Manchester United has been crowned Premiership Champions for a record ninth time after closest rival Chelsea failed to beat Arsenal at Emirates Stadium earlier Sunday. United and Chelsea, both locked at the top of the premiership standings, were each favored to win the cup with equal odds of -115 according to odds released by online sportsbook SPORTBET.COM Sunday morning prior to the Chelsea-Arsenal match.
A first half penalty from Gilberto Silva gave Arsenal a 1-1 draw over Jose Mourinho’s men who were reduced to ten men just prior to the break when Khalid Boulahrouz was sent off for a foul on Julio Paptista which led to the spot-kick.
Michael Essien leveled on 70 minutes but the Blues could find no way through after that in a hugely tense affair.
The Reds will be presented with the Championship trophy after their final game of the season against West Ham at Manchester’s Old Trafford Stadium on Sunday. Before that Manchester United will face a mid-week trip to Stamford Bridge.
If the Reds are victorious in their next two games , it would give them a record Premiership points’ total of 94. Their best ever to date came at the end of the 1993-94 season when they finished with 92 points.
Manchester United Chief Executive David A. Gill said owner Joel Glazer phoned him immediately after the Arsenal-Chelsea game had finished and was delighted for everyone at the club.
“It’s a fantastic achievement for everyone associated with United,” said Gill. “It’s the trophy we all wanted. It was very important that we won it this year having not done so since 2003 and then watched Chelsea walk away with it for the last two years. It sends out a big message that Manchester United is very much at the forefront of football both in this country and Europe.”
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson , who it had been speculated about for months that he would retire at the end of this season, refuted those rumors after learning of the Reds earning their ninth championship.
Right now Sir Alex is adamant he will continue as United manager next season.
Commenting on the championship , the boss said, “That gives you hope and it give you encouragement that you’re at the right club and why should I give up having some terrific young players and the great history that we have? They’re important factors.
