Put your shirt on us - Tottenham 0 Man Utd 2
Alex Ferguson last night challenged United to make one final push to the Premiership finishing line. Goals from Paul Scholes and Ruud van Nistelrooy sent the Reds roaring FIVE POINTS clear of Arsenal to make them hot 5-1 ON favourites for the title. The Gunners have a game in hand but Fergie´s side can wrap up the championship with a home win over Charlton on Saturday and three points at Everton on the final day. Boss Fergie said: " It is now a question of us winning our games. We won´t rest because there´s no rest in this game. We must have the resilience to get to the line."
Shaun Custis, The Sun
All over bar the shouting
Sir Alex Ferguson´s heroes took a giant step towards the Premiership title last night - but he warned there must be no let-up now. Bookies have stopped taking bets on Manchester United after they went five points clear of Arsenal thanks to late goals from Paul Scholes and Ruud van Nistelrooy. Spurs´ defeat put a huge dent in the challenge of Arsenal, their bitter rivals, who slipped up so badly against Bolton on Saturday after leading 2-0. United boss Ferguson, who recalled David Beckham but axed blunder keeper Fabien Barthez, said: " We are not going to rest now. It´s still a question of winning all of our games. To win a championship you need resilience to go all the way to the finishing line and that is what we are going to do. We had to keep our nerve today. You start to wonder what kind of day it will be. Patience is required. But you could sense the determination."
John Cross, Daily Mirror
White flag lane
They made the fans wait. Boy, did they make them wait, despite enough chances to win a month´s worth of matches. But eventually it came, from the man that shuns the spotlight most of all. And now Manchester United just have to hold their nerve for two more games. That it would be Paul Scholes rather than the returning David Beckham or the normally razor-sharp Ruud van Nistelrooy who made the vital breakthrough at White Hart Lane will have meant that much more to Sir Alex Ferguson. Defeat for woeful Spurs, coming after Arsenal´s surrender of a two-goal lead at Bolton, made it a bad weekend for North London. But they were not complaining at Old Trafford. Fergie, clearly planning for next season by dropping Fabien Barthez, saw United edge closer to their eighth championship in 11 seasons.
Martin Lipton, Daily Mirror
Roaring forty
Ruud van Nistelrooy notched up his 40th goal of the season on a day when he could have reached 50. United tightened their grip on the title, thanks to Paul Scholes’ 69th minute header and van Nistelrooy’s last-gasp strike. But for much of the match it seemed the normally-ruthless Dutch assassin brought his popgun rather than his rifle.
Shaun Custis, The Sun
Winning ugly is vital if you want the title
The resilience built up by Sir Alex Ferguson during a dynasty of success at Old Trafford has been the real difference between two superbly-matched teams in this year’s title race. Arsenal have suffered since going out of the Champions League and another season of disappointment seems to have hit their confidence. Look at how Manchester United responded to defeats by Real Madrid – they won 6-2 at Newcastle and yesterday beat Spurs 2-0 to move within touching distance of the title.
Mark Lawrenson, Daily Mirror
Feeling champion
Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United are ready to reclaim their Premiership crown after watching his side tighten their grip over rivals Arsenal with an impressive 2-0 win at Tottenham. United made the Gunners pay for their 2-2 draw at Bolton on Saturday with superb goals from Paul Scholes and striker Ruud van Nistelrooy – his 40th of the season – moving them five points clear at the top of the table.
David Hytner, Daily Express
Fergie’s troops in Ruud health
Ruud van Nistelrooy was beaten by Arsenal’s Thierry Henry to the PFA Player of the Year last night, but it is the Manchester United striker who is on the brink of picking up the honour which really matters – a Championship medal.
Rob Shepherd, Daily Express
We’re almost there – Beckham back and United close in
Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United stand on the brink of their eighth Premiership title in 11 seasons after yesterday’s 2-0 win over Tottenham lifted them five points clear of Arsenal. Goals from Paul Scholes ad Ruud van Nistelrooy put United in pole position – but Fabien Barthez was axed and may have played his last game for the club.
Ian McGarry, Daily Mail
We want our trophy back
A contest billed as the beginning of the long goodbye for David Beckham eventually became the focus of a far more painful separation at White Hart Lane yesterday. Arsenal should enjoy what time they have left with the Premiership trophy because it is fast running out. The Manchester United fans who made the journey south for this disappointingly one-sided game certainly concluded as much, directing their message across Finsbury Park and into Highbury’s marble halls the moment Paul Scholes broke an extraordinary period of deadlock. ‘We want out trophy back,’ they roared, and with some justification.
Matt Lawton, Daily Mail
Don’t go Becks… copy the example of Owen
While the whole wide world of football was fixated by David Beckham and all the billions involved in his staying in Manchester or moving to Madrid, his equal among England’s peers was taking care of the real business of the game. Michael Owen’s four goals in Liverpool’s 6-0 win at West Bromwich included his 100th in the Premiership. As only the 10th striker to reach that landmark, Owen offered a reminder to Beckham of the arguments for staying at home.
Jeff Powell, Daily Mail
It’s Paul over now
Manchester United are odds-on to win the Premiership title after Paul Scholes and Ruud van Nistelrooy fired them to victory over Spurs. The bookies last night made Sir Alex Ferguson’s men a daunting 5-1 ON to lift their eighth championship in 11 years.
Danny Fullbrook, Daily Star
