Wayne Rooney : Public Enemy Number One ?

Wayne Rooney : Public Enemy Number One ?

“I saw my mate the other day
he said to me he saw the white pele
so I asked who is he
he goes by the name of wayne rooney
wayne rooney wayne rooney
he goes by the name of wayne rooney”

Started out as a teenage whiz kid and has now gone on to become thee golden boy of English Football. In the 2004-2005 season, Manchester United had broken the bank inorder to land England’s hottest property. It was the highest fee ever paid for a player under 20 years old and Rooney was still only 18 when he left Everton.

His debut arrived on a European night against Fenerbahce, a hatrick to announce his name on the big stage. Under Sir Alex Ferguson he had formed a devastating partnership alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Goals flowed and Wayne would soon become an icon for everyone and was always there when United needed him. In spite of Cristiano leaving us, Rooney played a significant role in the 2009-2010 season only to surrender the league on the last day to Chelsea. Many considered it could be his World Cup, but to everyone’s surprise it would become a disaster. After having his off-field issues he had questioned United’s ambitions in the transfer market and had issued a transfer request. This was indeed a shock, when he publicly questioned the club’s ambitions it was clearly visible that his time was finally coming to end at Old Trafford. Although, Sir Alex Ferguson was still in charge of things and the problem would be solved and Rooney was given a massive pay hike. 

Lets fast forward to 2013 now, after the club having won their second tittle in three years. Rooney had yet again issued a transfer request and felt that the new signings put his position in jeopardy. Sir Alex confirming the issue on his last day that Rooney had asked for transfer although United would not let him go. You might wonder that Sir Alex would have never forgiven him for what he had done to the club in 2010, who had given a counter-attack that now leaves his position on the edge of a cliff and also just to let him know that who is the real BOSS. 

The Club are well aware now that with Robin Van Persie being the star man, Shinji Kagawa’s ability to dismantle teams and the rise of Danny Welbeck and Chicharito. Although the United management would consider him as an important player but certainly will not given in anymore. Bids had been launched from Chelsea and the Boss insisting that he is not for sale. Now selling him to our English rivals would certainly come back to bite us, Just like RVP letting arsenal know what it would be like. United know that very well and are in no desperate situation.

However, having an unhappy player inside the dressing room and with a new management in place, Moyes will certainly not accept that and Just like how Suarez owes the Liverpool fans for standing by him during tough times, Wayne Rooney needs to do that where the club and fans have always been as a backbone for him. He is 53 goals away from Sir Bobby Charlton,  Fans surely worship him, at the Theatre of Dreams but two transfer requests in three seasons have surely branded him as  ’The Villian’. If he is to leave United, he needs to sit down and realize what the fans, the club had done for him over the past 9 years by showering their love and affection for him.

Picture : Wayne Rooney after the Swansea Game.

Players like Stam, Ruud, Keane, Becks and Ronaldo have come and gone but United continued to have that self belief and had consistently gone on to win more and more trophies. David Moyes just needs to do that and remind them that No Player is bigger than the club. 

Thanks for your patience, 

Take Care and God Bless,

Angelo Hénriquez

Angelo Hénriquez

By now many of you would have heard of or seen Angelo Hénriquez play thanks to his goal for the United 1st team in Sweden. If you’ve seen the match, it was a simple goal that he scored, but the positioning for it, that is commendable. More so when you think about the time it had come (when we were losing 1-0). A pure striker’s goal, you could call it! 

This isn’t something new-for him or for people who have watched him previously. This lad joined us from La “U” last season and went on to have some time with the U21s before he left to Wigan on loan. Coming to the point, from what I have seen of him, he looks like a really good prospect for the future. His assets, according to me are his killer instinct in front of goal, his strength and his work rate. 
He works really hard for the team-holds the ball up field well, likes to get involved in the build up play. This aspect (getting involved in build up play and work rate) of his play is almost comparable to ex-United striker Carlós Tevez. When he signed for us, he was only 18. But he still did alright in his first season in England-he is strong as an ox for a lad of his age, mind! Now, quite a few have asked me who he reminds me the most of. I’d go for Ruud. His play has quite a few similarities to that of Ruud, but, what’s better in him is, unlike Ruud, he can play in a few positions on the pitch. If you haven’t seen the U-20 WC, The Chile coach pushed Gohan (yes, his nickname) wide to the right hand side to accommodate Castillo. He played the 1st match (around 60 minutes) while not fully fit without complaining and did well. Second match there, he bagged an assist while also getting into dangerous attacking positions and putting crosses in. When he did get a chance to play/drift centrally, he scored a good goal. This is what I like the most in him. He might drop back once in a while, he will work extremely hard in the build up play, he will keep running into channels all the time and cause problems for the defenders and when you give him the ball anywhere near the box, there’s a damn good chance of him finishing it-on EITHER foot!
(PS: He has the knack for scoring on his debuts, if you know what I mean-Chile NT, Chile “U” levels, Utd U21s, Utd first team). 

