It had to be this way you know, scoring the winner late on; it just had to be. It is after all the United way, and indeed Sir Alex Ferguson's way for 26 and some years.
In the last game for Ferguson, as manager of Manchester United at Old Trafford, Rio Ferdinand fired home the winning goal right at the death to give the English Premier League's greatest ever manager the perfect parting gift with a 2-1 win over Swansea on an emotional and joyful day for everyone connected with United.
Javier Hernandez scored the opening goal for United, before Michu equalized early in the second half.
The game seemed to be heading for a draw only for Ferdinand - the man who almost never scores - to be in the right place at the right time to score the winner and cue those now famous Fergie celebrations on the bench.
Wayne Rooney was not even in the 18 for United, while Paul Scholes, also playing his last game at Old Trafford before retirement, was expectedly given a start.
The game had a real open feel to it at the start, which is not much of a surprise, considering neither teams have anything to play for in terms of the league.
Of course, the United players were more charged up, desperate to give their manager a big send-off.
Swansea and United had a couple of chances at either end, with the Welsh side starting the first ten minutes really brightly.
United, though, created the first real opportunity, and it was no real surprise that Robin Van Persie was heavily involved.
The Dutchman took possession, and then intelligently laid the ball to Javier Hernandez, given the nod up front in the absence of Rooney, with the striker cutting onto his left foot before firing a fierce drive, which bounced away off the underside of the crossbar.
Whenever Scholes had the ball anywhere near the Swansea half, shouts of "shoot shoot" would ring around, and the midfielder nearly scored, but he just could not quite get a good piece on a shot from 16 yards.
The party atmosphere was continuing unabated at Old Trafford, and the packed crowd had more to cheer with Hernandez opening the scoring in the 39th minute. The Mexican international took advantage of a mishit clearance from Ashley Williams, off a Van Persie freekick, to slot it expertly through the legs of goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel.
Van Persie then tried to get in on the act, firing a stinging shot from 22 yards, which was well kept out by Tremmel, before slamming a right-footed shot high soon after as United went into the break 1-0 up.
The lead did not last too long though, as Swansea levelled the scores on 48 minutes. Nathan Dyer played a nice little low cross from the right, with Michu brilliantly guiding the ball into the back of the net with the outside of his left foot.
Wayne Routledge nearly made it 2-1 soon after for Swansea, but saw his shot from an acute angle trickle just wide of the post.
Swansea were in the ascendancy now, with Pablo Hernandez forcing a good reflex save from David De Gea. Phil Jones then made a really nice block to keep out Chico Flores as Swansea went in search of the goal that could give them an historic if unpopular win.
United were not quite out of it either going forward, with Anderson, on for Scholes, who was given a rousing ovation by the Old Trafford faithful, firing a low drive from 20 yards a whisker wide of the post.
Hernandez was replaced by Ryan Giggs, but it was another one of United's old guard who scored the winner. Rio Ferdinand, who had forgotten what it is like to score a goal, popped up at the far post to smash home a corner in the 87th minute to give Ferguson the script-perfect send-off.
Results: Stoke 1-2 Tottenham; Everton 2-0 West Ham; QPR 1-2 Newcastle; Sunderland 1-1 Southampton; Norwich 4-0 West Brom; Fulham 1-3 Liverpool; Manchester United 2-1 Swansea.
