Graphic: how United closed the gap on Liverpool

It is an ominous sign for Manchester United’s rivals that Sir Alex Ferguson should greet the prospect of equalling Liverpool’s record of 18 championships this afternoon with something close to indifference.

The man who once described his biggest achievement in football as “knocking Liverpool off their f***ing perch” will ensure United move alongside them on the domestic pedestal if they take a point from Arsenal’s lunchtime visit to Old Trafford, but his mind will immediately switch to other challenges; the hunt for fresh titles, new trophies. It seems that the 67-year-old’s appetite for success will never be sated.

Ferguson’s refusal to glory in United’s dominance of the Premier League era — this would be their eleventh title in 17 seasons — is commendable, but appeared even more dignified yesterday when Rafael Benítez refused to concede that the champions are the best side in the country. They have the most points and the most money, but not necessarily the best team, was the gist of the Liverpool manager’s argument.

Benítez should choose his words carefully, however, because the events of the past few months have demonstrated beyond all doubt the folly of picking a fight with Ferguson, particularly when he is set on coming back for more. The Scot has repeatedly claimed that this is the best squad he has worked with in 23 years at Old Trafford and is determined to prove it through sheer weight of silverware. Moving ahead of Liverpool — and cementing his own legend — is merely a happy by-product.

“The prospect of winning more titles with this team resonates with me far more than equalling somebody,” Ferguson said. “That’s a fan thing. I hadn’t even thought about that [the eighteenth] until this season, when you lot mentioned it. I’m not looking at equalling anyone. I just want ourselves to be the best.

“This team has got a bit to go yet. It can go on to win many more titles and that’s exciting for me. I’m sure they can do it.”

Ferguson may have given the significance of this season’s expected triumph little thought, but the extent of his achievement deserves to be put into context. When he arrived at Old Trafford, Liverpool had won 16 championships to United’s seven, a gap that had widened to 18-7 before he picked up his first title in 1993.

“I think my first intention was to win the first one and try to break the stranglehold Liverpool had on the title at that time,” Ferguson said. “We were also helped by Arsenal winning the title a couple of times, in 1989 and 1991. That changed it over because Arsenal were strong at that time.

“You don’t think about how winning it once opens the door for you in the sense of what we see now, but nonetheless to win it once was the big challenge. I felt we were well behind Liverpool — [more than] ten titles behind. It was a long way to go when you think of it that way.”

Three years ago the prospect of Ferguson steering the club to parity with Liverpool seemed remote, because Chelsea appeared to have the resources and resolve to dominate for the foreseeable future under José Mourinho. Ferguson’s position was even called into question after an ignominious Champions League group-stage exit in December 2005, but he has rebounded in spectacular fashion in what he regards as the second great achievement of his career.

“If you go back, our challenge was to catch Chelsea and I had to find the best way to do that,” Ferguson said. “That will be the case when anybody challenges — how we cope with it, no matter who it is. That’s what we do here. At the moment we have gone past Chelsea, but that doesn’t mean that Chelsea are not a very good side.”

While some have identified Federico Macheda’s late winner against Aston Villa last month as the key moment in United’s progress to a third successive title, Ferguson pointed to a more prosaic victory, the 1-0 win away to Stoke City on Boxing Day that followed their participation in the Club World Cup. “That was the key to it, the first win after Japan,” Ferguson said. “From then on, they went on a terrific run.”

Ferguson expects Arsenal to present a formidable challenge this afternoon but is confident that the incentive of sealing the title at Old Trafford for only the second time during his reign will prove more than enough for his team. His own motivation is strengthened by a desire to rest several key players in their final Barclays Premier League match, away to Hull City a week tomorrow, when Rio Ferdinand will be hoping to prove he has recovered from a calf injury before the Champions League final against Barcelona in Rome three days later.

“I’m sure he’ll be fit for the final, but it’s one of these calf niggles that usually take ten days to two weeks,” Ferguson said. “He should be fit for next Sunday’s game against Hull.

“It’s a big help to us that it’s against Arsenal tomorrow. They’ve not so much a point to prove, but will want to register their abilities on a day when everyone expects United to win the title. I always say I don’t care where you win it, but with an opportunity like tomorrow it would be nice. It would be great for the fans.”

If the fans are busy celebrating after the game, Ferguson will be otherwise engaged — planning United’s next title defence.