This is special, really special," said Patrice Evra, the United defender. "The manager put really big pressure on us. I remember after the defeat at Arsenal he said, 'Do you really not want to win the 19th title? Are you crazy? Now you've got to win it. How many titles are you going to throw away?' It was very important to win it here otherwise someone would have got the hairdryer." Within 24 hours of the title triumph being confirmed, Liverpool fans would be straight round to their mum’s house asking her to dust off the sewing kit for the first time since they left primary school. This time, however, they’d want a Premier League winner’s badge and star stitched on to this season’s replica Liverpool shirt to mark the occasion, rather than their name tag in case they lost it. Inflatables were hurled and flares let off as City's supporters basked in their incredible victory and City's players even mobbed former player Yaya Toure, who was in Brighton on punditry duty. If the universe (and an infected bat) had gone in a slightly different direction, Liverpool would have surely been champions by now. But what would that world have looked like? How would Reds fans have reacted? Well, like this, obviously… 1. Invading your social media feeds

Ranieri was front and centre at the top of the bus, his players grasping the Premier League trophy, while men, women and children ran, walked and photographed themselves alongside the vehicle. OK, so it’s not that classic, but you’ve got to feel for Liverpool fans. Practically overnight they’ve gone from potentially being days away from seeing their team lift a maiden Premier League trophy to being forced to stay indoors and watch reruns of games that took them to the cusp of glory – with the knowledge that it may all have been in vain.

That dull cubicle you’ve never noticed in the corner of your office? Yeah, that would suddenly become a sea of red scarves and flags, the walls adorned with posters of Jurgen Klopp, with the desk housing a “Champions 2019/20” coffee mug and an inflatable Premier League trophy. Fans holding scarves line the streets of Leicester. Photograph: Plumb Images/Leicester City FC/Getty

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Outside the restaurant, nine-year-old Louis Goodge weaved through the crowds for a glimpse of his heroes. His Leicester-born parents, Ellie and Joe Goodge, took Louis and his younger sister Ivy, six, out of school and drove from Hertfordshire so they could be part of the amazing story. “Louis has only just started watching football this season. It’s inspiring, the fact that anyone, not just big teams, can do it,” said Ellie, as her son beamed. “I’ve just seen Kasper Schmeichel,” he said excitedly. Jamie Carragher highlights overlooked 'strength' that makes Erling Haaland special... after the Man City striker netted his 50th Premier League goal in just his 48th match against Liverpool Tie loosened, arms stretched out wide, he made particular mention of the young players he has blooded this season who have now tasted a first title triumph. In 2005-06 a period of transition saw United offer a tame challenge to Chelsea in the Premier League and finish bottom of their Champions League group. The contrast five seasons on should not go unnoticed. “You can see he’s like a kid,” said Evra. “It’s like he’s just won the league for the first time.”

Following the final whistle, Vincent Kompany's side began their celebrations, with club staff and players invading the Amex Stadium pitch to toast victory with the club's fans. And given how the club’s success would bring so many “supporters” out of the woodwork, there would be enough to make them achieve their goal. Streaming services would be inundated, CDs snapped up, and vinyl sold out as You’ll Never Walk Alone goes to No1. Eventually the convoy arrived in Victoria Gardens, where perhaps every second reveller was wearing a Leicester shirt and many had stories to tell, such as the three Italian geology students making a pilgrimage to London in honour of Ranieri. This is despite the fact you never knew that colleague even liked football. Every office knows this pain. It was not only football fans revelling in the moment. Liz Gray, 58, cycled to the stadium because she felt “enthused” by the history making title victory and its effect on the city. “I’m not a football fan at all but this has really inspired me,” she said. “It’s great for the city to have something to celebrate. It’s great for people to have common events. I’ve been caught up in it.”

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Perhaps the only confirmed detail of Saturday’s extravaganza is that the Leicester City superfan Steve Worthy will have the honour of handing the Premier League trophy to his team before their game against Everton at the King Power. Ferdinand said: “This club will never sit and rest on its laurels, especially with the manager we’ve got. The manager is a winner and everything stems from him really.” It is the collective that has stood United apart. Berbatov and Rooney have excelled in stages, Hernandez has emerged and Nemanja Vidic, Edwin van der Sar and Giggs have provided consistently. The club shop ran out of replica shirts by lunchtime as hundreds of fans descended on the stadium to carry on the party.