You didn't expect this match to go according to plan, did you? Sure, Chelsea came into Old Trafford having won five straight times in the league, so you figured it was going to be a closely fought match. But in a season that's constantly defied expectations, the script was flipped again. And it took all of 36 seconds.
That's when Park Ji-Sung slipped a pass by David Luiz, who was caught out of position, to Javier Hernandez. He found himself in wide-open space and one-on-one with Petr Cech. While lesser strikers often choke such opportunities away, Chicharito calmly put the ball in the back of the net. The Little Pea is money in front of goal. Then, in the 23rd minute, Nemanja Vidic got on the end of a Ryan Giggs pass to make it 2-0. The Red Devils didn't score again. They didn't need to.
Chelsea's dream of coming back from the dead -- 15 points off the pace on March 1, the Blues had closed the gap to just three points coming into this game -- was crushed. United's dream of a record 19th league title is all but realized, as it only needs one point from its next two matches (away at Blackburn, home to Blackpool) to clinch the crown.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side sparkled in the first half, showing the kind of hunger and determination that was lacking in Chelsea. Park started on the left side of midfield, but he was darting all over the pitch and initiating much of United's attack. Antonio Valencia tormented Ashley Cole, getting behind the fullback and flinging balls into the danger area. Wayne Rooney assumed his now regular role of playmaker. And Chicharito wrote himself into the record books by becoming the first United player to score 20 goals in his debut season for the team since Ruud van Nistelrooy netted 35 times in 2001-02.
Chelsea, meanwhile, got off to a shockingly poor start. For a side with so much experience, it's quite inexcusable. In the early going, John Obi Mikel failed to close down on Rooney, Michael Essien was absolutely made the chump by Giggs in the buildup to the second goal and overall there was a lack of urgency by Carlo Ancelotti's men.
The manager probably made the right call in not starting Fernando Torres. But questions might also be raised as to why he didn't start Nicolas Anelka with Drogba. Anelka has proved that he can play out wide in support of the Ivorian in the 4-3-3, and since the Blues needed a win, not a draw, the front three of Salomon Kalou, Drogba and Florent Malouda didn't pan out.
Then there was Luiz. He was the hero at Stamford Bridge on March 1, dazzling with his defense and scoring in the Blues' 2-1 win over United. His performance today? You could learn everything you needed to know by Ancelotti's stink-eye. As the manager stormed off the pitch at halftime, dressed head to toe in black, he had the look of an executioner.
Luiz, in fact, never made it back on the pitch, as Alex replaced him at the start of the second half.
Chelsea made a game of it in the 68th minute, however, when Ramires swung a cross into the penalty box. Branislav Ivanovic won the header, and Frank Lampard poked home the goal.
That sequence of play no doubt upset United and its supporters, since Ivanovic had no business being on the pitch. After picking up an early yellow card for fouling Rooney, the Serbian took him out again, this time in the 41st minute. Ivanovic was nowhere near the ball when he made the cynical tackle, and although referee Howard Webb awarded a free kick, he decided against giving the defender a second yellow.
Chelsea received another generous break from the officiating team in the 53rd minute when Valencia crossed a ball into the penalty box. Lampard was sliding down, but the ball hit his arm, which was extended above his head in an unnatural position. Stone-cold handball, but he got away with it.
From there, the Red Devils had some nervy defending to do before regaining control of the match. They could have put the game away, if not for Rooney trying to get a bit too cute in front of goal in the 83rd minute and Hernandez blowing a gilt-edged chance in the 87th.
When the final whistle blew, Old Trafford erupted in rapturous applause. Some tears were shed. Players embraced. Sir Alex Ferguson bowed to the Stretford End. The Red Devils were on the brink of becoming champions again.
That's one script we're used to reading.