Arsenal win double glory in Old Trafford bearpit
Bill Barclay
Unstoppable Arsenal wrapped up their second league and FA Cup double in five seasons on Wednesday when they defeated defending champions Manchester United 1-0 in their own backyard to claim the league title.
United had to win at Old Trafford to keep the title race alive but a 56th-minute goal by France striker Sylvain Wiltord confirmed Arsenal's status as the English game's dominant power four days after they beat Chelsea 2-0 in the FA Cup final.
Arsene Wenger's side fully deserved their triumph in a bearpit atmosphere at Old Trafford and the result ended United's hopes of an unprecedented fourth successive title, leaving Alex Ferguson's team trophyless this season.
Patrick Vieira, Ashley Cole and Sol Campbell celebrate after winning the premiership title.
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The result, a record 12th successive league victory for Arsenal, meant the north London side became the first top flight side for more than a century to remain unbeaten all season in the league away from home.
"We made a tremendous record tonight. It is a great result, they (United) are the side you want to beat," said Wenger.
"The character in this team - we were as solid as a rock. We wanted tonight to have a shift of power.
"At 1-0 United realised they were not going to win the game tonight. The fact we have 84 points already is tremendous."
With one game left Arsenal are seven points ahead of Liverpool, who beat Blackburn Rovers 4-3 on Wednesday. United are third on 76 points, having never finished out of the top two since the premier league was formed in 1992/93.
Arsenal have scored in every league game this season. It is Arsenal's 12th title and second double under Wenger, matching their 1998 feat, and their third in all after their 1971 triumph.
GRITTY WIN
Wednesday's gritty win was achieved without three key players -- captain Tony Adams and strikers Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp -- all absent with minor injuries.
The 67,580 fans turned United's Theatre of Dreams into a cauldron of noise but Arsenal's maintained their resolve and coolness under the cosh of ferocious United tackling.
Wenger said before the game he was sure his players would spill their last drop of blood for him and they almost had to as a pumped-up United clattered into the tackles in the first half.
Paul Scholes, Phil Neville and captain Roy Keane were booked in the space of six minutes midway through the half after tough challenges on Edu, Wiltord and Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira.
Arsenal had started well before it all turned spiteful, with livewire Wiltord, in his 100th game for the club, almost catching United cold with a rasping shot after two minutes.
Driven on by Keane, who looked like he had been feeding on raw meat for a week, United took the fight to their opponents but, with 35-goal Ruud van Nistelrooy left on the bench, they hardly tested David Seaman in the Arsenal goal.
The mood was ugly and so was most of the football with so much at stake. But Arsenal played more fluently at the start of the second half and Ljungberg, scorer in Cardiff and with six goals in his last five league games, again proved their inspiration.
With 56 minutes gone the flame-haired Swede picked up possession and nutmegged United's Laurent Blanc. When his low shot was pushed out by Fabien Barthez, Wiltord coolly stroked in his 17th goal of the season.
The goal deflated Old Trafford and by the end Arsenal were stroking the ball about for fun as United fans left early in their droves.
Ferguson will be left to reflect on nine league defeats compared to Arsenal's three in a season that started poorly amid confusion over the long-serving manager's future.
Wednesday's success amply avenged Arsenal's 6-1 thrashing at Old Trafford last season and they have not conceded a goal in six games and not lost at all since December 18.
The last time a team completed a top flight league campaign in English football unbeaten away from home was Preston North End in 1889. Liverpool matched the feat five years later in division two.
Arsenal's win now means Saturday's final game of the season against Everton at Highbury, where they will be presented with the premier league trophy, will turn into a north London knees-up.
