Manager Sir Alex Ferguson said his Manchester United side had joined the club's greats
after they wrapped up a record 20th league title with victory over Aston Villa. 
Manchester United celebrate title success Manchester United celebrate title success Sir Alex Ferguson described Robin van Persie as one of his best-ever signings after the Dutchman’s hat-trick secured a 20th title for United.
But he believes Phil Jones could establish himself ahead of George Best, Bobby Charlton and Denis Law as the club’s greatest player of all time.
Ferguson did not hold back in his praise for his 13th Premier League title-winning team, warning City rival Roberto Mancini that he has the nucleus of a side to dominate English football for years to come.
He believes Jones is the pick of the bunch from a crop of starlets that includes David de Gea, Rafael, Chris Smalling, Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck.
“We have a nucleus of players who are young enough that you expect them to improve,” said Ferguson. “There is an expectation and we are not asking too much of them to improve and I think they will.
“Rafael has had an incredible season – the impetuosity of youth has gone and he has shown great maturity. De Gea has also improved and developed and been fantastic.
“Jones could arguably be our best-ever player. He has fantastic influence, reading and concentration. He has instincts and a drive about him and at 21 years of age, he is going to be some player.
“I don’t know what his best position is. I think he could play anywhere on the pitch.
“Winning the league is important for the players. Jones has won the league now, De Gea and Van Persie - it is important for them. It will help them.
“Rafa will end up being compared to Gary Neville. Jones, Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic are comparable to all the defenders we have had. I’m not saying they are better, but great players are great players
United’s coronation as champions came courtesy of a 3-0 win against relegation-threatened Aston Villa. And it was fitting that Van Persie stole the limelight with a hat-trick inside 33 minutes – including a wonder strike from 20 yards.
Mancini has already described the former Arsenal striker as the difference between his dethroned champions and United this season – and Ferguson agreed that the £24m striker can stand alongside any of the players he has signed during his time at Old Trafford.
“He has made a fantastic contribution to the season,” said the United manager. “In terms of the impact he has made, he has had as big an impact as any player I can imagine.
“Eric Cantona was an incredible impact player, but I’ve had some great strikers – maybe 10 great strikers.
“Van Persie was such a great player for Arsenal that when he became available we had to go for him. When we identify a great player coming to the end of his contract, you feel Manchester United should go for it, no matter who it is.
“We had an expectation of him. He was sensational last year, but Arsene said he was better than I’d think after I’d done the deal and he was right.
“He has never disappointed us.”
On Van Persie’s stunning volley, which came after a 40-yard pass from Rooney,
Ferguson added: “As far as I’m concerned, goal of the season.
“They showed on TV that he scored a similar volley for Arsenal – head down, over the ball, perfect timing – it was a magnificent strike. It must bear comparison. I’m trying to think of a player who has scored a goal like that.
“You think of all the great goals we’ve scored, David Beckham, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Cantona, that was up there.
“He’s been unbelievable. What would you say? His form in the first six months was fantastic. He had that spell where he wasn’t scoring, but as soon as he scored that penalty against Stoke I knew he was back. He was unbelievable against Villa.”
And Ferguson had a message for Mancini, who has continually claimed City are much closer to United than the table would suggest.
“I read his quote and he is right in one respect,” he said. “The games between us there was nothing in it, but in the other games it has been different.
“He doesn’t recognise that we have been far better in the other games. But there is nothing in it when we play each other. If you look at the derby games we’ve had, apart from that stupid game which cost us the title, we have been close.” And Ferguson added that he has no plans to walk away any time soon.
“Look at me, this has knocked 10 years off me,” he said.
Ryan Giggs, who claimed his 13th title, also said he plans to carry on.
“I'm just enjoying it and as long as I'm enjoying it and contributing to the team
then I'm going to carry on,” he said.
“It's nights like this that you're going to miss when you finish but it's nights like this also that drive you on.”
