Of all the barbs aimed at Arsène Wenger amid the wreckage of another imploded campaign, the one that struck hardest was Paul Merson's remark that Arsenal did not understand that the final five games were entirely different to the previous 33.
Once, not long after Merson had left Highbury, they did understand it. In 1998 and 2002, a different, tougher, older Arsenal reeled off a string of 10 and 13 straight victories respectively to push past Manchester United in the final furlongs. The first remains one of only two occasions in which Sir Alex Ferguson has lost a significant lead in the final weeks of the season.
When Manchester United lose a championship, it is generally from a long way out – between 2003 and 2006 they could not live with the early pace set by first Arsenal and then Chelsea. But in the final weeks, in the hard yards of football's marathon, they rarely falter.
"We have the strong spirit, the strong mentality," said Patrice Evra after the marvellously controlled Champions League performance that strangled the life from Schalke in their own arena. "Every time we pull on the shirt, you know we respect the history of the club. It doesn't matter if we play well or badly, we have to keep it at 100 per cent.
"That is what Manchester United are doing every year. I don't say it because I am playing for them but it is amazing, completely amazing. When you arrive there, they tell you the story; you watch it on a DVD and you learn.
"I think every young lad has to do that because when you know the story of the club, you play with more respect. You know that every time you have to do your job because the people who have played before you did."
If you mention any aspect of football to Ferguson, the conversation will eventually come down to one word: "experience". In 1968 he was part of a Glasgow Rangers side that froze when the Scottish title was not just in their hands but clutched to their chests. They had yet to lose a match but were deeply and improbably unnerved by comments from Celtic's great manager, Jock Stein, that the title was "theirs to lose".
They were words Ferguson never forgot. He has written six books about his life in football but the one with the most apt title was named A Will to Win.
"It is a natural thing," he said when asked about resilience at the end of a campaign yesterday. "The personality of a manager is the most important thing at a football club. Personality is very important for anyone who leads a unit, whether it be a football team or a business. That personality can inspire the players to be better, to believe and to trust – and these are the qualities we are seeing in the team at the moment."
Significantly, when Les Ferdinand recalled Newcastle's failure to win the title in 1996, the year of the 12-point lead, he said that nerves stalked the corridors of St James' Park and that they came from the top.
Alan Hansen would forever be mocked for his observation that Manchester United "would win nothing with kids" but the men who snatched the title from Tyneside were Peter Schmeichel, Steve Bruce and Gary Pallister, the hardened veterans who kept six clean sheets in the final eight games, and Eric Cantona, who scored in seven of the last 10 matches.
"The longer players are here, it becomes a natural progression of the way the club has been over the last 15 years," Ferguson said. "It has its qualities. It has a fantastic profile, history and a good philosophy in the way they play the game. They have had winning qualities going back all these years and that is why they are dominant now.
"We had that resilience at Aberdeen also," said Ferguson, who captured his first Scottish title in 1980 by coming from behind to overhaul Celtic, using the same "the title is theirs to throw away" speech he remembered Stein giving. "We always did well in the springtime. We looked forward to these games. They are hard but the more experience you get the better you can handle them.
"I have been a bit surprised by what has happened to Arsenal," he said before preparing for a journey to the Emirates Stadium that two weeks ago would have been billed as a title decider. "Chelsea are the dark horses in the sense that some people seemed to think they were out of it but I looked at their programme and thought they had the easier run-in and now they are on our coat-tails."
Nevertheless, Manchester United will only feel the breath of Stamford Bridge on their necks if they fail to beat both Arsenal and Chelsea in their two upcoming fixtures. If they win both, they are champions at Old Trafford on 8 May.
There will be those who would say that the team that won Manchester United's 19th title was one that lacked fantasy. They have not won an away game against a side in the top half of the table. Ferguson argued that United were more of a team than in the days when their play revolved around Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo; Tuesday night's triumph in Gelsenkirchen was proof of the power of Manchester United's collective will, he said.
"I don't think it matters if this team is not given enough credit," he said. "We have had enough criticism about our away form and some of it was justified. I wasn't happy myself with some of the away form but our form at Old Trafford has been magnificent [two points dropped all season]. We have had some great performances and scored most goals in the league.
"These players have always had the bit between their teeth. They always try, even in the bad days. They have always had the will to win – we have scored too many late goals to deny that. It is inherent in them."
Ferguson's Titles: Top of the table
1992/93
The Premier League begins and United win their first title in 26 years inspired by new signing Eric Cantona.
1993/94
Last success of the old guard as Hughes, Bruce, Ince et al help United become only the fourth team to win the Double in the 20th century.
1995/96
Beckham & Co prove you can win things with kids as the team win a second domestic Double, beating rivals Liverpool in the FA Cup final.
1996/97
Achieve the season's longest unbeaten run of 16 games without defeat.
1998/99
With over £28m invested in players, including Dwight Yorke, United's league title is part of a momentous treble.
1999/2000
Fortified by a sunshine break in Brazil, where they played in the World Club Championship instead of defending the FA Cup, United accrue a record 91 points.
2000/01
Ferguson becomes the first manager to win three successive English league titles, helped by the club record signing of striker Ruud van Nistelrooy for £19m.
2002/03
Unbeaten after the turn of the year United chase down Arsenal's eight-point lead with Van Nistelrooy scoring 25 goals.
2006/07
Cristiano Ronaldo reaches 20 goals for the first time as United reclaim title.
2007/08
Goal difference of +58 is the highest in a Premier League season.
2008/09
Finished four clear of Liverpool. Ferguson Manager of the Year for a 10th time.
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