Wenger´s got it wrong
Rio Ferdinand is stunned by Arsene Wenger´s claim that Arsenal are still the best team in England. Gunners boss Wenger refuses to concede Manchester United are now the superior force despite the fact they clinched the title on Sunday because of Arsenal´s 3-2 home defeat by Leeds. But United defender Ferdinand said: " I have the greatest respect for Arsenal and would never put other teams down like that. It is not a very professional way to behave. Mr Wenger says they are better than us but the league table doesn´t get it wrong. It says we are the best side - and we also went further in the Champions League."
Shaun Custis, The Sun
Fergie still mad for it
Rio Ferdinand last night paid tribute to his boss Alex Ferguson and said: " The man just lives for winning." Fergie stuck his neck on the line when he bought Ferdinand from Leeds for £29.1m last summer. It was the biggest transfer ever between two English clubs and both player and manager were under severe pressure to make sure it paid off. The Premiership title proves the investment was justified. It also vindicated Ferguson´s decision to change his mind about retiring. Ferdinand said: " People said the boss had lost his desire but if that had been the case, I´m sure he would have jacked the job in. But he didn´t. He wanted more trophies and you cannot buy his winning mentality."
Shaun Custis, The Sun
Becks silent on win
David Beckham has left Manchester United fans shocked by refusing to say anything about either his future or the club´s latest incredible Championship success. All bar a handful of key players have been talking happily in public about the Old Trafford giants´ eighth Premiership triumph in 11 seasons. But Beckham, who to many is the face of United, has continued to stay silent as he tries to come to terms with a life away from Old Trafford. The England skipper was also absent from the players´ party at the fashionable Living Room bar and restaurant in Manchester on Sunday night. He preferred to return to ´Beckingham Palace´ in Hertfordshire on Saturday evening, after all the players were given Sunday and yesterday off.
Neil Custis, The Sun
Perfect reply, Giggsy
Ryan Giggs reckons Manchester United´s title success was the perfect way to answer their critics. Giggs became the target of rare terrace abuse at Old Trafford when United suffered a mid-season stutter. So he was as delighted as anyone when they became champions for the eighth time in 11 years. Giggs said: " We´ve probably had more criticism this season than any other, which makes winning the title all the more satisfying. A lot of people were ready to write us off a few months ago when our form was patchy. But we´ve shown everyone we still have the hunger and talent to win silverware. Arsenal are a fantastic side - the strongest team we´ve ever beaten to win the title. That makes our comeback since the New Year even more incredible."
Neil Custis, The Sun
It´s all change for Alex
Alex Ferguson is ready to rebuild the team that has achieved yet another title triumph. Manchester United boss Fergie had not let the last drop of champagne leave his lips before he set his sights on next season and his ultimate goal of winning the European Cup. Eight titles in 11 seasons is fantastic but it is in Europe where Ferguson believes United´s greatness will ultimately be judged. That is why he believes it is time for a rethink and some big names are ready to fall by the wayside. David Beckham´s career at the club looks to have run its course and Fergie will use the £38million to finance the rebuilding job. Ryan Giggs believes his neck is on the chopping block, too, with a possible £15m move to Italy pending. Among the targets to come the other way include Leeds goalkeeper Paul Robinson, Brazilian star Ronaldinho and Blackburn winger Damien Duff. Ferguson said: " We´ve got to address the situation in terms of winning the European Cup. There´s no doubt about that."
Neil Custis, The Sun
Ruud: I´ll stay forever
Ruud van Nistelrooy has vowed to stay at Manchester United for the rest of his career - and keep serving up the silverware. The Dutch ace, who has hit 79 goals in 100 games, has been phenomenal since arriving at Old Trafford for £19million two seasons ago. But he sees his first Championship medal as just the start and has already set himself a new goals target of 150 as he prepares to go for more glory. The Van Man said: " I can see myself staying here for the rest of my career. I want to win everything possible and make history with United. And what I really want is to get at least 150 goals - or more. For a foreign player to score that many times for Manchester United would be a truly remarkable achievement."
Neil Custis, The Sun
Wenger: We´re a better team than United
Arsene Wenger last night insisted Arsenal are still a better team than Manchester United - even after throwing away the Premiership title at Highbury yesterday. Sir Alex Ferguson´s United heroes clinched their eighth championship in 11 years after Arsenal crashed to a shock home defeat which ensured Leeds´ Premiership survival. But Arsenal boss Wenger claimed United only won the title because Arsenal tossed it away. He said: " I´m bitterly disappointed. When you look at the whole season, taking in the FA Cup and Champions League, we are certainly the best team. United, though, found their form just at the right time during the title run-in. Are United worthy? I don´t know. I don´t think Manchester United were flying. They were consistent. Their last two games, for instance, were quite easy. We had Bolton and Leeds, who were both fighting for survival."
