Top 10 iconic Manchester United games of the decade (2010-2019)

#4 Manchester United 3-0 Aston Villa – Premier League, 22nd April 2013

A classic goal from Robin Van Persie cemented United's Premier League title win in 2013

United confirmed their 13th Premier League title at Old Trafford in this match by dispatching of Aston Villa, with star striker Robin Van Persie scoring a first-half hat-trick to ensure his side would end the day by lifting the famous trophy. That it was the Dutchman who scored all 3 goals hardly came as a surprise – he’d already scored 22 up to that point and it was his signing that was the catalyst to this title victory.

Van Persie opened scoring after just 1 minute had gone, poking home from just a couple of yards out following a touch from Ryan Giggs. But it was his second goal that would truly go down in history. A long ball over the top from Wayne Rooney found the Dutchman running through, and the former Arsenal striker crashed an unstoppable volley into the Villa net. The strike was later voted Goal of the Season.

Van Persie added his third goal after 31 minutes, firing into the net following another pass from Giggs, and essentially, the title was secured before the half-time whistle had blown. Villa would improve in the second half, but never looked likely to overturn the deficit, and in the end this was Van Persie’s afternoon.

The Red Devils went onto mixed results in their last 4 games following their title win, ending the season with a 5-5 draw at West Bromwich Albion before Sir Alex Ferguson finally retired. At the time, nobody could’ve predicted that it would be United’s final league title of the decade.