Manchester united in joy and sorrow

The football season was always going to end yesterday in tears of both joy and sorrow, but the great sporting city of Manchester could hardly have experienced such a day of mixed emotions in its history.

While the red half of the city celebrated Manchester United's third Premiership title in four years, those of the light blue persuasion despaired as Manchester City were relegated.

United went into the final day as clear favourites to win the championship and they did so in the style the country had come to expect of them.

A 3-0 victory at Middlesbrough meant that the title was theirs, no matter what the result a few miles up the road at Newcastle United. In the end Newcastle, who at one stage this year were 12 points clear at the top of the Premiership table, could not even muster the win that was their only hope, drawing 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur.

As if Newcastle's misery was not enough, one of United's goals was scored by Andy Cole, a former Tyneside hero.

City have been the second team in Manchester for longer than their fans care to remember and yesterday they suffered the ultimate humiliation. Despite recovering from a 2-0 deficit at half-time, a 2-2 draw at home to Liverpool was not enough to save them from relegation to the First Division.

Southampton, Coventry City and Sheffield Wednesday, who had been the other candidates for the drop, all drew and lived to fight another Premiership day.

Sport, Section Two