Sports staff, Daily Mirror
This is the sweetest title yet
Sir Alex Ferguson last night hailed his Manchester United " heroes" for their dramatic Premiership triumph over Arsenal - then challenged his players to recapture the European Cup. Arsenal´s 3-2 defeat to Leeds at Highbury handed United their eighth Premiership title in 11 years. But amid all the euphoria of United´s triumph, Fergie focused his attention on the next challenge and said: " This is our greatest achievement but now we have to get the big one again. By that I mean the European Cup. Winning it twice is not enough for a club of this size. We´re not far away, believe me. We want it again and going out to Real Madrid has only made us more determined to be European champions again."
Sports staff, Daily Mirror
Fergie won the title on February 22
The championship formalities were completed in a melancholy cocktail of sunshine and tears at Highbury yesterday afternoon. But the fourth Premiership title of the 21st century was not lost when Arsenal succumbed to the relegation desperation of Leeds United in north London. It was decided instead on an outwardly innocuous winter´s day in the north west of England. It was just after three o´clock in the afternoon on February 22 when Sir Alex Ferguson and his team climbed disconsolately back on board their coach. They had just scraped a 1-1 draw against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium in their midday kick-off match courtesy of a late, late equaliser from Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. Twenty miles away at Maine Road, the Gunners had already raced into a four-goal first-half lead against Manchester City. The United players are not a defeatist bunch but as they began to file off the coach there was a general acknowledgement that the title may have slipped out of their grasp. But as the United players were wandering to their cars, Ferguson yelled out that he would be holding a special team meeting on Monday. Ferguson´s stirring address was a call to arms. It was then that he first promised them this would be their greatest-ever championship triumph. He urged them to wage a psychological war on their bitter rivals. " This will be your finest championship victory and your greatest achievement," he told them, " because you will have had to come from behind to do it. I want you to go out and get at Arsenal and I don´t just mean on the pitch but in everything you say and do. Put pressure on them and they will crack."
Oliver Holt, Daily Mirror
We did it my way
Sir Alex Ferguson last night hailed Manchester United´s eighth Premiership title in 11 seasons as " our greatest achievement". United reclaimed the domestic crown from Arsenal yesterday when the Gunners slumped to a 3-2 defeat by Leeds at Highbury. Fergie was celebrating his grandson´s birthday when United were crowned champions and only heard when he turned his mobile phone on just after 6pm and received the triumphant news from a friend. The delighted United boss said: " This is fantastic and it´s our greatest achievement because we were pushing a terrific side. I put my phone on at 6pm and a friend of mine rang to say Leeds had scored a third, but there were five minutes of added time. So I turned my phone off again and then heard the news when I put my phone on again. It´s an unbelievable feeling - the best in the world. We showed great perseverance, determination and ability when it mattered. We never gave up and that is what has ultimately won us the title."
David McDonnell, Daily Mirror
A title lost by Arsenal and won by United
Manchester United deserve huge credit for winning the Premiership title - but Arsene Wenger knows that Arsenal have thrown it away. United have strung together a phenomenal run, and since their Boxing Day defeat at Middlesbrough they have won 16 and drawn only three of their 19 games. That is a remarkable feat and any team which puts together that sort of run deserves to win the title. But the fact remains that when United lost the Worthington Cup final to Liverpool, Arsenal were eight points clear and it is the Gunners´ own fault for blowing what looked to be an unassailable lead. Arsenal have thrown away the title as much as United have won it. Put simply, Arsenal have failed to show the same resilience and determination that United achieved during the second half of the season.
Mark Lawrenson, Daily Mirror
Lifer - Fergie reward is a 4-year deal worth £12m
Sir Alex Ferguson will be offered a new £3million-a-year deal after guiding Manchester United to their eighth Premiership title. The victorious boss will be told by the Old Trafford board that he can stay in charge as long as he wants following his latest and most dramatic Premiership success.
David McDonnell, Daily Mirror
Sir Alex is the best says George
Manchester United legend George Best last night hailed Sir Alex Ferguson as the greatest manager of all time after seeing the Old Trafford club clinch their eighth Premiership title. Fergie has now won 27 major honours in his career and Best, who helped Matt Busby´s team of stars land the European Cup in 1968, reckons that Ferguson is now untouchable as Britain´s top manager. Best said: " You just can´t comprehend what Sir Alex has done for United in his time at Old Trafford. As a manager, he is now arguably the greatest of all time. He just lives for football and he has an incredible will to win. It´s all well and good having big money to spend on players, but it´s how you spend it that matters and you can´t beat Fergie´s record. Money alone can´t buy you success and Sir Alex has the same philosophy as Sir Matt Busby when it comes to bringing young players through. United have won the FA Youth Cup again this season and Sir Matt used to enjoy that as much as anything else. I´m sure Fergie is the same."
Lee Reynolds, Daily Mirror
Becks hails record-breaker Rio
David Beckham has paid tribute to Rio Ferdinand for the part the world´s most-expensive defender played in Manchester United´s title triumph. Sir Alex Ferguson broke his own British transfer record last summer when United spend a record £30million to bring Ferdinand to Old Trafford from Leeds. " We didn´t really have a settled side to begin with, especially in defence. Rio came in and played well in his first few games then got injured. But now I think he´s proved it was money well spent."
Sports staff, Daily Mirror
