Premier League: Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1

A goal within the first minute from Javier Hernandez gave Manchester United a 2-1 win over Chelsea to all but seal the Premier League title.

The Mexican striker gave his side an incredible start, scoring the opening goal after just 36 seconds, and Chelsea never truly recovered with Nemanja Vidic making it 2-0 after 23 minutes.

Frank Lampard did set up a nervy finale with a 68th minute effort, but the result means United can clinch a record 19th league title if they at least draw at Blackburn Rovers next Saturday.

Sir Alex Ferguson pumped his fists and bowed to the crowd at the final whistle and his side could not have made a more exciting or impressive start to their most important match of the season.

In fact they took the lead after only 36 seconds, one of the fastest-ever goals seen at Old Trafford.

It was Hernandez who scored it, racing onto a superb straight through-ball from Park Ji-Sung and taking advantage of a slip by David Luiz to calmly side-foot home.

The noise inside Old Trafford was incredible and the home crowd soon had more to cheer when a short-corner routine saw Giggs beat his man on the left and dink over a cross for Nemanja Vidic to head home a second goal in the 23rd minute.

In a riveting match both teams had plenty of other chances too in a pulsating first half that saw both goalkeepers in top form.

Van der Sar saved a follow-up shot from Salomon Kalou after Florent Malouda’s cross caused havoc in the United defence and then the Dutchman also produced a stunning one-handed save from a Kalou header just seconds after the home team had made it 2-0.

But Petr Cech was also busy. He denied Rooney a stunning goal when he dived full stretch to save a 30-yard pile driver and produced an equally impressive stop deny Park’s fierce drive from the left.

The second half proved more even and although United had chances their opponents, who brought on Ramires and Alex at half-time for Luiz and Mikel, never gave up.

And having survived a penalty scare when Lampard appeared to handle a Valencia cross, the Blues made it 2-1 with just over 20 minutes to go.

It was Ramires who crossed from the left, Ivanovic who headed down and Lampard who applied the finishing touch with Vidic playing him onside.

United almost wrapped up things a minute later, but Alex produced an incredible goal-line block just when it seemed Rooney was set to score.

That set the stage for a frantic finale in which Rooney and Hernandez had half a dozen chances to make the game safe before the final whistle eventually blew and the roof came off Old Trafford.