Nobody can be deny the fact Robin van Persie was the missing piece in the jigsaw when he signed for Manchester United in 2012, only to win the Premier League in his first season at the club.
“Not 19 Forever” by The Courteeners was blasted out at every party as Manchester United were crowned champions of English football for a 20th-time.
Van Persie arrived at United from Arsenal and played at the point of maximum expression and it feels appropriate whenever the Dutchman gets credit for his incredible performance and leading goal tally (24 in the league).
The striker was at the hub of everything.
Speaking upon his induction into the Premier League Hall of Fame, manager at the time, Sir Alex Ferguson, reflected on his final season at United and how Van Persie was the key cog in the 2012/13 title winning team.
“I’d made my mind up in in the December, I was going to retire and only [my wife] Cathy knew and the boys knew,” Ferguson said, as quoted by the Manchester Evening News. “We kept it quiet because I wanted to win the Premier League and it was great to go out a winner.
“To be honest with you, I think the signing of [Robin] van Persie, won us the league with his 29 goals that season. He was fantastic.
“He was that thrust in the last third of the field and the goal he scored against Aston Villa from Wayne Rooney’s pass to win the league, you couldn’t have got a better goal than that.”
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It was beautiful for real