Football: how Manchester United won the Premier League

Manchester United captain Gary Neville raises the Premier League trophy. United equalled Liverpool's record of 18 titles courtesy of a 0-0 draw with Arsenal at a packed Old Trafford, after an epic season ... Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

28 July 2008 Liverpool sign Spurs captain Robbie Keane in an ill-fated move. The Reds fail to sign Gareth Barry, causing civil war at Anfield between Rafael Benítez and the club's owners Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

17 August 2008 Aston Villa 4-2 Manchester City. An opening-day hat-trick from Gabriel Agbonlahor suggests Martin O'Neill's side have come of age and could present a real threat this season Photograph: Ian Kington/AFP/Getty Images

23 August 2008 Fulham 1-0 Arsenal. Brede Hangeland's prodded finish condemns the Gunners to a defeat in only their second game of the season - a sign of things to come for Arsène Wenger Photograph: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images

23 August 2008 Liverpool 2-1 Middlesbrough. A late Emmanuel Pogatetz own goal and Steven Gerrard's winner show that Liverpool are made of stern stuff this season; but also betray the Red's reliance on their talisman yet again Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

1 September 2008 Dimitar Berbatov signs for Manchester United on transfer deadline day for £30.75m. More importantly, the world player of the year, Cristiano Ronaldo, does not move to Real Madrid Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

13 September 2008 Liverpool 2-1 United. Liverpool mark themselves as contenders with a win over the champions after Javier Mascherano's midfield harrying led to Ryan Babel's winner Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

27 September 2008 Arsenal 1-2 Hull. Geovanni's 30-yard bullet and Daniel Cousin's header inflict Arsenal's second defeat with only a month of the season gone, throwing serious doubts over their title challenge Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images

27 September 2008 United 2-0 Bolton. United struggle until referee Rob Styles awards a penalty for Jlloyd Samuel's tackle on Ronaldo. The Bolton defender clearly took the ball, but Ronaldo converts the spot-kick Photograph: Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

5 October 2008 Chelsea 2-0 Aston Villa. A masterful Blues display is heralded as one the greatest performances ever seen by some Match of the Day pundits. The team is playing brilliantly under the new manager, Luiz Felipe Scolari Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

5 October 2008 Manchester City 2-3 Liverpool. Dirk Kuyt scores an injury-time winner after two Fernando Torres goals help Liverpool come from 2-0 down at Eastlands Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

26 October 2008 Chelsea 0-1 Liverpool. Xabi Alonso's deflected drive ends Chelsea's four-and-a-half-year, 86-game unbeaten run at Stamford Bridge and abruptly finishes Scolari's honeymoon period at Chelsea Photograph: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

15 November 2008 Arsenal 0-2 Aston Villa. Martin O'Neill's side emerge as title contenders thanks to the pace of Agbonlahor and Ashley Young, while Arsenal are faced with a battle just for a Champions League place Photograph: Stu Forster/Getty Images

30 November 2008 Chelsea 1-2 Arsenal. Chelsea lose at home against another of their title rivals. Robin van Persie scores twice to start a run of only one win in four games at Stamford Bridge for the Blues Photograph: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

7 December 2008 Everton 2-3 Aston Villa. Joleon Lescott equalises after three minutes of injury time for Everton but Ashley Young skins his man and slots in the winner from the very next attack - Villa are on the charge Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images

21 December 2008 Arsenal 1-1 Liverpool. Robbie Keane's rocket rescues the Reds but the result means a fourth draw in five games, during which Torres appears only once due to a hamstring injury Photograph: Clive Mason/Getty Images

21 December 2008 Cesc Fábregas ruptures knee ligaments, limps off at the Emirates and is ruled out for four months. Any realistic hope Arsenal have of the chanpionship probably disappears down the tunnel with him Photograph: Stephen Pond/EMPICS Sport

