Champions Review: December

ManUtd.com's review of the 20th title moves on to December...

Overview A vital month in United’s season began with another hair-tearing comeback at Reading, but a sturdier defensive showing laid the foundations for the biggest result of the season: triumph in the Manchester derby. That high preceded one of the best 45-minute displays of the campaign in the swatting-aside of Sunderland at Old Trafford. A club record run of games without a draw ended with a stalemate at Swansea, but an absorbing win over Newcastle – thrice falling behind, before winning in injury-time – and a solid triumph against West Brom ensured a strong finish to 2012.

Key moment Injury-time at the Etihad Stadium. Pegged back to 2-2 with five minutes remaining, many teams would have clung onto a point for dear life. Not United. Cue Robin van Persie to curl in a 25 yard free-kick to make United the first team in almost two years to triumph at the home of the champions.

Star man RvP not only strode to ManUtd.com's player of the month award, he also picked up the Barclays Premier League equivalent. No contest with six appearances yielding five invaluable goals: one opener, one equaliser, a clincher and two winners.

State of play After the derby triumph and City's Boxing Day slip at Sunderland, United began to pull away. Seven points clear as 2013 began, the Reds would never look back.