bridge outfit.
But five successive wins, despite the Champions League set back against United, while the Reds posted less impressive league figures dropping nine points since March the battle has intensified.
For sheer persistence, resilience and character these two had what others just didn't possess in the same telling amount.
So here they were and after the contrasting emotions of the last nine months there was no telling what we were going to get.
It was noted beforehand that finding a United fan with overwhelming confidence was proving a tough gig.
There was an undeniable air of extreme anxiety around Old Trafford and after the trials and tribulations, highs and lows since August it was an understandable reaction.
But that trepidation dissipated within seconds of the first shrill of Howard Webb's whistle.
One minute Javier Hernandez was on his knees on the centre spot going through his pre-match ritual praying to the heavens the next Chelsea were kicking off and the Mexican's prayers had sensationally been answered.
Fergie had promised more drama to come in this title race and you could not have had a more dramatic opening than a United goal after 30 seconds.
The current Reds have lost out in comparison to more swashbuckling offerings in Fergie's time but this was an opening with all the vivacity, searing swiftness and potency of anything that's gone before.
From Giggs, to the unbelievable Park and onto 'Chicharito' it tore Chelsea apart. The calmness of the striker's 20th finish of the season could not have been bettered by any previous United hitman.
Plenty has been levelled at United this season but there can be no doubting the quality of this display.
When they were not scaring the pants off Chelsea and the Londoners had an answer Edwin Van der Sar had an answer. Forty years old, on the brink of retirement but he was unbeatable.
Nemanja Vidic has seen the pics adorning the walls of Carrington and Old Trafford with former skipper's Bryan Robson, Steve Bruce, Eric Cantona, Roy Keane, Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs showing off the Premier League trophy.
Just to ensure his first campaign with the armband would end with him as the focal point of the glossy presentations shots the Serb stooped top head home after a Giggs-Park short corner to rack up a 23rd minute 2-0 lead that nobody could have predicted.
It was United's most devastating first 45 minutes against one of their big club rivals and the crackling tension of pre-match was replaced by a stadium rocking with delight.
However, when you've clawed back a potential 18 point deficit there were still many who wanted that third goal to settle any remaining nerves that had been frayed from the lead up.
Chelsea, however, proved their recent resilience hadn't been swallowed up totally by the rampant Reds and Lampard's goal had those nails that had been chewed before the match back between United's fans' teeth.
Hernandez missed a couple of late chances to level with Dimitar Berbatov as United's top scorer - but hey nobody's perfect.
What is your verdict on the game? Have your say.
Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1: Stuart Mathieson's verdict
May 08, 2011
Comments
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Great win lads! Not a very comfortable second half but no complaints from me because any kind of a win is fine at this stage. It should be easy now but let us not get complacent.
UNITED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What a dominating performance, again. Just like Schalke #1, the score could have been 6-0. Well done, lads!
Congratulations to Man Utd & its fans on taking the premiership title, (in all but name)
Excellant game, great result!
MOTM: 3Lung Park!
Glory, glory, United!!!!
Also, MOM for me: Park! If he is a headless chicken, as some have called him, we need more chickens! About the only thing he did poorly was a few clumsy first touches, but that has never been his strength, anyway.
CHAMPIONS!!!!!!!
19
And it could have been a lot more.....
What a wonderful day, what a fabulous game.
Well done to everyone you are the best!!!
Like I said previously Barca will be the cherry on top.
It's 10:00 am at my place but the party is on.
Enjoy the day everyone...hip hip hooray!!!
Oh and Happy Mothers Day to all the moms (if is Mothers Day at you location).
R7
Way to go United! Was an awesome game to watch.
Good luck to City in the FA Cup final but with respect, that 'The future is Blue' rubbish some of you have been spouting all year will have to go another year as being false
WOW!!!!!!!
We were fantastic ! On todays form we would have beaten Barcelona [and the All Blacks, Red Rum, Attilla the Hun ,The Harlem Globe Trotters and anyone else for that matter.
