Man Utd Need Champions Nerve

It is 'squeaky bum time' and no mistake.

As Sir Alex Ferguson predicted on Friday, plenty of drama lay ahead before the spoils can be claimed. He presumably did not want his team to provide it.

The unquantifiable part of professional sport. That aspect which separates champions from also-rans. That ensures Manchester United still head the championship chase whilst Arsenal need to rely on others.

Nerve, bottle, mental toughness. Call it what you will.

At Old Trafford next Sunday, we shall discover who has the most. The answer will do much to determine whether United claim a record 19th crown or Chelsea retain it.

Aaron Ramsey's 56th-minute goal settled a frenzy in north London. But the bigger picture is all about United and Chelsea, and why Arsenal continue to be shoved to the fringes.

Arsenal's supporters made it clear from the first whistle that victory, if not quite making up for the calamitous form over the past two months that has cost them all but the remotest hope of silverware, would at least allow them to feel good about themselves again.

Let us recap. When they awoke on Sunday, February 27, the Gunners were dreaming of the Quadruple.

Since they took the field later that day to face Birmingham in the Carling Cup final, they had won two out of 11 matches, been eliminated from all three knock-out competitions and are still so far distant in the league given the time remaining, they have virtually disappeared from view.

In contrast, United, who lost at Chelsea and Liverpool immediately after that Gunners' D-day, had responded with eight wins, one draw and a single defeat until they tripped up at the Emirates today.

They require five points from three games - providing the first of them comes next weekend - to clinch the championship and know they only need to avoid a three-goal defeat to Schalke at Old Trafford on Wednesday to reach their third Champions League final in four years.

That Arsene Wenger has amassed a group of good players is beyond doubt. They proved it again in this fully deserved triumph.

So, what is the difference?

Though Wenger continues to insist Cesc Fabregas, absent today, was misquoted, part of his recent damning interview struck a very delicate chord.

"You enjoy yourself, during a phase of the championship - like this year, for example, when we were still in four different competitions. And you say to yourself 'Here I have everything!' But then that final point is missing and it's then when you have to make a decision: either go out and win or develop players."

Experience brings the added extra. Like Nemanja Vidic getting his body in the way of a dangerous Jack Wilshere burst that sends the Arsenal man tumbling on the edge of the area without getting a free-kick.

The refusal to panic or do anything silly when Arsenal were dominating and threatening menace with every attack.

Even the 'professionalism' or cheating, whichever you prefer, of Vidic flicking Theo Walcott's cross away from Robin van Persie with his hand, which would surely have brought a penalty to the hosts and a red card for the United skipper.

In his ivory tower in Zurich, FIFA president Sepp Blatter must have loved that.

Coupled with Chelsea's 'goal that never was' at Stamford Bridge last night, Blatter has concrete proof that refereeing errors harm the game's credibility.

The point is that the Premier League's youngest side of the season - 23 years and 296 days on average - would have required the intervention of Chris Foy to provide Edwin van der Sar with his first shot to save, which is not what champion sides should require when they are at home and dominant.

Eventually, the breakthrough came. For the first time United faltered.

Adjusting in central midfield following the withdrawal of Anderson, Park Ji-sung failed to track Aaron Ramsey's forward burst and were unable to prevent the 20-year-old finding the bottom corner.

It was only to be expected the visitors would respond with vigour, just as, after what he had failed to give before, referee Chris Foy would ignore Michael Owen's penalty claim.

The cheers at the final whistle did not just come from this part of London.

But Arsenal's sobering realisation is that next Sunday at Old Trafford, only United have a chance to silence them.