During his early barren years as manager of Manchester United, when even winning one championship seemed a huge challenge, Alex Ferguson could never have imagined yesterday's feat of matching Liverpool's record haul of 18 titles.

Now, even at 67, Ferguson cannot imagine the day he leaves either.

"I'm definitely not contemplating it - I'll carry on," he said amid the celebrations. "I'm going to stay as a manager and my health will tell me when to quit. Let's pray my health will give me five more years.

"You get that same wonderful feeling when you win a trophy. When you see the fans celebrating at the end of the game, all the hard work and the pain is worth it."

When Liverpool won the league for the last time in 1990, the title gap between the two clubs stood at 18-7 and just reducing it seemed a tough enough mission for Ferguson, who was then in the fourth year of his reign at Old Trafford.

But after sticking with the Scot through seven years without an English championship - a degree of patience that would seem implausible in today's game - he duly repaid United's faith. And how.

First title since 1967

Despite taking until 1993 to deliver the club's first title since 1967, the success rate has been unrelenting since.

The 11 English championships, two Champions League triumphs and five FA Cups - among his 25 major trophies - have made Ferguson the most successful manager in British football history.

But while he was so determined to knock Liverpool "off their perch" when he arrived south from Aberdeen, the 67-year-old Scot is not one to dwell on personal achievements.

Ahead of yesterday's game, when asked if he had reached a level of success that would never be matched, Ferguson quickly responded with a smile: "Is the world coming to an end?"

Clearly not - nor is Ferguson's tenacious drive for success.

"I am already thinking about next year," said Ferguson, who went back on a decision to retire in 2002. "You have to do it here. There is nothing else for it. You just drive on."