Manchester United had a chance to reclaim their crown on Monday as the league-leaders played host to relegation threatened Aston Villa at Old Trafford. A win would give the Red Devils an unassailable 16-point lead over Manchester City and see United take back the title from their Manchester rivals.
After the hurt of having their crown snatched away by Manchester City on goal difference in stoppage time on the final day of the 2011-12 season, United were determined to seasl the title this season with four games to spare.
And Man U would take the lead less than 90 seconds into the match. A great set of passes from the home side would see the ball end up on the foot of the club’s leading scorer, Robin van Persie, and he would make no mistake to make it 1-nil early on.
The Dutchman could have scored a second a minute later when his volley went just over the bar. But in the 13th minute, Van Persie would produce a candidate for goal of the season to double their lead. A great pass from Wayne Rooney from just inside his own half set up Van Persie for a brilliant left-foot volley from just outside the box that flew past the helpless Villa keeper. 2-nil and Man U in total control.
And van Persie wasn’t done yet. He would wrap up a brilliant first-half goal scoring display in the 33rd minute as Ryan Giggs set up Van Persie in the box and he would send it off the post for his third of the match to make it 3-nil. The Dutch striker’s 24th of the season, saw him pass Liverpool’s Luis Suarez for the league lead.
And although Villa did a better job of containing United in the second half, this one was already over. 3-nil was final, and Sir Alex Ferguson’s side, get the job done to return to the top in the Premiership, winning a record-extending 20th league title in front of a jubilant home crowd.
Ferguson said, "Well as far as I am concerned it’s the goal of the season. I don’t care about the rest of them. It was an unbelievable strike. They show you a goal he scored for Arsenal last year. Absolute identical. Technique, head over the ball, magnificent strike, balance, everything was right."
A Man United fan said, "Absolutely fantastic, absolutely brilliant. Especially Van Persie’s second goal, what a strike, what a strike and a half".
Another fan said, "This is how much it means to every single Manchester United fan, it means that much to them. Getting it back from Manchester City, its done now, Manchester City are gone".