Van Persie hat-trick seals twentieth league title for United

Robin van Persie celebrates scoring the opening goal against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on April 22, 2013 in Manchester, England. (Getty Images)

There was an inevitability of course to the confirmation of a 20th league crown for Manchester United – a thirteen-point lead over your nearest rivals and only requiring a single victory over an Aston Villa side concerned with Premiership safety will do that.

Even by the high-standards set by Sir Alex Ferguson’s side this year, this title coronation was nothing if not routine – Paul Lambert’s relegation threatened Aston Villa side offering little by the way of opposition and found themselves three down in the space of 33 Robin van Persie inspired minutes. Though Villa improved in the second half, the game was already over, the title decided and all that remained to be seen was how much effect the rest of the game would have on the home-side’s goal difference.

Today was about more than victory for the men from Old Trafford though. This was a day to banish the nightmare end to last season and finally douse the big talk and mockery coming from the sky-blue half of the city, created after Sergio Aguero’s last-gasp, title-clinching goal, deep into injury-time of the final game of the year. This was not just about sealing a thirteenth winners’ medal for Sir Alex and his most faithful of charges, Ryan Giggs, but of reaffirming the club’s position at the very pinnacle of English football, putting to bed any thoughts there may have been about any inevitable changing of the guard.

For all of Manchester City’s investment and the talk of the ‘poorest’ United squad in memory, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side have won the league at a canter this year. It is hard to argue that their task hasn’t been made easier by a nothing-but dismal season for the other supposed challengers for the league title – City’s campaign has fallen six points and 20 goals short of their title-winning performance at the same point last season, Chelsea have had a season to forget under the temporary and wholly unpopular charge of Rafa Benítez, Arsenal are still banking on the oncoming financial fair play ruling to level the playing field and Anfield’s first season of ‘Moneyball’ management under Brendan Rogers has left them 33 points shy of a title challenge.

Despite this, it would be unfair to suggest though, that the championship has simply been handed to United this season. The fact remains that despite little resistance in terms of a title-defence from City, Ferguson’s side have been relentless since the turn of the year, with Chelsea’s 2004-05 Premier League points record of 95, now well within their sights before the season’s end. This is a feat made all the more remarkable when considering the club’s form in the opening forays of the year – by the halfway point of the season they had conceded 28 goals, worse than any other top-10 team, conceding twice as many goals as Stoke City in the process. The character shown by this group of players to continually recover from falling behind in those early matches is something to be admired and a record of conceding just seven more goals since that half-way tally, suggests a team completely in control of their own fate.

“Remember what this feels like,” were the words Ferguson gave to his troops after the dust had settled on that last day disaster, “and make sure they never get the chance to laugh at Manchester United again.”

Sir Alex Ferguson, manager of Manchester United celebrates victory and winning the Premier League title after the match against Aston Villa at Old Trafford on April 22, 2013. (Getty Images)

The thought of United’s Manchester rivals getting the upper-hand again is what has driven this team mercilessly onward, defining every move that they have made. The most crucial coming before the season had even begun and in the form of beating City to the signature of Robin van Persie. It seems somewhat poetic that this title – the first of Van Persie’s career, was sealed by his hat-trick. A spectacular sign-off to a remarkable year for a truly remarkable player that has led to 24 league goals. As was the case when at Arsenal, the Dutch forward’s game has continued to evolve and improve, creating arguably the world’s most lethal marksman. Indeed it it worth considering just how far Van Persie’s development might have gone had his career not been so routinely interrupted by injury throughout his earlier years.

This title-winning side has not been solely about the form of Robin van Persie though. At the very heart of everything that has been good about United’s play this season has lay a core of Old Trafford stalwarts – Michael Carrick has been consistently superb all season and, a rejuvenated Rio Ferdinand, back alongside a fit-again Nemanja Vidi?, has formed the basis for much of their second-half defensive stability. Behind them, they have been more than adequately backed-up by David de Gea, who has shaken off the naive, brittle performances of last season, stepping out of the rather significant shadows of two Old Trafford colossus’, Peter Schmeichel and Edwin van der Saar, adding a dominance in the air to his super-human-reflex shot-stopping ability. This has also been something of a stepping out season for Rafael, who has developed into one of the best modern full-backs in the Premier League and there has been consistent attacking support from a re-modeled, deeper-lying Wayne Rooney, along with the excellent Shinji Kagawa and, when called upon, Javier Hernandez. Also, though their was a significant outlay on Van Persie and much of the squad in previous seasons, Ferguson has continued to show a willingness to promote from within, putting faith in United youngsters such as Tom Cleverly, Danny Welbeck and Jonny Evans throughout the season.

Van Persie has undoubtedly made a massive impact, but this has been much more than a one-man show.

With this year’s title now wrapped up, it seems impossible to imagine that Sir Alex will not already be planning for next year. City, Chelsea, Arsenal et al, will no doubt be back stronger next season and after failing to make significant headway in this year’s Champions League, the United manager’s focus will surely turn to strengthening his squad. Borussia Dortmund’s Robert Lewandowski has long been touted as a potential Old Trafford recruit and despite the best efforts of the ever-age-defying Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs, United’s midfield is still an area of concern.

Ferguson has always insisted that his retirement would begin on the back of victory, that he would go out a winner. Having secured a 20th league title, it is tempting to wonder, as we do at the end of every successful season, whether that moment may come this summer. There are, I imagine one or two managers who hope that Sir Alex is in fact, planning what to plant in his garden come the start of next season, but will no doubt be disappointed come August when the United manager is back starting his ascent towards title number 21.