MAN UNITED 0, ARSENAL 0

EIGHTEEN times and that's a fact!" they roared in triumph, in celebration and of course in joyful retaliation at Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez.

Hardly surprising given the hatred between the two clubs and with the Spaniard still moaning about how unfair it all was on the eve of Manchester United's latest triumph.

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But the simple and unpalatable truth for poor Rafa is that United now share the record of 18 titles with their arch-rivals from Anfield and, more importantly, boast 11 Premier League crowns to Liverpool's . . . er . . . none.

Click here for pictures from every game of Manchester United's glory season

Man United v Arsenal: Click here for all the pictures from the title crunch at Old Trafford

Click here to see pictures from all Alex Ferguson's Manchester United Premier League title triumphs

Yes, the Merseysiders made a valiant effort to take on Alex Ferguson this season but, like Chelsea and Arsenal, they were again left labelled as the nearly men of English football.

It is another season without a trophy for the Kop, while United march on to Rome aiming to capture yet more glory by retaining their Champions League crown.

They will have to play better than this to beat Barcelona - but we all know United can play much better than this.

So while May 16 will go down as the day the title was won - their third in a row - it certainly was not the expected demonstration of why United had again proved themselves better than all the rest.

This was a pedestrian goalless draw bereft of United's customary verve and vivacity and without a single shot to test Arsenal's stand-in keeper Lukasz Fabianski.

The league was won courtesy of an impressive 27 wins in 37 games, with just six draws and only four defeats over the last nine months of battle.

That is a remarkable achievement in anybody's book - unless, of course, you're called Benitez. It was just a shame they could only limp over the winning line at the end.

United started slowly and never improved. Early on, Wayne Rooney tried a long-range effort rather than roll the ball into the box for the unmarked Carlos Tevez.

I'VE DONE IT AGAIN- Fergie celebrates

And the little Argentinian was quick to show he was far from impressed with Wazza's waste of a great opportunity. Next it was Ronaldo who got carried away by the occasion. He took showboating to new heights, or depths, with a blur of stepovers in the box.

It was like watching that scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark when Indiana Jones comes face to face with a dazzling swordsman showing off his lethal skills. Indy pulls out a gun and shoots him.

Arsenal's response to Ronaldo was almost as deadly. They descended on him in numbers, nicked the ball away and counter-attacked.

Captain Cesc Fabregas swept the Gunners forward, Andrey Arshavin crossed from the right but Robin van Persie somehow contrived to miss a free header.

United continued to over-complicate and under-perform. Rooney headed way off target and a mood of anti-climax began to descend on the Theatre of Dreams.

ROO BEAUTY - Wayne Rooney battles with Sangna

United were definitely sleepy - maybe lulled into a sense of false security by their recent Champions League drubbing of the Gunners. And "safe" in the knowledge that only a draw would do.

To be fair, Arsenal hardly looked capable of breaking the deadlock. But United were still living dangerously. Mind you, Van Persie was hugely optimistic when he went down in the area after getting a nudge in the back from Nemanja Vidic.

A penalty at Old Trafford in front of the Stretford End on this day of all days! Not a chance. There was almost a penalty at the other end, though, with Alex Song bizarrely 'diving' on the ball in his own box seeking a foul that never was. At the last moment, he held back from the ultimate folly of grabbing the ball.

CHAMPAGNE MOMENT - Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs and Cristiano Ronaldo

Ryan Giggs flashed a free-kick over the top and even Fergie had his head in his hands when his skipper wasted another effort four minutes before the break. United were still sluggish after the interval. In fact, the start of the second half was dominated by a vendetta between Patrice Evra and anyone in an Arsenal shirt.

The Frenchman was the one who labelled the Champions League clash with the Gunners as "men against babies".

The babies were clearly seeking revenge. Fabregas was first into the fray picking up his seventh booking of the season.

TROPHY TIME - Sir Alex Ferguson

Then Van Persie, cautioned in the first half for a foul on Ronaldo, had a dig and escaped with a lecture from Mike Dean. Sami Nasri was not so fortunate when he tangled with Evra, although his yellow card was harsh.

United remained distracted and even Arsenal full-back Kieran Gibbs was allowed to drill a shot into the side netting.

Then, on the hour, Tevez was denied only by a bold sliding tackle from Fabianski. Still the danger was not over - but Ronaldo slashed his shot high, wide and handsome.

Old Trafford was finally full-throated six minutes later - not in joy and celebration but in disdain and disapproval at the substitution of Tevez. First, there was a burst of boos and then a standing ovation for the departing hero.

"Fergie, Fergie sign him up," they bellowed. And when Old Trafford sang "Tevez, Tevez give us a wave" he was up in a flash with a big grin and a huge wave.

We all wondered whether this was his last bow in a red shirt at Old Trafford. The same could be said of Ronaldo who, late on, wasted another free-kick.

It was Arsenal who finished the stronger - Fabregas hit a United post and Van Persie was denied by Van der Sar as the match fizzled out.

The huge roar at the end was partly one of relief on the day but mainly in celebration for a season when United have again proved themselves as the best in the business.

Well done Fergie, well done United - now for Barca.

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