He’s 19 now and looks like the perfect time for him to start getting more 1st team action. There are 3 things that could be done:

1. Real Zaragoza confirmed interest in taking him on a season loan. He’s more than likely to get chances there and as we know, Liga Adelante isn’t the most physical of the leagues. (Not a big fan of this option). OR

2. Find a PL or a Championship club for him and send him on loan and monitor his progress there. Now this is my choice. Why? Because, he’s a player from South America and he needs to learn the culture and playing style of England and get settled ASAP because once he becomes a 1st team regular at United, there wont be many excuses. So, it’s better to loan him to an English club and monitor his progress than to do what happened to Kiko Macheda. OR

3. Make him stay with the U21s and let him fight for the 1st team spot. For now, even Will Keane isn’t fully back, so Angelo will start up front for the U21s. But the thing is, he’a quite good for that level already. If he has to stay at that level and keep waiting for the 1st team spot, it might be a futile move- especially because he already has RvP, Chicha, Welbz and Wazza ahead of him. 

So, keep an eye on this young Chiléan of ours because he’s quite close to making it and he definitely looks destined for big things!

Michael Carrick expects tough battle for title this season.

Michael Carrick expects tough battle for title this season.

"Potentially there could be between four and six teams involved right until January or February," Carrick said.

"Just after that is when it really gets sorted out. The pressure kicks in and the expectations change. It's how you deal with that.

"Two years ago, Tottenham were right in there, but they faded away a bit.

"Hopefully we'll be in with a shout at that time and are able to use our experience to see us through."

Arsenal's Santi Cazorla: 'David Moyes will have difficult start at Manchester United

Arsenal's Santi Cazorla: 'David Moyes will have difficult start at Manchester United

The Premier League champions have started a new era following the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, who stepped down from his role after accumulating 38 trophies in 26 years at Old Trafford.


"The most radical change is at Manchester United because Ferguson has been there for so long," Cazorla told the official Arsenal Magazine.

"It will be a little difficult at the start for a new manager but I don't think it influences too much in terms of being an advantage for other teams. There are great managers at those clubs and I'm sure [the title race] will be just as difficult."

Midfield Crisis.

Midfield Crisis

With our 20th league title, our Ginger Prince retired, along with Sir Alex. This time, it is for good. He wont come back this time.
Anyway, that leaves us with even fewer options in the centre of the park. As we all know, our Fletch has been down with Ulcerative Colitis. And as a Medico, trust me, he wont ever be the same athlete he ever was. Fletch relied a lot on running and energy. A patient suffering from an inflammatory bowel disease will find it very difficult to gain his lost weight back. There’s gonna be severe muscle wasting too. I’m not saying he wont come back. He sure will, but don’t expect him to be the same old Fletch. Now added to that, we have our chubby Samba boy Anderson. 6 years at United and he’s had a rough time. Injuries and lack of fitness. He has got good bursts of speed over short spaces and has adapted his game well, but he starts panting just after 60 minutes roughly. Not something which will get him into Moyes’s squad (who usually plays an extremely energetic MF).
Going off topic, If he does stay however, hope he gets to play the role he use at Grémio and Porto more often (as Shinji wont play all matches in the season). So, that leaves us On Thin Ice in the CM department.
Surely, we’d think Boss will spend on CMF’s this time. Let’s look at all the players linked to our club this time:

Ilkay Gündogan (prolly wont leave Dortmund. He’s a key player for them).

Bender brothers. 

Ceśc Fabregas (£40m is way too much and has reiterated his desire to stay at Barça

PS: I don’t really want us to sign him as he’d want to play higher up and will compete with Shinji. Also, it’ll spell an end to the career of young lads  at United and i don’t like the sound of it. But who am I to say no to extra class anyway?). 

