Manchester United players celebrate as they lift the English Premier League Trophy after they were crowned champions following their English Premier League soccer match against West Ham United in Manchester, northern England, yesterday. - Reuters

LONDON (Reuters):

Both managers were celebrating after West Ham United stayed up with a 1-0 win at champions Manchester United, but there was only bitterness for Neil Warnock after Sheffield United were relegated yesterday.

West Ham survived after a seventh win from their final nine league games, courtesy of a winner from controversial Argentine forward Carlos Tevez in first-half stoppage time.

Their manager Alan Curbishley told Sky Sports: "To come here on the last day of the season and win is fantastic."

As for the relegation battle, he said: "I hope I don't have to go through it again, and I hope that West Ham don't have to go through it again. But I think this last three or four months has made us stronger."

Asked if he thought they would survive in early March, when his club were bottom of the table and 10 points from safety, he said: "Not really ... but there's so much ability in the team, we shouldn't have been there in the first place."

He was defensive about Tevez, whose signing with Javier Mascherano in August led to a record 5.5 million pounds fine for breaching ownership rules last month - and which has brought threats of legal action by other clubs in the relegation fight.

"The Premier League had their enquiry, they gave their verdict and we got on with it. We've been public enemy number one lately, but we've got on with it, kept our counsel and it's over," he told the club's website (www.whufc.com).

CELEBRATE

Though they lost, Manchester United could celebrate their first English title since 2003.

Manager Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports: "It's a fantastic occasion, a fantastic achievement by the players at the club.

"I'm delighted with that. Losing does take a wee (little) bit off it but at the end of the day we're the best team in the country and we've played the best football."

Looking ahead, the 65-year-old said his side had the potential to retain the honour.

"Winning is a fantastic elixir of life. It gives you something extra."

SHEFFIELD DROP

Sheffield United, for whom Jamaican striker Luton Shelton and defender Claude Davis play, will join Watford and Charlton Athletic in the second division after a 2-1 home defeat by Wigan Athletic left them worse off than Wigan on goal difference, -23 to -22.

"Goal difference is very cruel, you feel very bitter," said Warnock, who felt Ferguson's team sheet at Old Trafford had not helped his task.

"I'm disappointed with selec-tions. I thought Sir Alex would play a stronger team than that. To see them celebrate on the pitch leaves a bitter taste."

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan said it was unfair that West Ham should have survived after they escaped any points deduction over the Tevez transfer irregularities.

"I'm just so sorry for Sheffield United, I don't think justice has been done," said the man who has bankrolled Wigan's remarkable climb through the divisions.

"I wanted us to win to stay up but for West Ham to stay up it's not fair."

Wigan manager Paul Jewell said he was physically and mentally drained after his side's victory.

"We'd been written off by so-called experts - I've forgotten more about the game than they'll ever know, particularly being in this position."

Jewell, whose men lost 3-0 at home to the Hammers two weeks ago, had a special comment for one fan who had lost faith.

"For the guy who threw his season ticket at me after the game against West Ham - I hope you're watching."