Reds On Brink of 19

Manchester United celebrated like champions at Old Trafford after a 36-second opener from Javier Hernandez and a Nemanja Vidic header took them to the brink of a record 19th league title with a 2-1 win over Chelsea. One point from the final two games against relegation-threatened Blackburn next Saturday and Blackpool on the final day of the season will be enough to seal a championship which will take them past the mark Liverpool have been on for so long.

Sir Alex Ferguson felt victory over closest rivals Chelsea was worthy of a couple of bows to the Stretford End as he knows, as do all United's rivals, the prospect of them not getting over the line now is unthinkable. Built up as the title decider for a week, so important Ferguson selected a shadow side for a Champions League semi-final, these matches are so often a disappointment. Not this one. Not when United were ahead so quickly. Carlo Ancelotti must have been devastated to concede quite so simply so early in the game. Ryan Giggs began the move, stroking a short pass forward for Park Ji-sung, who turned out to be one of United's most effective players.

The South Korean knew Hernandez would be right on the shoulder of the last defender. He could not legislate for that defender failing to cut out the pass. Ancelotti made his feelings known about that in the aftermath as he berated David Luiz from the touchline. Hernandez was not hanging about to consider it, darting forward before burying his 20th goal of the season into the bottom corner. Old Trafford erupted and then watched spellbound as their team produced an awesome display of attacking power. Wayne Rooney was agonisingly close on two occasions, Hernandez should have tucked home Park's far-post cross despite Luiz's touch. Park himself brought an excellent save from Petr Cech.

From the latter effort United gained the corner that brought their second as first Salomon Kalou, then Branislav Ivanovic fell asleep. Kalou's crime was to allow Park to race past him and play a short corner with Giggs. The Ivorian was then beaten too easily as Giggs nipped to the byline before dropping a cross into the heart of Chelsea's box where Vidic strode past fellow Serb Ivanovic and powered home from close range. Chelsea did create opportunities themselves. Edwin van der Sar made an excellent save to repel Kalou and Didier Drogba went close on a couple of occasions.