Sir Alex Ferguson called it “torture”, but by the end of Manchester United's gripping 2-1 victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford yesterday, he was already making plans for a Barclays Premier League title celebration at Stamford Bridge on April 26, leaving Arsène Wenger to a familiar lament that the best team in the country will end up empty-handed.

At the final whistle, Ferguson, the United manager, put a consoling arm around Wenger, his long-time adversary, saying that Arsenal deserved better than to lose a match that they led until a twice-taken penalty by Cristiano Ronaldo and a free kick by Owen Hargreaves changed the complexion of the title race.

Wenger agreed, claiming that there is nothing between Arsenal, United and Chelsea, but the reality is that Ferguson's team, having moved six points clear at the top, will be as good as crowned champions with two matches to spare if they win away to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday and, more tantalisingly, away to Chelsea seven days later.

Chelsea hope to have something to say about that, starting when they play their match in hand at home to Wigan Athletic this evening, but Ferguson knows that United have seized control of their destiny. “I think it's a significant result today,” Ferguson said. “That was a big, big game and we have come through it. With four games left, we're six points clear with a great goal difference [19 goals superior to Chelsea's]. “Now we have Blackburn away, which is always tough because it's a derby game, and then we have Chelsea at Chelsea. We have to look to win our games. It's as simple as that.”

It could be simpler still if Chelsea stumble against Wigan tonight or away to Everton on Thursday, but Avram Grant's team will know that their hopes, which were raised when Emmanuel Adebayor headed Arsenal in front early in the second half yesterday, took an almighty blow with United's subsequent comeback. Winning their next two matches would not be enough on its own to have United confirmed as champions, but their goal difference is so superior that only the mathematicians would be left to dispute their right to the crown in that eventuality.

Wenger reluctantly waved the white flag last night, but after a bold, impressive performance from Arsenal he clung defiantly to his belief that his team could have been worthy champions this season. “We have to accept we will not win the title,” the Arsenal manager said. “It is very difficult to swallow because we don't feel that there's a difference in quality, technically or collectively, between ourselves, Chelsea and Manchester United.”

Wenger also delivered an emotional defence of his team and of his own principles, saying that Arsenal deserved plaudits this season even though they will end up with nothing. “Football is about opinion and I feel we have done a lot this year for the promotion of the Premier League all over the world,” he said. “I am not an idealist. I want to win trophies and I am sad that we did not manage to win one this season, but I feel we have done a lot of football and we want to continue the way we play. It is a very thin margin, but that is what sport is about and we have to go beyond the system where the winner is praised, sometimes beyond reason, and the guy who doesn't win is slaughtered. Football is more than that.”

Ferguson appeared to embrace that spirit at the final whistle when he put his arm around Wenger, but the Arsenal manager would not divulge what was said. “We will keep that,” he said.