Old Trafford may have hosted seven title celebrations in the past decade but none of them even faintly resembled this one, as Arsenal secured the double at the home of their fiercest rivals.

In one corner of the ground, the Arsenal players were dancing with joy in front of a seething mass of visiting fans having added the league title to their FA Cup success four days earlier.

In every other part of the stadium, however, United fans were heading to the exits, left to contemplate only their third trophy-less season in 13 years.

Whatever Sir Alex Ferguson may have intimated before, there can be no argument now.

He was the perfect loser, shaking hands with Arsene Wenger, but the better side had undoubtedly prevailed and that they did it with style and substance at Old Trafford only added insult to injury.

Even more worryingly for Ferguson, while Arsenal inflicted the wound to the heart, Liverpool stabbed them in the back at Anfield.

For their 4-3 win against Blackburn ensured that United could actually have to face the indignity of pre-qualifying for the Champions League as they now lie third in the table.

Proving that this title has been a squad success, it was Sylvain Wiltord who made light of injuries to Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp at Old Trafford by scoring the crucial goal on 57 minutes.

The Gunners may have moved to the brink of the title with pace and poise, but this was a true '1-0 to the Arsenal' display of grit, character and determination.

While United's leading scorer Ruud van Nistelrooy bizarrely stayed on the bench until the goal went in, his side were determined not to roll over without a fight.

Amid a ferocious first-half midfield battle of high intensity, the teams battled head to head like two heavyweight boxers but Arsenal were the more accomplished, combining panache with power.

In the second-half, however, there was only one side in it and United eventually caved in all too easily to their sixth home league defeat of the season.

The Premiership title was not actually awarded tonight, that awaits Arsenal at Highbury on Saturday, but it was scant consolation for the deposed champions.

There had been a cacophonous reception for both sides at Old Trafford in what Ferguson had billed as the biggest domestic game since Arsenal pick-pocketed the title at Anfield in 1989.

Roy Keane's angry call for his team-mates to "stand up and be counted" after being too easily knocked aside by Bayer Leverkusen had clearly been taken to heart, at least initially.

The United captain was like a man possessed, tackling any opponent that moved with a shuddering intensity, earning an early yellow card for a foul on Patrick Vieira.

His team-mates followed suit, effectively trying to rough up the visitors by knocking them out of their stride in a particularly feisty first-half, with Phil Neville and Paul Scholes also booked.

The problem was that Arsenal were equal to United's physical approach and with van Nistelrooy and Bergkamp on the bench, while Henry was absent, a touch of class was distinctly lacking.

While Argentina international Juan Sebastian Veron was certainly not shirking from the challenge, neither was Brazilian Edu, while Martin Keown, who had replaced Tony Adams, was in a similarly uncompromising mood.

Arsenal were immediately on the offensive, with Wiltord's volley being deflected wide but United started to impose themselves, with Scholes and Wes Brown both coming close.

David Seaman grasped one dead-ball effort from Veron, while two others struck the wall, and the Arsenal keeper similarly denied Keane's long-range volley.

Brooklyn Beckham had by now fallen asleep in his father's arms. The youngster was, however, the only one in the stadium not captivated by this high intensity encounter.

After the break, there was still perilously little space up front for either side to capitalise on, as Kanu was forced to take aim from long range and test out Fabien Barthez's handling.

Barthez's kicking was more of a problem as the Frenchman, who committed two howlers at Highbury earlier this season, misdirected a clearance straight to Wiltord but was saved by Brown's superb last-ditch challenge.

The reprieve was only temporary as, just minutes later, Ljungberg burst through United's flimsy defences and although Barthez blocked his shot, Wiltord was left unmarked to convert the rebound.

Van Nistelrooy finally arrived but the horse had metaphorically bolted. Frustration levels rose as United searched for a lifeline with increasing urgency but it was Arsenal who threatened on the break as Kanu shot just wide.

Indeed, this was one occasion that an amazing United recovery never materialised. But then this has been a season like few others for Ferguson's side.

He will want to forget it in a hurry, but there is the small matter of overtaking Liverpool to worry about. Arsenal, however, have no such worries.

Teams

Man Utd: Barthez, Phil Neville, Blanc, Brown, Silvestre, Scholes, Keane, Veron (van Nistelrooy 58), Giggs, Solskjaer, Forlan (Fortune 68).

Subs Not Used: Carroll, O'Shea, Wallwork.

Booked: Scholes, Phil Neville, Keane, Blanc.

Arsenal: Seaman, Lauren, Keown, Campbell, Cole, Ljungberg, Parlour, Vieira, Edu, Wiltord, Kanu (Dixon 89).

Subs Not Used: Jeffers, Bergkamp, Wright, Stepanovs.

Booked: Edu, Lauren.

Goals: Wiltord 57.

Att: 67,580

Ref: P Durkin (Dorset).