Luka Modric is another midfielder we have been linked with.

Nampalys Mendy ( touted as the next Makelele by Ranieri and will be available for free but it’s being reported that he wants to stay in France.)

Kevin Strootman (looks likely that he’ll move to EPL and United and it was being reported that Jim Lawlor was scouting him in the U21 Euros. He is a hard tackling and energetic MF who is tidy with his passing too. He got around 11 assists and 5 goals in the league. If I’m not wrong, he won around 140 tackles. Might exactly be the one who United need right now.)

Marco Van Ginkel (Vitesse lad, rated at around £15m, but is very similar to Powell.)

Claudio Marchisio (seems Juve want Nani and United will make a part ex. move for Claudio. He loves Juve way too much and I doubt if there’s any truth in the rumours that he will leave. But if he does join us, it’d be a FANTASTIC signing for us. )

Thiago Alcântara (Barça made a big mistake including THAT clause and now his release clause stands at €18m instead of €90m. He can easily play 2-3 positions in the MF. He’s just the kind of genius we are looking for and he also wants more 1st team action. If we sign him, it’ll be a win-win. Seems he’ll announce/decide his future after U21 finals, so let’s wait and watch).

Then there is Marouanne Fellaini. Seems he has a release clause around £24-25m. Proven in EPL but I’m not so sure Boss will take his ex-club’s best player away from them. 

Now look at our U21s. We have Ryan Tunnicliffe, Charni, Davidé Petrucci, Jesse Lingard, Nick Powell. Ryan, Charni and Jesse need loan spells where they’ll get 20-25 first team matches to grow(just like Clevz at Leicester and Wigan.)

If we can sign One of the CMs i listed previously and give Davidé and Nick a run, and get good loans for Ryan,Charni and Jesse, our future will be secured. At least ONE new CM is a must IMO. Anything more is a bonus. 

Anyway, interesting times lay ahead of us. Can’t wait to see what boss will do. Would love boss to sign 1-2 CMs and give the young lads a run. 

Not mentioned/lined to us, but if we want to sign someone young, very talented and cheap, then Asier Illarramendi is our answer (but then again, we have Charni and Ryan waiting in the fold for a chance.)

Boss knows the best.

<-- THE NEW FRONTIER -->

THE NEW FRONTIER

It was 12 years ago that i watched my first Manchester United match. Little did i know back then that it would become such a big part of my life one day. What I saw was poetry in motion. For a 9-10 year old lad, it looked like some kind of magic. It was like a symphony was going on and it was being orchestrated by one man- SIR ALEX FERGUSON. In my 1st match I saw Scholes pick the ball in the centre of the pitch, spray across to Becks. You lot know the drill, don’t you? Becks as always got the ball past his man and into the box. Then there was Van the man. There’s only one winner in such a situation. I should say, I was lucky that my big brother made me watch this (back then, my folks wouldn’t allow me to watch TV as much as I’d have liked to. My bro and I secretly watched it at times though. ) anyway, THAT was enough for me to fall in love with the greatest club in the world.
Then, things didn’t go well and My hero- David Beckham left. I was heart broken to be honest. He was the reason i started watching or playing football in the first place. Anyway in the seasons that followed, we signed a not-so-popular but flashy lad called Cristiano and then a true Everton lad- Wayne Rooney. I didn’t watch much football back then, so i didn’t know anything about these two at that time. I couldn’t have been more bothered anyway as we still had Ruud.
As the years passed i started watching videos, documentaries and what not on United (thanks to my brother and my cousins. I noticed one thing.
It always looked like “One for all, all for one. ” there was a real sense of “family” and “togetherness” on and off the pitch. Viera messed with Gaz- Keano took care of the c*nt.
Also, There was always a man in the team around whom the rest of the team was built. I never got to watch King Eric or Captain Marvel, but have done enough homework to say that they were extremely important cogs in our wheel. Then it was Ruud.
Then with changing times, Sir Alex started rebuilding-ONCE AGAIN! He stared to build a team around Ronnie and Wazza. A fast counter-attacking approach. This didn’t go down too well with Ruud as he was a kind of player who liked to hold play up and bring others into play too. Sure, boss, as always was not hesitant and Ruud wanted to leave, he let him go.
It was a little difficult every time there was rebuilding at United, but our Sir Alex was a man with a plan. It always paid off in the end. We went on to win The PL and even the famous UCL by beating Chelsea. And after reaching another final and losing to Barça, we saw Ronnie leave too. Joined us a lad, left us as a man! Then once again the papers started printing shit. “United on the slide as Cristiano Departs.” No. They were wrong. Yet again. It has become a routine for them to write us off every time there was a change and it had become a routine for Sir Alex to prove them wrong. Then came the blue nose c*nts. They won the PL on goal difference on the last day of PL and yet again papers started running stories that there’s no coming back for United. Really? Do you fail to notice that we lost on goal difference with a squad that was in transition and was plagued with injuries? Anyway, fast forward one more year and who’s laughing now? Sir Alex’s United ran away with the title. Rubbed Citeh’s blue noses in the mud.
The man is a genius. Started off slowly, Killed the so called Invincibles, withstood and saw off the Russian Revolution, Knocked Pool off their fucking Perch and brought the blue moon down.
It was painful to hear the news of his retirement but hey! Life must go on! This is a new frontier. A new challenge. If he thinks Moyes is the right man for the job, then he sure as hell is. He gave us 26 yrs of his life. He couldn’t possibly do anything but the right thing for us. I have never met him and most probably never will, but Thank you, Sir Alex for being such a big part of my life.

