London, May 9: Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has rewarded fans with an extravagant bow as they roared out their delight at seeing their club beat Chelsea to wrap up a record 19th title.

The points table will show they still need a point against either Blackburn or Blackpool to make certain of the championship, but everyone in football knows this was the day the Premier League title was won.

The 2-1 win at Old Trafford gives United a six-point lead in the race to win the Premier League.

"That was for the crowd. We needed them today and they were magnificent. There were a lot of poor souls in the stands, biting their fingernails and in danger of having a heart attack. I should know - I was one of them," The Sun quoted Ferguson, as saying.

"We'll be giving every respect to Blackburn and Blackpool as we always respect the opposition. But if you had said to me at the start of the season we''d need one point from our final home game I''d have snapped your hand off," he said.

Ferguson admitted his team had almost allowed Chelsea a way back after pulverising them for most of the game.

"We do it all the time - take it to the very wire. When we gave the ball away for their goal, of course there were a few nerves. But the fans helped us. And we kept making chances and we could have scored six in the second half. Wayne Rooney could have scored six himself," Ferguson said. (ANI)