Soccer/ FA Premiership:Alex Ferguson, holding a flute of champagne and with a broad smile suffusing his face, celebrated his ninth championship with Manchester United last night by announcing that he planned to stay on at Old Trafford for several more years.

"I don't know how long exactly I'm going to last but I'm enjoying it and I'm going to carry on doing this job until I stop enjoying it," said the jubilant manager.

"Why should I give up? It's easy to retire. I decided to retire a few years ago and I regretted it within days. I feel invigorated by the young players at our club. I feel invigorated when I see players such as Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville turning out every week for me. That gives me the right vibes that I am at the right place. It has been a great season and the players here always give me hope."

Ferguson (65) admitted having been "in agony" as he watched the closing minutes of Chelsea's 1-1 draw at Arsenal, a result that confirmed United as champions for the first time since 2003. The Premiership's oldest manager, who passed his 20th anniversary at the club last November, had originally intended to be in Spain but he decided to cancel the trip after United had beaten Manchester City 1-0 on Saturday.

"I went to see my grandson play in the morning because he had a cup final of his own," he said. "They won their league and we won our league, so it has been a great double. Then I went home and watched the racing on telly and when that was finished I had nothing to do but twiddle my thumbs, so I watched the last 15 minutes from the Emirates Stadium and I was in agony.

"I thought Arsenal were trying to throw it away. They kept giving the ball away and Chelsea kept driving forward. My heart was in my mouth."

The onus is now on Chelsea to form a guard of honour when United visit Stamford Bridge on Wednesday - just as Ferguson's side did for Jose Mourinho's team at Old Trafford two seasons ago. "In the last two years Chelsea have dominated the Premier League and we had a big job to do to catch them," said Ferguson.

"The key to it was getting a good start to the season and I think we did that really well. That start gave us the momentum and from that moment on I don't think we ever lost it. That wasn't easy, keeping a lead in the Premier League for six months, with Chelsea on our coat-tails."

As United's fans celebrated outside Old Trafford, Ferguson said the victory partially made up for losing to Milan in the Champions League semi-final. "Several years ago I had an obsession about winning in Europe but that has been overtaken by the demands of the Premier League. It is the hardest league in Europe and to win it is a big, big achievement.

"It was our priority but I wish we had got to the final in Athens, I must say. I wish we could start the Milan game all over again because it's an experience I will not forget."

Ferguson challenged his players to make it an even more memorable season by winning the FA Cup to complete the double. "We have a great history in the FA Cup - we have won it more than anyone else - and I can't think of a better final than against our main rivals, Chelsea."

Meanwhile, Mourinho last night attacked the players who in his eyes have failed to contribute to his team's title fight this season.

The unnamed culprits are likely to include Andriy Shevchenko and Michael Ballack who enraged Mourinho with their reactions to injury problems at this crucial stage of the season. Ballack had unauthorised surgery in Germany and Mourinho believes Shevchenko exaggerated the effects of a recent groin injury.

Mourinho talked of making "one, two, maybe three changes" but he praised the rest of his squad.

"This was a game for people who want to succeed in this Chelsea," said Mourinho. "That's Mr Abramovich's Chelsea; he's the owner, but in the Chelsea of the dressingroom where there are human and professional relationships, somebody who wants to succeed in this dressingroom will have to look at this game.

He added: "The right team won the title," he said. "The table doesn't lie. United scored more goals and I can only say they deserved it. They have individuals who can make a difference and they were the most consistent this year, they showed no weaknesses."

• Guardian Service