Now, i cannot wait to see how this new chapter goes for Us under David Moyes. One Glaswegian departed, another Glaswegian took charge.
Over to you boss! Cast your own image, and All the best! Your Red Army is with you!

GLENN HODDLE: GARETH BALE SHOULD GO TO MANCHESTER UNITED

GLENN HODDLE: GARETH BALE SHOULD GO TO MANCHESTER UNITED

GARETH BALE has been told by Spurs legend Glenn Hoddle he would be better off joining Man United in a whopping £85million deal - rather than Real Madrid.

Tottenham superstar Bale is said to be a target for new Old Trafford boss David Moyes IF Cristiano Ronaldo refuses to return to the Theatre of Dreams.

And Hoddle believes Bale, 23, would favour a move to United - or even City - this summer, rather than make the switch to Spain.

Madrid are favourites to splash the cash for the Wales wizard.

But Hoddle has warned Bale he is too young to play abroad and if he wants to leave Spurs he should choose a Premier League big gun.

Hoddle said: "Personally, I don't think Gareth Bale wants to leave yet - unless it was to one of the Manchester clubs.

"He's had a new baby and I'm not sure if he's ready for a move abroad. You have to be settled off the pitch before you get your form on it."

ACE IN THE HOLE- SIR ALEX FERGUSON

The King of striker transfers offers us ‘dejavu’ every few years and that has never changed. It comes at a dire time of need but has always been Fergies ‘ACE IN THE HOLE’ .The most romantic club in history of football offers a lot to join this enigmatic franchise.

Recent years have proven to be difficult in the transfer market because of the exponential market value of players.

Gone are the days 1 million pounds being the record breaking deal in the days of Trevor Francis . The Ronaldo market rate of 80million(later to become a120 million deal including Ronaldo’s payment)  has made small clubs have a bargaining power like they never did before. Now an offer price below 20 million pounds is laughed off. But SIR ALEX FERGUSON has his own way of doing deals.

In the early 90’s Newcastle was beginning to emerge as contenders under Kevin Keegan. A juggernaut was scoring goals for fun on Tyneside and then…….

Andy Cole is signed for 7 million from Newcastle as soon as Ferguson’s sources heard about a rift between then Manger Keegan. Cole repayed the transfer fee by helping United overturn a 12 point deficit to win the League.

.Andy cole went on to becoming a success lifting trophy after trophy his best moment lifting that european title in 98-99 season while Newcastle’s Trophy cabinet remains bare.

When the league slipped from Fergie’s clutches in 92’  he turned to the Mercurial Frenchman called his ‘greatest signing ever’ ERIC CANTONA
 and the French man delivered back to back titles in the Newly formed PREMIER LEAGUE and he guided the upcoming youngsters who looked upto him as their Role model.

The Fiery Scot called it the Scot-French alliance. Never had a signing been as impactful as CANTONA. He was truly the KING of Old Trafford.

