Manchester United's 2012/13 season cannot be understood without setting the scene.
The scene setting comes from the shared experience of one of football's most remarkable moments,
and one of United's most painful.
Away at Sunderland on the final day of the 2011/12 season,
United's players thought the league was theirs again, but suddenly, everything changed.
Everyone knows what happened.
[MY IDEA HERE IS FOR THERE TO BE AN AGUERO PICTURE BUT NOT HAVE IT
SAID ALOUD!]
Non-United fans, though, might not remember a remarkable moment which followed this.
At their end of season awards, Sir Alex Ferguson gave
a speech which sent goosebumps down the spine of
supporters, and should have sent chills down the spine of their rivals.
"I'm a dinosaur, I'm an absolute dinosaur," he began, "but what I am," he continued, pausing
for emphasis before delivering the final line
with the kind of conviction that can only come from the
truth, "I'm a winner."
He proved this again, as if any such proof were necessary, by engineering one of United
least likely, and most satisfying league titles, their 20th
top flight title, Sir Alex's 13th, and the one which would
mark his retirement from the game.
The summer transfer window saw him make a dramatic move.
Most United fans probably assumed Robin van Persie would plump for Manchester
City, but Sir Alex, and the little boy inside Van Persie,
had other ideas.
At the time 24 millions pounds seemed a lot of money for a 29 year-old.
But what a 29-year-old.
He scored on his home debut, scored a hattrick
on his first start away from home, snatching a late 3-2
win over Southampton with goals in the 87th minute and injury time.
He missed a penalty in that game, but scored the winner from the spot
at Anfield a couple of weeks later.
By the middle of November, United had four 3-2 wins in the bag, in what seemed to be
a throwback to the glory years.
United had a serious structural weakness in the centre of midfield which put
serious pressure on their defence, but Ferguson didn't seem to care.
Scoring at least one more goal than the opposition had been United's way
in the 90s and suddenly was again.
These gunslingers for hire were more than happy to engage in a shootout.
They went to the Etihad on 9th December.
They struck first, and then second, then City, brilliant at the start of the second half
pulled level.
Van Persie, with a lot of help from weak Samir Nasri defending in the wall, scored with
an injury time free-kick.
That was, essentially, the day United won the league.
There was more drama to come, on Boxing Day 2012 at Old Trafford, with the score against
Newcastle United 3-3 after 90 minutes, Michael Carrick picked out Javier Hernandez who scored
the winner.
Chicharito had more than one crucial cameo during Van Persie's star-turn of a season.
If City's challenge faltered after December 9th, it's death knell really came in February.
Unfortunately for Sir Alex, the timing could hardly have
been worse.
United had drawn Real Madrid in the first knock-out round of the Champions League, and
before their tie at the Bernabeu had to deal with
David Moyes' Everton at home.
The presumption was, there would be some rotation.
The plan changed, though, when on 9 February, City lost to Southampton.
Here was a chance to put clear blue sky between his side and the
Sky Blues, and Ferguson, that master of winning leagues was not going to miss it.
He played a full- strength side against Everton, earned a 2-0
win, and in the league, never looked back.​ United were brilliant against Madrid, home
and away, better than anyone thought they would be.
But down to 10 men in the second leg thanks to a harsh sending off for Nani, they fell
just short.
Ferguson did not do any press afterwards.
No one knew why, but he knew that was his last chance
ever.
Had they beaten Madrid, who knows what that would have done for their confidence.
That disappointment was soon set aside.
United became much more solid, much more functional.
Van Persie got injured and his performances dipped but it did not matter because the team
had started keeping clean sheets.
They were confirmed as champions on 22nd April, in fitting fashion.
Van Persie scored a hattrick which earned him goal of the season and sent
him to the top of the scoring charts.
His joy at the final whistle, his relief, the vindication of his
decision was written all over his face.
Then came the bombshell.
Sir Alex was really going.
He finished his career with a bang, winning at home against Swansea thanks
to an 87th minute winner from Rio Ferdinand, and then drawing 5-5 against West Bromwich
Albion at the Hawthorns, one of the very few scorelines
he had not previously been involved with.
United won the league and said goodbye to their manager.
They paraded the trophy around a joyful Manchester, drenched in red for the occasion.
Fergie looked anything but a dinosaur, and exactly like a winner.