5) Manchester United 2-1 Liverpool, Premier League 12-13 Season (13 January 2013)
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Going into the game, both teams had world-class strikers in top nick, with Van Persie and Suarez as the top two strikers in the Premier League that season. United were fighting it out in both Europe and were placed 10 points clear at the top of the table following the hectic Christmas period. Liverpool had bolstered their own goalscoring department, signing Daniel Sturridge for £12 million from Chelsea to provide greater support to Suarez, but they were 21 points behind their rivals.
Van Persie stamped his class on the game early on, following a neat sequence of passing by the United midfield as he applied a silky finishing touch to a cross from Evra’s cross in the 19th minute. United hung on to their lead following a spell of concerted pressure from Liverpool, and they entered the tunnel at halftime with a number of well-fashioned opportunities missed and a well-deserved lead.
United duly doubled their lead early in the second half via a free kick. Patrice Evra had the decisive touch but the ball from Van Persie was met last by Vidic, who was credited with the goal. Liverpool scored their only goal of the game from Sturridge, who was brought on in place of an out-of-sorts and booked Lucas Leiva. The game had a more dramatic finale with Liverpool growing into the game and bombarding United with a few well-struck shots.
The game marked the 9th successive game that Van Persie scored for United, and he duly picked up another Premier League Golden Boot at the end of the season as the Manchester club romped to one of the easiest league victories in recent memory and erased the scars of their stoppage-time loss from the previous season.
