Manchester United become Premier League champions after beating Aston Villa
At the final whistle, as Manchester United’s victorious players celebrated on the pitch, Rio Ferdinand ran across to Robin van Persie and turned the Dutchman around so his back pointed to a television camera. Ferdinand grabbed the striker’s shirt by the sides, stretching it so the number filled the lens: No 20.
(The Telegraph) – United’s 20th title was settled by the unerring finishing of Van Persie, whose first-half appropriation of the match-ball took him to 24 goals in the Premier League. Sir Alex Ferguson kept his promise to respond to Sergio Agüero’s last-minute goal for Manchester City against QPR that defined last season’s race.
He bought the Footballer of the Year for £24 million from Arsenal, a guaranteed source of goals, the most precious currency in the game. It was the move that decided the title.
It will be with a broad smile that Van Persie returns to the Emirates next Sunday, when Arsenal players are expected to form a guard of honour for the new champions. Later that evening in London, in elegant surroundings on Park Lane, the PFA will announce their Player of the Year.
It could be Gareth Bale. It should be Van Persie. Voting for the football writers’ Footballer of the Year opened yesterday and Van Persie could pip the popular Bale for the award.
United’s striker has combined a successful pursuit of the title with individual brilliance. He was sensational for 33 minutes as United tore Villa apart.
Van Persie’s first arrived in the second minute, created by Wayne Rooney with a sweeping pass from his central midfield role to Antonio Valencia on the right. The winger was offside but the assistant referee, so close he could almost have touched Valencia, somehow did not see the offence.
Valencia dummied this way and that, looking to wrong-foot Joe Bennett, before cutting the ball back to Rafael. The Brazilian crossed deep to the far-post, where Ryan Giggs turned the ball back across for Van Persie to poach his first.
Rafael hit a post, Christian Benteke almost equalised before the Van Persie Show soon resumed. Rooney again played a part in the creative work, this time a particularly magnificent part. Rooney was enjoying a ludicrous amount of space in midfield, as if Fabian Delph and Ashley Westwood were too in awe to get close.
Rooney simply drilled the ball through for Van Persie, whose response from the edge of the area was breathtaking. Images from the history book of great goals filtered through. Never taking his eyes off the incoming delivery, echoing Paul Gascoigne against Scotland at euro 96, the Dutchman met it with a left-footed volley that flew past Brad Guzan.
“That’s why we’re champions” chanted the Stretford End. Why? Partly because of Rooney’s technique, vision and willingness to play anywhere for the team. He was occasionally careless in possession, and Ferguson was out of the dugout to gesture disapproval, but Rooney has contributed considerably to United’s title campaign; his 12 goals included important ones against City.
But it was the finish of Van Persie that gave such thrilling substance to United chants. It was a volley worthy of comparison with the best in the game, not in the class of his compatriot Marco van Basten in the euro 88 final, but carrying shades of Zinedine Zidane’s Champions League final strike for Real Madrid against Bayer Leverkusen at Hampden Park in 2002.
It was the type of clinical finish that City’s manager, Roberto Mancini, had hoped to bring to the Etihad. Mancini was deeply frustrated at the club’s failure to seal a deal for Van Persie last summer. United will be favourites next season, but City and others will surely react.
City will invest again, probably in another centreforward. Chelsea’s trident of Eden Hazard, Juan Mata and Oscar will be even more of a force. Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur will also play a part, perhaps not in the decisive stages, but definitely in certain matches.
If there can be legitimate debates about whether Ferguson’s best starting XI now can compare with those of the Treble in 1999 and the 1994 Double-winners, there can be no doubt that this squad is one of his deepest.
No Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand? Phil Jones and Jonny Evans step in at centre half. Jones proved what a powerful figure he will be in United’s future. Evans has done well this season. To his right, Rafael has matured markedly, shedding some of his puppyish indiscipline.
The youngsters giving Ferguson so much confidence for the years ahead shared a pitch with the 39-year-old Ryan Giggs. Even at 2-0, Giggs was fighting as hard for his 13th title as a teenager hunting a first contract.
That example inspires all, reminding them of the demands of being a United player.
New signings such as Shinji Kagawa quickly become acquainted with the standards required. The Japanese international has contributed this season, showing his class against the likes of Fulham and West Ham, and was involved with Giggs in creating Van Persie’s third. On receiving the ball, Van Persie calmly dribbled past Guzan and shot past Ron Vlaar. “Champions, champions,’’ was now the United song of choice.
Van Persie’s 24th league goal of the season puts him in pole position for the Golden Boot, with second-placed Luis Suárez, who has 23, unlikely to play again this season because of an anticipated FA ban.
As Villa fans chanted: “We’re going to win 4-3,’’ Paul Lambert made a good change at the break. He inserted Karim El Ahmadi in midfield and removed Charles N’Zogbia. It gave Villa some control in the centre.
Even when Villa thought they had scored through Andreas Weimann, Van Persie cleared off the line.
Another reason behind United’s title could be found in their technical area, in the sight of Ferguson standing there. Leading 3-0, and with the league sealed, Ferguson was still furious at any little mistakes. He will doubtless be in at Carrington early today, plotting for next season. It is the failed title attempts that stay with Ferguson, driving him on, rather than the memory of the many glorious times.
El Ahmadi attempted to give Villa some hope with a strong shot that De Gea tipped over. The young Spaniard has been criticised earlier this season, notably for a moment of hesitancy at White Hart Lane, but this save was another reminder of his capabilities. Soon the final whistle came and the cameras were focusing on Van Persie, on No 20.