Everyone who has criticised Park should start a queue [behind me] and apologise.
No one was less than a 7/10, we were so up for this match, the scoreline did not do us justice.
Yippee !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
COME ON BLACKBURN & BLACKPOOL !!!!!!!!!!!
(Only joking I come in peace)
Congrats fellas if City showed the same mentality that's been shown at OT we'd have been pushing for the title ourselves because I honestly don't believe the squads are so far apart.
I will consolve myself when listening to my red friends/colleagues bleating by thinking of all those really upset scousers.
Well done again keep an eye over your shoulders next year because we're coming to get you!
Excellent result against a dirty Chelsea team. Ivanovic should have gone off in the first half and it would have been a lot more goals. Howard Webb let them off very easily. One more point and its the 19th Title. Things don't get better than this. Well, perhaps the CL title also!
What a result. Absolutely fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
What a team performance, and what a great team selection by Lord Ferguson of Trafford! Even Sir Bobby was on the edge of his seat, clapping and cheering the guys on; he's usually so serene and calm.
A point against Blackburn and then a showcase match against Blackpool (give Owen a run out and get him his EPL Champ's medal) at Old Trafford. Puts us in fine fettle for Wembley on the 28th.
Glory, glory man Uniiiiiiited, as the old song goes.
giggs what a player,even carrick played well
YEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Brilliant 1st 25 , absolutely blew them away with the intensity of our game and a perfect template of how we might turn Barca over .
Top performances all round , the boys did us proud .
And thank you oh thank you dad for being a RED !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rilo
This is a winner team! Would love to say 19! But still keeping the champagne bottled up.
The midfield was excellent!
Even though it was a close win in the end we could easily have won 4 or 5-1 today as Hernandez was a bit off key when finishing. But as always in all the right positions.
Pleasing to watch towards the end Evans and Smalling doing Ronaldoesque moves and passes. Funny! Was sure that was Giggs at first when i saw the back heel thing.
Special mention to Tony V for making Cashley Cole look like a dummy!
Magnificent performance! How to choose a MotM? Park was fabulous, especially first half hour; Carrick the epitome of composure (enough with the offensive Credit-Card / Coward name-calling please, Bobbyd, Danny etc...); Giggs was majestic again - he'll be playing into his forties! Valencia is just a star; Rooney couldn't have been more up for it; Hernandez could have had a hatful... Simply wonderful performance. Total midfield domination, surging attacking play, and great defensive composure. In VDS, the twins, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Smalling, Evans and O'Shea, we have the best defense in the league - whatever line-up this greatest of managers chooses.
The team has been improving as the season has progressed, and hasn't had anything like the credit it deserves. After the annihilation of Shalke (who annihilated the current European Champions), and this fantastic performance - we have no reason to fear Barcelona. If Pep was watching this game, he'll be having a few sleepless nights - United can put out two different teams in the same week, and both were equally brilliant!
Many congratulations to Sir Alex and his team - I just hope Blackpool beat Blackburn, so we don't have to send them down and spoil the party in two weeks...
Yessss! The TITLE is ours. Utd should have won 6-1, but nerves... Well, everything is fine now. Thank you, lads.
Im that pleased im going to be drunk for a week well done. on and on they go.
Won't it be great to win the 19th title next week.
No other big games on that day is there?
still not champions the fat lady is not singing as yet but she's clearing her throat please make sure now players like valencia and owen get their 10 games in either selected or getting on as sub this title has given me more pleasure than any because it was done with honesty and raw talent and an awful lot of guts and of course its nnnnnn nineteen the game against barcelona is the icing on the cake but the important one is in the bag (and record books) great season and thanks to everyone of a great squad
Well done manchester United.Motm Valencia it was a blessed day when SAF decided to buy this guy,he got alot of stick for it but look how it's panning out.His tireless attacking and defending makes up for his shortcomings,which are few.Howard Webb kinda renew my faith in refrees.Well done lads.