When Arsenal won the league twice in 3 seasons Fergie turned to another striker. A young face from Everton ‘Wayne Rooney’. Rooney was ambitious and wanted to play European football and Fergie granted him his wish of a debut. Wayne repayed fergie’s faith with a Hattrick at Old Trafford on his European Debut and the rest as they say………

Rooney and Ronaldo terrorized defences across the globe and 5 PL medals and a Champions League medal says it all.

In 2011-2012 season the Blue half of Manchester emerged as not only contenders but as Winners on the Final Day. A heart break for every United fan.

But Ferguson promised we will not lose another title on goal difference and he kept his word.It was Dejavu again Fergies gamble, it was an ‘ace in the hole’ yet again.

The World was shocked when the Robin Van Persie transfer finally took place. It was to the Red half of Manchester and it was all Alex Ferguson charm and the lure of Playing for Manchester United that he decided that he join United.

And did he deliver the title in style. He was a man posessed scoring goals for fun and leaving champions City behind clinching the Historic #20 Title.

#20 delivered by #20 RVP IRONIC!!!!

As Sir Alex vacates the Managerial seat he will always be known for these transfers that brought immediate success to the club and a smile to the fans.

HAIL….. SIR ALEX FERGUSON 

Shinji Kagawa has set his sights on becoming as influential as his Manchester United team-mates Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney.

Shinji Kagawa has set his sights on becoming as influential as his Manchester United team-mates Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney.

"I wasn't satisfied with my overall performance but I played well in the second half of the season and started to get more and more confidence," he told Sports Illustrated.

"Hopefully, I can keep that going at the Confederations Cup.

"In this business, you need to be like Rooney or Van Persie and prove yourself if you want the ball.

"I want to be a player like them, which means I need results."

Best skills of Cristiano Ronaldo in flipbook by Etoilec1

Best skills of Cristiano Ronaldo in flipbook by Etoilec1

THE MANCHESTER UNITED MAFIA

Who is Sir Alex Ferguson? Despite the reams of newsprint and hours of TV and radio broadcasts dedicated to the Manchester United manager’s retirement, none of it has given me any deeper insight into the personality of the man. We hear over and again the jaw-dropping statistics about the trophies won, and the cliches – the hairdryer, the horses, one of the greatest managers of all time – but who can tell us anything really personal about Ferguson? If there is anyone out there, they are keeping quiet.

DAVID JAMES Said:

”I call it the Manchester United mafia, led by Sir Alex Fergu-don. In 25 years of professional football, a period in which I have played Ferguson’s teams on many occasions, I have never exchanged more than a hello and a nod with the man. Whereas a manager like José Mourinho will give you the time of day, Ferguson is unapproachable.

If there is a code of silence, Ferguson’s players are bound to it. Despite being friends with Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney, among others, I have never – ever – heard them say anything about Ferguson. All those hours of sitting around at England camps or on bus rides, and not once did any United players ever reveal anything to me about their team-mates, their dressing room or their manager. In an industry renowned for its gossip I find that extraordinary.

On one occasion I remember sitting with Phil Neville for a chinwag and, like a typical footballer, ranting about a team-mate of mine who I found annoying at the time. When I’d finished I expected Phil to reciprocate. But there was not a word. “What an absolute prick!” I thought, red-faced after pouring my heart out only for him to remain tight-lipped. But later I concluded that his approach was an exemplary – and clever – way to carry yourself through a career in football.

All the United players were the same, no one would ever say a bad thing about their team-mates. Even when the media reported chaos in the United dressing room – from the infamous pizza throwing to Becks’ cut above the eye after Ferguson kicked a boot at him – there were no comments from the United boys. There were plenty of questions, of course. But their answers were only ever vague, or meaningless.

It all contributed to that sense of separation: there were United players, and then there was the rest of us. And I have little doubt that it was Ferguson himself who encouraged that segregation. For it was Ferguson who was the first manager to ban opposition players from entering the home players’ lounge for a drink after a game. Until then post-match mingling had been a tradition. But while Ferguson famously enjoys a glass of red with rival managers at Old Trafford, he was quick to ensure there was no such socialising among his players. At the time the football fraternity was horrified. There was this feeling of “Just who do you think you are?” Little did we know.

