Manchester United: 5 Standout Players in the 2012-13 Season

Even the most devout Manchester United fans could not have expected the 2012-13 season to run so flawlessly.

With an astonishing 23 victories in 28 league games, the Red Devils have left the competition behind and look certain to win another Premier League title.

United’s dominance has come as a result of, what I would call, a perfect storm of new signings immediately finding their place and young players developing into solid squad players.

Here are the five best Manchester United players so far this season.

Jonny Evans

Jonny Evans has developed into a first-class defender this season.

Manchester United have struggled with injuries to Nemanja Vidic and Chris Smalling, but Evans has done an excellent job of replacing them.

Recently, Sir Alex Ferguson let it be known that Evans is now his first-choice defender and that the Ferdinand-Vidic pairing could be a thing of the past. 

Additionally, Evans has scored three league goals for the Red Devils this season, and he has proven to be a great presence in the box during set pieces.

Michael Carrick

With the exception of Patrice Evra, nobody has started more games than Michael Carrick this season.

Unlike Carrick, many of United’s other midfielders are either close to the end of their careers, like Paul Scholes, or are still developing, like Tom Cleverley.

Therefore, Carrick has had to perform week in and week out, and he’s played masterfully. He is undoubtedly Manchester United’s best midfielder at this hour.

Rafael

The Brazilian full-back has been terrorizing teams all season.

He is quicker than most wingers, and as he proved last week against Queens Park Rangers, his shots can be deadly.

He is the undisputed first choice at right-back even though he is only 22 years old.

He has amassed 21 starts in the Premier League this season and has scored three goals, including a beautiful one against Liverpool.

Last summer, the Brazilian signed a contract that will extend his stay in Manchester until 2016.

That’s good news for United fans, as they can undoubtedly expect many things from Rafael in the years to come.

Wayne Rooney

What more can you say about Wayne Rooney?

He runs tirelessly for 90 minutes, he can score, and he’s a playmaker.

He has 11 Premier League goals so far this year, and he’s in a five-way tie for most assists with nine.

Rooney is showing no signs of slowing down.

In Saturday’s game against Norwich, he was on the field for the entire 90 minutes and crowned a magnificent performance with a beautiful goal right before full time.

Robin Van Persie

Robin van Persie gets the nod because he’s been nothing short of a revelation since coming to United.

He is the league’s second-leading goalscorer with 19 goals, and he’s had no trouble adjusting to his new team.

Van Persie has been the difference-maker for United this season.

He was brought in so that the Red Devils could snatch the Premier League trophy back from their cross-town rivals, and that’s exactly what he’s helping to do.