United crowned as Gunners lose

LONDON: Manchester United won their eighth Premier League football title in 11 years yesterday after Arsenal were beaten by Leeds 3-2. Mark Viduka scored the winner in the 88th minute.

United, who didn’t play yesterday, have an unassailable eight-point lead over the Gunners with one week remaining in the season. Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson, in charge of the club since 1986, had previously said that winning the league this season would be his greatest ever achievement. The Red Devils won the first Premier League title in 1993. The only clubs to have taken the title off them are Blackburn (1995) and Arsenal (1998, 2002). Arsenal had been attempting to be the first team to successfully defend the league and FA Cup.     The misfiring Gunners had an eight-point lead over United two months ago with a match in hand, but have since struggled for consistency.

Meanwhile, United closed the gap and overtook Arsenal by winning eight of their nine previous matches. Arsenal needed to beat Leeds, Southampton on Wednesday and Sunderland on the final day of the season on May 11 for a chance at the title. On Saturday, United beat Charlton 4-1 with a hat-trick from Ruud van Nistelrooy. Their final match is against Everton at Goodison Park next Sunday. At Highbury, Harry Kewell gave Leeds the lead with an impressive fifth-minute goal against the run of play. Under pressure from two Arsenal defenders, the Australian collected a through ball on the right and headed it down for a long-range half volley that Arsenal goalkeeper David Seaman couldn’t reach.

Seconds earlier, Gilberto had hit the bar with a header from a Robert Pires corner. Kewell nearly scored a second in the 12th minute. He took the ball down the left, but Seaman ran out, prompting Kewell to run around and shoot into the side netting. Thierry Henry equalised in the 30th minute, heading on a rebound after Leeds ‘keeper Paul Robinson parried a long-range Ray Parlour shot. Minutes later, Leeds defender Michael Duberry kicked a Parlour shot off the line. Soon after Sylvain Wiltord had a goal called back for offside. Three minutes into the second half, Ian Harte put Leeds in front with a freekick, which was helped on its way by a deflection off the head of Arsenal defender Ashley Cole. Dennis Bergkamp equalised in the 63rd minute, his first goal at Highbury this season. In a crowded penalty box, Pires crossed to Bergkamp, who volleyed the ball in.

Viduka scored the winner in the 88th minute, which television replays suggested was off-side. Leeds’ win also kept the side away from the relegation zone. They now have 44 points, three more than Bolton and West Ham, the two candidates for the final relegation spot after Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion. West Ham’s fight to avoid relegation was boosted with a 1-0 win over Chelsea at Upton Park on Saturday. Paolo di Canio came on as a second-half substitute to score the winner. But Bolton played a 0-0 draw with Southampton to keep West Ham in the relegation zone. On the final day of the season, Bolton host Middlesbrough and West Ham go to Birmingham.