At England camps United players kept themselves apart. They had a competitive ethos so extreme it was unlike anything we had ever come across. While a simple training drill of piggy-in-the-middle was usually understood as an exercise in which you worked together against the man in the middle, for United players it was an opportunity to catch each other out. I had never seen it played that way before. To talk about one individual player being competitive is unremarkable, but to apply the same label to generation after generation of players from one specific club is unheard of.

Everyone keeps asking whether David Moyes can control the United dressing room, but United players police themselves. Ferguson created an environment in which players would control each other, so that he didn’t have to. The presence of Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes was significant. Two players who had won more trophies than anyone else meant that there were authority figures in the team, whom younger players dared not question.

And wow, were they professional. While the likes of Rio and Wazza are very funny, very loud characters, they are very serious about what they do. I should know, I’ve been on the receiving end of one of Rio’s tirades for some minuscule incident on the pitch. That’s the norm at United, where anyone who steps out of line or makes an error can expect a verbal battering from their team-mates. United players just have that intensity about them. Sure, we are all professionals, but I have not heard other players sit at the back of the bus after a game and analyse the match in the way that Rio or Rooney do.

There is no doubt: Ferguson is revered as the supreme leader. A man whom the other football managers appear to be in awe of as they phone him up for advice, confiding in him their insecurities. Anyone who has tried to take him on in football has been crushed – from players who got too big for their boots only to be shipped out in the next transfer window, to managers who attempted to beat him at his specialist subject: mind games. As Kevin Keegan once found out to his cost, it took a brave man to think he could outfox Sir Alex.

 If I can emulate anything close to what Moyes has achieved, a manager deemed great enough to fill Ferguson’s boots, I’ll be a happy man.”

The way United teams are reverred to be a team on and off the field are exemplary of the Ferguson way of running things.

We hail this man the GAFFER and this team and bid farewell to Sir Alex Ferguson and  Paul Scholes two names that have been synonymous with the footballing world for the past decades.

David Moyes will run this MAFIA from now on. We hope the success continues in his era too.

Robin van Persie Shows Off Freestyle Soccer Skills, Casts Spell on Little Kids (Video)

Robin van Persie Shows Off Freestyle Soccer Skills, Casts Spell on Little Kids (Video)

Van Persie takes some kids to school in the video below.

WELBECK TARGETS A BETTER GOAL RETURN:

WELBECK TARGETS A BETTER GOAL RETURN: 

"Overall, there have been improvements to my game and I have been more consistent but I've been playing on the wing, which has inhibited my ability to get into goalscoring positions. I've played up front for England, been away to tournaments and scored goals there, so I know once I get into those positions I will put the chances away.
I'm also aware that knowing how to play in different positions and developing in different areas of the pitch will only benefit me and the teams I play for.
I'm happy to help the team out and it doesn't really matter whether I'm playing on the wing or up front; I should have had a much better goal return."

Close Enough

Close Enough

All the news about my renewal with Real Madrid are false. C.Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo

All the news about my renewal with Real Madrid are false.

C.Ronaldo

Tottenham triumph, Chelsea denied at the death

Tottenham triumph, Chelsea denied at the death

Three goals in seven second-half minutes secured Tottenham Hotspur FC a 3-1 win against Manchester City FC on a day when Liverpool FC salvaged a 2-2 draw with Chelsea FC.

Tottenham Hotspur FC staged a vibrant second-half fightback to defeat Manchester City FC 3-1 before Chelsea FC were held to a 2-2 draw at Liverpool FC.

City trimmed the gap on runaway leaders Manchester United FC to 13 points in midweek, but after today's result, Sir Alex Ferguson's team can clinch a record 20th English championship on Monday night by beating Aston Villa FC. The outlook was decidedly different when Carlos Tévez and James Milner combined to set up Samir Nasri for a fifth-minute opener at White Hart Lane.

However, the returning Gareth Bale made his mark 15 minutes from time, crossing for Clint Dempsey to tap in. Substitute Jermain Defoe swiftly made it two with a clinical finish and Bale completed a breathless seven-minute salvo by clipping the ball over Joe Hart.

That temporarily moved Spurs level on points with fourth-placed Chelsea, who took the lead at Anfield when Oscar headed in Juan Mata's corner at the front post. Liverpool emerged rejuvenated after the break and former Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge made the pressure tell having already hit the post.

