IT WAS in the moments after Cristiano Ronaldo had thumped his penalty into Jens Lehmann's net that we saw the collective will that, in all probability, will make Manchester United worthy champions.
This was no time for fancy, look-at-me knee-slides, or Cantona-esque posturing. Wayne Rooney went to collect the ball and then every player in red turned and sprinted en masse back to their own half. Rio Ferdinand could be seen pumping his fists, adrenaline surging through his body, screaming at his colleagues to get back in position.
After that dramatic little scene there was a sense of inevitability about what was to follow. Even though Arsenal continued to work their elaborate little triangles and Alex Ferguson admitted that, on the balance of play, Arsene Wenger's players had legitimate grounds to feel they deserved something from the game, it had become a question of United's ability to hold their nerve when the heat of the pressure was rising dangerously close to intolerable.
A lesser team would have wilted but United have a fine understanding of the character that is needed to win the Premier League. Ferguson has not just assembled a pack of gifted footballers, he has brought together men of substance - strong-minded individuals who are willing to take responsibility when it matters and who, if things are not going particularly well, have the gumption to do something about it.
Ronaldo's penalty was a case in point. His 38th goal of a silver-lined season may not be remembered as one of the more eye-catching moments. Yet he needed the nerve of a bomb-disposal expert to stick the ball past Lehmann after his first effort had been disallowed because of Park Ji-sung's encroachment. Ronaldo buried his shot as if he affronted that anyone could even doubt him.
"What pressure," Ferguson exclaimed afterwards, blowing out his cheeks in admiration. "And what a fantastic penalty. The courage, the ability . . . it was only, what, six inches inside the post? Lehmann guessed the right way. But no goalkeeper in the world could have got to that. Marvellous strike."
Ferguson used the word "torture" to describe the different emotions to which he was subjected. He was also unhappy about the way his team distributed the ball, particularly in the first half, and he had some generous words for Wenger after the game.
Perhaps it was true, as well, that Arsenal were the better passing side. Yet it needs other qualities to win football matches sometimes and United possess these in abundance: maturity, perseverance,character.
"We produced something special," Ferguson acknowledged when he reflected on the reaction to going a goal down. "It was grit and determination," Ferdinand added. "We showed our work ethic to claw our way back."
Ferdinand's form has been so consistently exceptional this season it is an injustice he has not made it on to the Professional Footballers' Association's shortlist for player of the year. He is, however, getting other rewards.
He even took the blame for Emmanuel Adebayor's goal when it was clear goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar was badly at fault.
Ferguson spoke of having "two teams" and United's supporters would not be presumptuous now to start looking at possible dates for the title to be confirmed.
Guardian Service