26 December 2008 Stoke 0-1 United. Carlos Tevez's late winner helps United avoid a potential banana skin as they win their first game after returning from winning the World Club Championship in Japan. None of the other members of the Big Four won during United's trip Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

9 January 2009 With Liverpool top of the league, Benítez says Sir Alex Ferguson is 'nervous' and 'scared'. Benítez's mind games backfire as Liverpool win just two of their next seven Premier League games Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

10 January 2009 Stoke 0-0 Liverpool. Another 0-0 draw for Liverpool reveals an old failing of dropping crucial points against weaker sides. Liverpool's goalless games this season come against Villa, Stoke (twice), Fulham and West Ham Photograph: Carl De Souza/AFP/Getty Images

11 January 2009 United 3-0 Chelsea. Ryan Giggs masterminds an emphatic against one of United's main rivals and effectively seals with one performance the PFA Player of the Year award Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

16 January 2009 Benítez reveals that he has not signed a new contract after a dispute over transfer policy, overshadowing the club's campaign. Once Benítez signs an extension in March, Liverpool go unbeaten Photograph: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images

17 January 2009 Bolton 0-1 United. Another 1-0 win for United - they managed nine in the season - sealed by Berbatov's last-minute strike Photograph: Hamish Blair/Getty Images

1 February 2009 Liverpool 2-0 Chelsea. Torres scores two goals in the last two minutes after Frank Lampard is controversially sent off. Scolari is sacked the following week after a goalless draw against Hull at Stamford Bridge Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

11 February 2009 Guus Hiddink arrives as Chelsea's caretaker boss and wins his first game in charge, 1-0 at Villa Park, reigniting Chelsea's season and starting a downward spiral for Villa Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

18 February 2009 A 3-0 home win against Fulham completes United's 14th consecutive clean sheet, a new record. United win 12 of these games, a run that takes them five points clear at the top of the league Photograph: Phil Noble/Reuters

28 February 2009 Middlesbrough 2-0 Liverpool. With Liverpool chasing the game Benítez substitutes Gerrard in a mystifying move. Alonso's own goal and a Tuncay strike signifcantly dent Liverpool's hopes of winning the Premier League Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

1 March 2009 Aston Villa 2-2 Stoke City. Two Stoke goals in the last two minutes send the travelling fans wild and see Villa carelessly drop two points. The result comes amid a poor run for Villa of nine games without a win that ends their title challenge Photograph: Paul Gilham/Getty Images

14 March 2009 United 1-4 Liverpool. Torres and Gerrard give Nemanja Vidic the runaround before the defender is sent off for the second time this season against Liverpool. United lose again the following weekend at Fulham, giving Liverpool renewed optimism Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

21 March 2009 Tottenham 1-0 Chelsea. Hiddink's unbeaten run as Chelsea boss is ended by Luka Modric's strike, and the Blues all but surrender the title Photograph: Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

5 April 2009 United 3-2 Aston Villa. A star is born as Federico 'Kiko' Macheda leaves Facebook alone for the afternoon to come off the bench and curl in United's winner after three minutes of injury-time Photograph: Martin Rickett/Press Association Images

11 April 2009 Sunderland 1-2 United. Macheda does it again, the substitute coming on for the second time in a week to score the winning goal when United look like dropping points Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

21 April 2009 Liverpool 4-4 Arsenal. £15m signing Andrey Arshavin scores four at Anfield, the first opposition player to do so for 60 years. Yossi Benayoun's late equaliser leaves Liverpool level on points at the top but United have two games in hand Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

25 April 2009 United 5-2 Tottenham. United are two goals down at half-time but come back to score five after the break. United are inspired by Wayne Rooney - and Howard Webb's controversial penalty award for their first goal Photograph: Andrew Yates/AFP/Getty Images

13 May 2009 Wigan 1-2 United. Carlos Tevez proves his worth to the side as United come from behind to beat Wigan and move within a point of the title. Three days later the players finally got their hands on the trophy ... Photograph: Tom Jenkins/Guardian