Everton 2 Manchester Utd 4:Manchester United have a mathematical chance of throwing away the title but they do not look like a side who are about to get their sums wrong. It has been an epic battle but the question now is of when, rather than if, the glory is confirmed.
The City of Manchester stadium on Saturday will do very nicely, although there would be something particularly sweet about reserving the big moment until the trip to Chelsea four days later. At the very latest the trophy should be in United's possession after West Ham's visit to Old Trafford on May 13th but Alex Ferguson's victory jig suggests they may not have to wait that long.
His demeanour when the final whistle shrilled, and the news came through that Bolton had plundered a point at Stamford Bridge, was of a tipsy uncle heading for the dance floor at a wedding.
The grand old master of English football, on the verge of his ninth championship in 14 years, forgets sometimes that he is now of OAP age but who can blame him when he is indulged with this near-unremitting excitement?
Even by United's extraordinary standards there has been something remarkable about the way they have flirted with danger and, at times on Saturday, teased us into thinking their title challenge was on the point of collapsing like a house of cards.
At two-nil down with half an hour to play, this was the moment when, to use Ferguson's own words, it was time "to show what Manchester United were all about".
Four goals billowed Everton's net at the Park End and, when the comeback was complete, the arithmetic was simple: three points at Manchester City on Saturday, followed by anything other than a Chelsea victory at Arsenal on Sunday and the first piece of the treble will be confirmed. The news for Chelsea is grim considering that City have not managed a league goal at home since New Year's Day. For City it is even grimmer.
United's goal difference is so immense they can even afford to drop five points in their remaining three games and it is here, undoubtedly, that the origins of this success story lie. When Chris Eagles, the young substitute, strode on to Wayne Rooney's pass and curled the ball beyond Everton's raw goalkeeper, Iain Turner, it was United's 82nd goal in 35 league games.
That is 20 better than Chelsea and, already, a more impressive tally than in all but one of Ferguson's previous eight championships. United now have 20 different scorers and have amassed 40 goals in 20 cup ties. Nobody can say they do not deserve to win this league. Nobody, that is, apart from Jose Mourinho, a man whose default setting appears to be conspiracy theory.
Mourinho's apparent belief that he is being assailed from all sides by all manner of devious plots will not have been quelled by the tragi-comedy that attached itself to Phil Neville's own-goal and, to precipitate the comeback, Turner's butterfingers when dropping the ball in front of John O'Shea.
The story was a familiar one as Rooney kicked into life, Ronaldo was brought off the bench, Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs took control in midfield and United oozed such authority it was easy to wonder how they had managed to find themselves two down in the first place.
"Torture" is the word Ferguson uses. "Why do my players insist on taking us to the edge so very often?"
But this is what United do: they make life difficult for themselves, offer their rivals hope, then react like no other team. Other teams would have lost their way once Manuel Fernandes had thumped the ball past Edwin van der Sar, doubling the lead from Alan Stubbs's deflected free-kick. But United never panicked, they had faith in one another to save themselves.
"The thing that always gives me hope is these players really want to win every game," said Ferguson. "They're all out to score, all the time. The momentum is with us now. When I see the camaraderie and the team spirit and the desire I can go to bed at night knowing I've got a good group of players."
David Moyes, the Everton manager, complained of his side's defending, and justifiably so. Tony Hibbert had to raise an apologetic arm after squandering possession in the build-up to Rooney making it 3-2 and Everton's was a very wonky offside trap when Eagles ran clear.
Milan will not be as generous when United take a 3-2 lead to San Siro for the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday. It is a match of utter unpredictability but that is the way United, champions-elect, like it. ... Guardian Service
