LONDON: Manchester United wrapped up a record 19th English league title on Saturday after drawing with Blackburn. Here we take a month-by-month look at how the battle for the Premier League unfolded:
August
Chelsea set the early pace as Carlo Ancelotti's side start their title defence with successive 6-0 demolitions of West Brom and Wigan, while Arsenal take seven points from nine and thrash Blackpool 6-0.
United begin with a sign of things to come as a pair of 3-0 wins against Newcastle and West Ham at Old Trafford sandwich a 2-2 draw at Fulham that underlines their deficiencies away from home.
September
Mixed fortunes for United as Everton score twice in stoppage time to rescue a dramatic 3-3 draw at Goodison Park. A Dimitar Berbatov hat-trick sinks Liverpool 3-2 but Sir Alex Ferguson's men are held to a 2-2 draw at Bolton.
After brushing aside West Ham and Blackpool, Chelsea stumble for the first time as Carlos Tevez gives Manchester City a 1-0 win at Eastlands. Arsenal's defensive fragility begins to cost them when West Brom win 3-2 at the Emirates Stadium.
October
West Brom earn a 2-2 draw at Old Trafford after a costly mistake from Edwin Van der Sar, but United finish the month with a stroke of luck as Nani's controversial goal inspired a 2-0 win over Tottenham.
Despite that fortunate victory, United still trail Chelsea by five points as the Blues defeat Arsenal 2-0 thanks to goals from Didier Drogba and Alex and also come from behind to beat Blackburn 2-1.
November
Chelsea's season goes into meltdown as Fernando Torres scores twice to give Liverpool a 2-0 win at Anfield and assistant coach Ray Wilkins is sacked four days later. With Wilkins gone, the injury-hit champions then lose 3-0 to Sunderland and 1-0 at Birmingham.
That miserable run allows United to move into pole position after Dimitar Berbatov's five-goal haul puts Blackburn to the sword in a 7-1 drubbing at Old Trafford. Arsenal's resilience is questioned again as they blow a two-goal lead in a 3-2 defeat at home to arch rivals Tottenham.
December
It's tight at the top heading into the New Year. After Park Ji-Sung seals a 1-0 win over Arsenal at Old Trafford, United finish the year on top - ahead of Manchester City on goal difference - after conceding a last minute equaliser in their final game of 2010 at Birmingham.
Arsenal bounce back from the United loss by finally beating Chelsea - 3-1 at the Emirates - but they are two points behind in third, while Chelsea slip to fourth after squandering more points in draws with Everton and Spurs.
January
Arsenal enjoy a purple match with three wins from four games and no goals conceded, but United maintain an equally fast pace with four wins including a come-from-behind 3-2 success at Blackpool.
Chelsea's fortunes show no signs of improving as they concede a stoppage time equaliser in a 3-3 draw against Aston Villa and then lose 1-0 at Wolves to fall seven points behind United by the end of the month.
February
After losing their 29-match unbeaten run in the league after a shock 2-1 loss at Wolves, United recover to beat Manchester City 2-1 thanks to Wayne Rooney's stunning bicycle kick.
Fernando Torres fails to revitalise Chelsea as his debut following his British record #50 million move from Liverpool ends in a 1-0 home defeat against his old club.
Arsenal allow Newcastle to come from 4-0 down in a thrilling 4-4 draw at St James' Park but finish the month just one point behind United after wins over Wolves and Stoke.
March
Sir Alex Ferguson launches a verbal assault on referee Martin Atkinson for some dubious decisions in United's 2-1 defeat at Chelsea and his mood isn't improved as the leaders crash at Liverpool in their following fixture.
The Blues were 15 points behind United before that match but finish the month within nine points after beating Manchester City 2-0, while Arsenal start to implode with lacklustre draws against Sunderland and West Brom.
April
Inspired by Wayne Rooney's hat-trick, United fight-back from 2-0 down to beat West Ham 4-2 but the England forward's televised F-word rant takes the gloss off the victory and Ferguson's side then drop points in a 0-0 draw at Newcastle.
Chelsea are on the charge as five consecutive wins - including a controversial 2-1 victory over Tottenham that featured a Frank Lampard goal that didn't cross the line - close the gap on United to three points. In contrast, Arsenal have faded after costly draws with Liverpool and Tottenham are followed by defeat at Bolton.
May
Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey blows the title race wide open as his goal clinches a 1-0 win over United at the Emirates.
But United slam the door shut on their rivals a week later as Javier Hernandez and Nemanja Vidic score in a 2-1 win over Chelsea at Old Trafford, while Arsenal lose 3-1 at Stoke.
United need just one point to seal a record 19th title and they get it thanks to Wayne Rooney's penalty equaliser in a 1-1 draw at Blackburn.
Five moments that won the title for United
KEY MOMENTS
Park guns down Arsenal
December 13
United put a significant dent in Arsenal's title challenge as Park Ji-Sung's first half strike sealed a 1-0 win at Old Trafford that moved Sir Alex Ferguson's side above the Gunners into first place.
The South Korean midfielder scored with a looping header from Nani's deflected cross in the 41st minute and United could even afford to laugh off Wayne Rooney's penalty miss in the second half as Arsene Wenger's team paid the price for a timid display.
Blackpool rocked by brilliant Berbatov
January 25
Trailing to first half goals from Craig Cathcart and DJ Campbell, United's trip to the seaside was in danger of becoming a damp squib until Dimitar Berbatov sparked a stunning fightback that rocked Blackpool in the final 18 minutes.
Berbatov has blown hot and cold this season but he found his form just in time at Bloomfield Road as he struck in the 72nd minute and, after Javier Hernandez equalised two minutes later, the Bulgarian forward then hit the winner with two minutes remaining to extend United's unbeaten league run to 23 matches.
Rooney's acrobatics shatter City
February 12
After spending much of the season lost in a fog of poor form and personal problems, Wayne Rooney produced a moment of sheer genius to banish the ill-feeling that lingered after his attempt to engineer a move away from Old Trafford.
With United still reeling from the previous week's surprise defeat at Wolves and frustrated by David Silva's second half equaliser for Manchester City, Rooney found the perfect way to get the fans back onside with a stunning bicycle kick that settled a hard-fought derby in the 78th minute.
Rooney's late surge nails Hammers
April 2
A pair of penalties from Mark Noble had left United on the brink of a shock defeat against struggling West Ham at Upton Park, but Wayne Rooney saved the day as he stole the headlines with a hat-trick followed by an infamous F-word rant.
Rooney staged a one-man rescue act as the striker curled in a superb free-kick in the 65th minute then equalised with a perfectly-placed shot eight minutes later. His 79th minute penalty put United in front and prompted a verbal blast to a television camera - eventually punished with a two-match ban - before Javier Hernandez's late strike sealed the points.
Quick-fire Hernandez stuns Chelsea
May 8
Javier Hernandez took just 36 seconds to deliver a hammer blow to Chelsea's late charge as the Mexican's dream debut season reached a new high.
The title was on the line when second placed Chelsea came to Old Trafford trailing United by just three points, but Hernandez shattered the Blues when he surged onto Park Ji-Sung's pass and slotted home moments after kick-off.
Nemanja Vidic's 23rd minute header put United in total control and Frank Lampard's goal wasn't enough to deny United as Sir Alex Ferguson bowed extravagantly towards the Stretford End in celebration of what was effectively a title-winning result.