Soccer
United end three-year drought
By DPA
May 6, 2007, 17:55 GMT

London - Manchester United were confirmed as Premiership champions Sunday, bringing to an end a sequence of three seasons in which they had failed to win the league title.

United had gone eight points clear of their nearest challengers Chelsea on Saturday, as they beat Manchester City 1-0 thanks to a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty.

That left Chelsea having to win their three remaining games - including Wednesday's meeting with United - and hope that United also lost to West Ham on the final day of the season.

Until a late rally, the defending champions, reduced to 10 men after 42 minutes after the dismissal of Khalid Boulahrouz, could only draw 1-1 agaisnt Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

The title is Sir Alex Ferguson's ninth as United manager, and will be seen, by Ferguson at least, as the best possible answer to those who have suggested that, at 65 years of age, he should be contemplating retirement.

Their success has been based on tightening a defence that had become debilitatingly leaky, while not sacrificing attacking flair.

Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo, in particular, has been excellent this season, winning both the Players' and the Football Writers' Player of the Year awards.

Last season United conceded 34 goals, scoring 72; the season before they let in just 26, but scored a mere 58.

This season, with Nemanja Vidic settled in English football and bringing an additional steel, they have, with two games remaining, let in only 26 while still scoring a highly impressive 83.

United's goal difference of plus-57 is equal with the Premiership record Chelsea set in 2004-05, and, over the course of a 38-game season, indicates they have, on average, been a goal and a half better than their opponents and thus deserve the championship.