Reds crowned champions

United have been crowned Premiership champions for a ninth time after closest rivals Chelsea failed to beat Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday.

A first-half penalty from Gilberto Silva put the Gunners 1-0 in front and Khalid Boulahrouz was sent off for a foul on Julio Baptista, which led to the spot-kick.

Michael Essien levelled on 70 minutes but the Blues could find no way through after that in a hugely tense affair.

Twenty-four hours earlier on Saturday, Chelsea had seen United secure a 1-0 win over local neighbours Manchester City.

It is the ninth Premiership title the Reds have won under Sir Alex Ferguson and is one of the team's finest triumphs under the Scot.

The Reds will be presented with the Championship trophy after the final game of the season against West Ham at Old Trafford on Sunday. Before that United face a mid-week trip to Stamford Bridge, and victory in the next two games would give United a record Premiership total of 94 points.

United's best accumulation to date came at the end of the 1993/94 season, when Sir Alex's side finished on 92 points. The Reds came within a point of that in 1999/2000, ending the campaign on 91.

from ManUtd.com