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In the latest of our series celebrating landmark days in the Manchester United calendar, we’re highlighting 22 April, 2013.

That’s the day we secured our 20th top-flight title with a 3-0 win over Aston Villa, thanks to Robin van Persie’s exhilarating first-half hat-trick.

Here we look at seven key matches in the 2012/13 season that set up that coronation against Villa at Old Trafford…

A goal on his home debut against Fulham gave us a glimpse of van Persie's potential in a red shirt; his match-winning hat-trick at Southampton rammed the point home. Saints had given Man City a scare on the opening day with their ambitious approach (the Blues finally winning 3-2 at home) and were at it again here, twice exposing aerial weaknesses with headers from Rickie Lambert and Morgan Schneiderlin to lead after 55 minutes.