Manchester Utd 4 West Ham Utd 1:THE MOOD was, undeniably, of celebration, of soaking up the moment and cherishing the sense of togetherness. As has become the norm at Old Trafford after the final home match of the season, a soft-focus Alex Ferguson was ushered on to the pitch before being handed a microphone and going through an Oscar winner's speech quota of thank-you messages.

Ferguson paid tribute, in order, to his players, the club's medical staff, his assistant, Carlos Queiroz, the rest of his backroom team, the supporters and, with a lump in his throat, his good mate Alan Curbishley, who, he said, would always be a friend of Manchester United. Okay, okay, the bit about Curbishley is an exaggeration, but the West Ham manager has only himself to blame if he is prime meat for a cheap shot or two.

On Saturday, the lack of wisdom he had shown before the game - when he used his newspaper column to express his hope United, rather than Chelsea, would win the title - was surpassed only by the mystifying, naive, way he set up his team to play.

The upshot was an afternoon of drowsy contentment for United's followers as soon as their team had zoomed into a three-goal lead inside the opening 26 minutes.

Nani's buffoonery, headbutting Lucas Neill and then shamefully tumbling to the ground in a wild attempt to con the match officials, left United a little vulnerable after Dean Ashton's outstanding overhead kick, but, even then, did anyone seriously believe West Ham had the gumption or wit to do anything about it?

Instead, the Stretford End was going through its full repertoire of celebratory songs long before the end of a match that has left the reigning champions one game away from ensuring a 17th title.

West Ham's was not the worst performance by an away team at Old Trafford this season (take a bow, Newcastle United) but it was extraordinary Curbishley should think his mid-table team - recently barracked by their own supporters, and missing a dozen players through injury - could take on United at their own game.

The secret of playing United is to stifle their space, close them down quickly, more often than not with a five-man midfield, harass them out of their stride and try to make the crowd nervous. When the opponents in question have six centre-halves missing it becomes increasingly imperative. Yet, West Ham did none of these things.

Curbishley, in mitigation, does not deserve all the conspiracy theories about his friendship with Ferguson, even if his musings in the Daily Express could be described as, at best, ill-advised.

It was, however, a feeble effort from his players, encapsulated by the first and fourth goals when Ronaldo, then Michael Carrick, ran/ambled forward and were faced by defenders who backed off so much there was little option other than to shoot. In between, Carlos Tevez struck beautifully to beat Robert Green from 30 yards.

Two minutes before, the defending was abject when Owen Hargreaves crossed from the right, James Tomkins missed his header, John Pantsil dawdled and the ball went in off Ronaldo's thigh, making him only the third player in United's history to score 40 goals in a single season.

The mood was soured a little because of Nani's behaviour - "immaturity," hissed Ferguson, who will fine the player two weeks' wages.