Roaring Forties

May 11 – It was a perfect ending for the 2007/2008 English Premier League season when Ryan Giggs befittingly scored the second goal which killed off Wigan’s resistance, handed the 10^th English Premier League title in 15 years to Manchester United and crushed Chelsea’s hopes, all at the same time. No one deserved the honour more than Giggs who had dedicated the last 17 years of his life for football at Old Trafford.

Manchester United has become one of the most disliked club because of their success. Die hard Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea fans would all wish for success for any teams other than Manchester United. Sour grapes fans would insist that the referee of the Wigan match, Steve Bennett handed the title to the Red Devils when he gave away a controversial penalty which Cristiano Ronaldo converted, failed to send off Paul Scholes in a bad challenge and denied Wigan a penalty when Rio Ferdinand appeared to have deflected the ball with his upper arm.

Come on! Get real. The decisions may have been disputable but Manchester United won the championship fair and square. Giggs’ goal was undisputable and the way Manchester United played throughout the season proved that they are the deserving champions.

Manchester United

Accumulated more points than any other team – total 87 points

• 2 points more than Chelsea
• 4 points more than Arsenal
• 11 points more than Liverpool

Scored more goals than any other teams - total 80 goals

• 6 goals more than Arsenal
• 13 goals more than Liverpool
• 15 goals more than Chelsea

Conceded the least goals – only 22 goals

• 4 goals less than Chelsea
• 6 goals less than Liverpool
• 9 goals less than Arsenal

Won more games than any other teams – total 27 games

• 2 games more than Chelsea
• 3 games more than Arsenal
• 6 games more than Liverpool

Manchester United has proven without a single doubt that they were better than any of the three pretenders.

10 championship titles in 16 years. Now that is something that separates the real champions from the pretenders.