Luis Suárez then handled inside the penalty area and Eden Hazard outwitted Pepe Reina with a nonchalant spot kick. More drama was to come, though, as Suárez headed in Sturridge's cross deep into added time.

Van Persie 'honoured' by Manchester United move

Van Persie 'honoured' by Manchester United move.

"I am looking forward to following in the footsteps of so many great strikers," said Dutch international Robin van Persie after agreeing to join Manchester United FC on a four-year deal.

Manchester United FC have made a statement of intent ahead of the new Premier League season by signing Robin van Persie from Arsenal FC for a fee in the region of €30m.

Van Persie has put pen to paper on a four-year deal, ending an association with Arsenal that began in 2004 following his switch from Feyenoord. "It's an honour to sign for Manchester United," said the 29-year-old Netherlands forward, who could make his debut against Everton FC in Monday's Premier League opener at Goodison Park.

"I am looking forward to following in the footsteps of so many great strikers, bringing my experience and playing my part to help the team compete for the biggest trophies in the game. I can't wait to get started," said Van Persie, whose 194 league outings for Arsenal yielded 96 goals.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson added: "Robin is a world-class striker with a proven record in England and in European football. His talents need no introduction to our fans – he has scored a number of goals against us in some classic battles with his former club. His movement, finishing and all-round ability are outstanding."

After becoming Arsenal captain last term, Van Persie thrived on the added responsibility, finishing the campaign with a career-best 30 Premier League goals, 11 of them match winners. He was duly voted player of the year by his peers within the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA). His season ended on a low note, however, after the Netherlands' UEFA EURO 2012 group-stage exit.

Last-gasp City clinch Premier League title

Last-gasp City clinch Premier League title

Manchester City FC struck twice in added time to claim a dramatic 3-2 win against Queens Park Rangers FC and win their first English title since 1968, pipping their cross-town rivals to glory.

Manchester City FC have been crowned champions of England for the first time since 1967/68 after coming from behind to snatch a dramatic 3-2 victory against Queens Park Rangers FC and finish above rivals Manchester United FC on goal difference.

Once labelled the "noisy neighbours" by Sir Alex Ferguson, the blue half of Manchester cranked up the volume as a carnival atmosphere preceded the game at the City of Manchester Stadium. But the mood soon turned ominous when Pablo Zabaleta's opener was cancelled out by Djibril Cissé's smart finish three minutes after the break. And despite losing Joey Barton to a red card, the visitors took a shock lead when James Mackie headed beyond Joe Hart.

With United leading 1-0 at Sunderland AFC – Wayne Rooney the scorer – the title seemed destined for Old Trafford, but a glimmer of hope was restored when Edin Džeko converted David Silva's corner two minutes into added time. One of the most remarkable comebacks in English football history was then completed as Sergio Agüero fired City into the lead and above United, who did not add to Rooney's strike.

"It was incredible; they deserved this," said City manager Roberto Mancini. "To win it like this is incredible. I don't think I've ever seen a finale like this. We didn't deserve to lose; we had a lot of chances and we deserved to win the game and championship. It's fantastic for the club and the supporters after 44 years. It's been a crazy season and a crazy last minute."

"You want to say it's the best moment of your life, but, if I'm honest, please never again this way," added City captain Vincent Kompany. "I never stopped believing. When Edin scored that goal, it reminded me of so many other moments during the season when we've done this before. There was no reason not to believe. It's not sunk in yet. I don't know what happened at the end, it was just a huge mess."

A point for QPR confirmed their Premier League status, while Bolton Wanderers FC were relegated following a 2-2 draw with Stoke City FC. Arsenal FC will play UEFA Champions League football next season after overcoming West Bromwich Albion FC 3-2, while Tottenham Hotspur FC finished fourth thanks to a 2-0 victory against Fulham FC. In fifth, Newcastle United FC lost 3-1 at Everton FC.

UEFA Champions League finalists Chelsea FC triumphed 2-1 against relegated Blackburn Rovers FC and there were also home wins for Swansea City AFC and Norwich City FC against Liverpool FC and Aston Villa FC respectively. Lastly, Wigan Athletic FC defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers FC 3-2.

