United we stand!

Manchester United's draw at home to Arsenal on Saturday sealed the Premiership title with one match to spare and there can be little doubt they deserved it.

If they manage to add the Champions League to this they will, without question, be the best club side in the world. More importantly to Sir Alex Ferguson, he has finally matched the 18 League titles of archrivals Liverpool.

So exactly how did United win the title? Partly, it was down to the size and quality of the squad and partly down to the frailties of their chief rivals but a lot of it has to do with the post-Christmas period. Going into January United were seven points down on Liverpool albeit with two games in hand but by the end of the month they were five points clear - a massive 12 point turnaround.

Benitez can bemoan his fortune as much as he wants but as his team drew with the likes of Stoke, Everton and Wigan - not to mention the previous draws at home with Hull, West Ham and Fulham - then they are unlikely to win the prize his supporters so desperately wanted. In total 11 draws compared to six from United tell their own story.

Had Chelsea jettisoned Scolari earlier, leaving Hiddink more time, it may have been the Londoners who challenged United most and as for Arsenal, well, until Wenger buys three quality players in key positions they will always struggle to compete at the very top. It was not made easy for United but the other top three sides did not do themselves any favours.

Ferguson's contribution has been astonishing as he has won 22 trophies since his appointment which is eight more than the club had won in its history prior to that. It is an amazing achievement and completed with at least three different teams, balanced by both youth and experience.

This team though has something very special about it from the steadiness of Van der Sar to the attacking flair of Rooney and Ronaldo. Even the much maligned Dimitar Berbatov has played his part as he has created more chances for other players, apart from Lampard at Chelsea.

It is though, probably, the central defence of Vidic and Ferdinand that has been the biggest difference this year.

What was different this year was that the games between the top four mattered less than ever before. United lost home and away to Liverpool, away to Arsenal and only managed one victory which was the 3-0 demolition of Chelsea. Ferguson's knack of managing to get his players up for all fixtures and not just the 'big games' proved vital this year.

When will this reign of success for Ferguson end? Not soon enough for some of his rivals is the answer to that question and certainly not until he has passed that Liverpool record. A third Champions League and that league record would give him the personal status he craves but it is equally probable that he will continue until his health prevents him.

Benitez is doing his best to knock him off his pedestal but his squad needs more quality so the reliance on Torres and Gerrard is reduced but whether he can do that next season is doubtful. United themselves, Arsenal and Chelsea will be back in the transfer market not to mention Man City, so getting players of such ability will be as tough as ever.

Ferguson has one of the biggest factors in his favour to attract such players; as with Real Madrid, players want to play for United as the glamour and tradition is sometimes irresistible and the Scot knows it, as do his rival managers.

It gets tougher but only a fool would bet against Manchester United winning a fourth consecutive title next year.