Season review: England

Season review: England

Uefa

Manchester United FC reclaimed the Premier League title as Sir Alex Ferguson departed on a high while Wigan Athletic FC and Swansea City AFC lifted their first major honours.

Champions: Manchester United FCStung by Manchester City's added-time clincher last season, Sir Alex bolstered his forward line with the summer recruitment of Robin van Persie from Arsenal FC. The Dutchman made an immediate impact, scoring within ten minutes of his home debut before topping the goals chart with 26 Premier League strikes.

After battling for supremacy with City and Chelsea throughout the opening months, United's 3-2 victory at their derby rivals in early December put them in a position from which they did not look back. Following that success at the City of Manchester Stadium, Ferguson's men went 15 games unbeaten, and a 3-0 win against Aston Villa FC clinched the championship with four matches to spare – providing a fitting stage from which the 71-year-old manager could depart. 

Cup final: Manchester City FC 0-1 Wigan Athletic FCWith their league crown lost and after an early exit from the UEFA Champions League, the FA Cup presented a last chance for Roberto Mancini's squad to claim silverware. Having seen off Chelsea in the semi-finals, the Manchester club simply had to dispose of relegation-bound Wigan Athletic in the Wembley showpiece to lift the trophy for a second time in three years. However, with a first major honour in their sights, Wigan ran the favourites ragged, with young winger Callum McManaman outstanding. Ben Watson's added-time header completed the fairy tale for Roberto Martínez's Latics.

European places*Manchester United FC — UEFA Champions League, group stage
Manchester City FC — UEFA Champions League, group stage
Chelsea FC — UEFA Champions League, group stage
Arsenal FC — UEFA Champions League, play-off
Tottenham Hotspur FC — UEFA Europa League, group stage
Swansea City AFC — UEFA Europa League, group stage
Wigan Athletic FC — UEFA Europa League, group stage

*Subject to final confirmation from UEFA

Player of the year: Gareth Bale (Tottenham Hotspur FC)Tottenham missed out on a UEFA Champions League play-off place by a point, but that margain would have been much greater without the outstanding Wales forward. Seen solely as a winger before this campaign, the 23-year-old stepped up his game once more, playing centrally or down either flank to pose a constant threat to opposition defences.

Bale has had an impressive season

With Spurs' attacking resources limited by injuries to Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe, Bale assumed the goalscoring responsibilities, hitting 21 in the Premier League to trail only Van Persie and Luis Suárez. It was not just the number of goals that caught the eye, but the style in which he scored them. He rifled in countless efforts from range and important match-winning strikes, often in the dying moments of games.

One to watch: Callum McManaman (Wigan Athletic FC)Given he had featured only as a substitute in the Premier League until 17 March, when he made his full debut in a 2-1 win over Newcastle United FC, very few would have predicted McManaman's stock being so high come the end of term. However, his thrilling displays in Wigan's FA Cup triumph – notably against boyhood team Everton FC in the quarter-finals and against City in the final – earned the winger a call-up to Stuart Pearce's squad for June's UEFA European Under-21 Championship in Israel. At this rate of development, the 22-year-old will be menacing defences for years to come.

Surprise package: Bradford City AFCThe side that beat Bradford in February's League Cup final, Swansea City, would be many people's surprise team of 2012/13 as they lifted a first trophy and played some fine football under Michael Laudrup to finish ninth in the Premier League. However, fourth-division Bradford's run to the Wembley showcase was the stuff dreams are made of.

In steady decline since dropping out of the top tier in 2001, the Yorkshire club captured the public imagination by overcoming Wigan, Arsenal and Aston Villa FC en route to the final. And if their eventual 5-0 defeat in the showpiece suggested an unhappy ending to the adventure, Phil Parkinson's men used their momentum to earn promotion to the third tier – returning to Wembley to beat Northampton Town FC in a play-off decider.

Leading scorer: Robin van Persie, Manchester United FC (26)

Relegated: Wigan Athletic FC, Reading FC, Queens Park Rangers FC

Promoted: Cardiff City FC, Hull City AFC, Crystal Palace FC.

Number: 49The number of trophies won by Sir Alex during his 41-year managerial career, including two UEFA Champions Leagues, 13 English Premier League titles and five FA Cups. 

Quote"August 17." Ferguson responds to a query asking when he knew the title was safe. That was the day Van Persie signed on the dotted line at Old Trafford, three days before the season began.