All eyes were on Sir Alex Ferguson this afternoon as he took charge of Manchester United for the final time at Old Trafford.
The match also marked Paul Scholes' final home match for the Red Devils, with both men retiring at the end of the season.
Both sides had little riding on the match, with United readying to be crowned Premier League champions after the game, whereas Swansea City had already ensured safety and European football following their Capital One Cup victory earlier this year.
Ferguson finished on a high note, as United ran out 2-1 winners.
Read how it all unfolded in our live commentary below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of Manchester United versus Swansea City live from Old Trafford.
I'm sure you don't need me to tell you, but today is going to be an emotional day in Manchester, after Sir Alex Ferguson announced earlier this week that he is to retire at the end of the season.
Today also marks the final Old Trafford appearance of Paul Scholes, unless he decides to come out of retirement yet again.
One way or another, today will be a tearjerker for sure, so United fans grab your tissues.
This game is really a bit of a dead-rubber, with Swansea City already securing their Premier League safety, and possessing European football for next year after winning the Capital One Cup earlier this season.
Today is also the day that will see United lift their 20th Premier League title.
Before I dissect this match even further, we have team news ready and waiting.
How's this for the gossip columns...Wayne Rooney isn't even in the squad.
UNITED XI: De Gea, Jones, Vidic, Ferdinand, Evra, Welbeck, Carrick, Scholes, Kagawa, Hernandez, van Persie
So the big news aside from Rooney's absence is that Paul Scholes starts for the very last time at Old Trafford. Expecting an emotional late substitution.
SWANSEA XI: Tremmel, Tiendalli, Chico, Williams, Taylor, Britton, de Guzman, Routledge, Hernandez, Dyer, Michu
So the Swans are still without Michel Vorm, although worryingly for Robin van Persie, Ashley Williams starts for the Welsh outfit. Mind your head RVP.
Back to Rooney though, who has been linked with a whole host of clubs that include Arsenal as of this morning. I can't this being the last we hear of this matter.
UNITED BENCH: Lindegaard, Evans, Buttner, Valencia, Anderson, Giggs, Cleverley
SWANSEA BENCH: Cornell, Monk, Rangel, Davies, Agustien, Lamah, Shechter
A real mixture of young and old on the bench for both sides with Ryan Giggs and Garry Monk bringing up the average age of the squads.
Let's get the views of both camps, with both Michael Carrick and Michael Laudrup.
Carrick: "It's fitting in many ways that it's the manager's last game at home.
"We can celebrate the league but celebrate the manager himself and everything he brings and has brought to the club over such a length of time.
"We want to put on a performance because we want to go out on a high, we have standards and pride in ourselves.
"People might say that the game doesn't matter but it does to us. We want to win for the manager. It's his last home game so we want to make it a special occasion for him as well."
Laudrup: "Unfortunately, legend is a word that is used far too often in the media today, but here we are really talking about a legend of football and I am proud to be Ferguson's opponent in his last home game as manager at Old Trafford."
So let's bring you some more Fergie stats.
At Old Trafford the whole crowd have been given flags for the game, even Swansea, who have Capital One Cup winners on theirs. Nice touch.
The teams are out, and making a guard of honour for someone...wonder who.
Everyone is out, ready and waiting. While the announcements are being made.
And here he is, out comes Ferguson to a standing ovation.
There's a mad rush in the stands, as Ferguson starts signing autographs.
A reminder that after the game that United will be lifting their 20th, and Ferguson's 13th, Premier League crown that marks Fergie's 38th piece of silverware since he joined United and the 49th of his career.
Believe it or not, this game is about to get underway with Swansea.
We're underway at Old Trafford.
United are playing from left to right in this first half, wearing their red shirts, white shorts and black socks, while Swansea are shooting the other way in their all-white strip.
It's a lovely atmosphere at Old Trafford, with a lot passing going on but not much in the way of chances.
OFF THE BAR! United have the first effort of the game through Javier Hernandez who is played in the left by Robin van Persie. He opts not to come inside and drives a shot high with his left foot, which bounces off the bar and is cleared off the line.
CHANCE! Swansea go up the other end and have a chance of their own, but Michu drags his shot wide of the far post in a crowded penalty area.
Just out of interest for you, Michu, on May 12, is wearing gloves. Come on, that is just wrong.
United need to win their last two games to equal their best ever points total in a 38-game Premier League season, achieved in 1999-2000.
Not too much to report, this game really has an end of season feel to it. Suppose there isn't really anything to play for.
The game is more of a side attraction compared to the occasion.
United have a chance from a corner that comes to nothing, United retain possession and Van Persie wins another corner following a Williams block.
The crowd gets all excited as Paul Scholes roams forward to the edge of the book, but opts for a pass to Welbeck, who looks to play him back, but Swansea can clear.
Some cracking chants going on in the stands to make up for the lack of action on the field. Swans fans started off by singing " Robin van Persie - we thought you were dead," following previous comments by Ferguson that Williams' clearance could have killed RVP in the reverse fixture, with "Ashley Williams, he kills who he wants," also doing the rounds.
United are coming back with chants referring to the rumours surrounding Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini: "Mancini's got the sack."
CHANCE! United have a rare effort, that falls to Patrice Evra of all players, he runs in from the left and slams a low shot at the near post, but it is easy from Tremmel.
Correction regarding the Mancini chants, they actually go: "Mancini, he gave the trophy back, and now he's got the sack."
CHANCE! Excitement brews once again at Old Trafford as Scholes pops up just inside the penalty area with a chance, but he bounces his effort slowly at Tremmel.
There was a lengthy break in play as Ashley Williams received some minor treatment, but even still, nothing is happening here.
PENALTY SHOUT! As I say that, United feel that they should have been awarded a spotkick. Kagawa picks up the ball in the box, before opting for a one-two with Van Persie, but Kagawa is brought down before RVP can return the pass. The referee isn't interested, and play goes on.
CHANCE! United have another opportunity with some nice flowing play. Scholes brings the ball forward before passing to Van Persie, who flicks the ball up to Hernandez. He choses to go for a first-time volley but sends it high over the bar.
GOAL! Manchester United 1-0 Swansea City (Javier Hernandez)
So Ferguson gets a goal in his final match at Old Trafford. Scholes plays a free kick in from the touchline into the box. The ball is met by Williams, but his header his awful and can only find the feet of Hernandez, who makes no mistake, and places the ball into the far corner from the right of the six-yard box. United lead.
CHANCE! United force a fine save from Tremmel, who dives low to his right to push Van Persie's fizzing effort out for a corner.
The corner is swung in, but it's easily caught by Tremmel.
CHANCE! Van Persie has another go at goal, checking back on the edge of the box and hits a shot with his right foot. It's not his greatest effort, and the ball heads behind for a goal kick.
There will be one more minute to go in this first half.
HALF TIME: Manchester United 1-0 Swansea City
So United lead at half time thanks to a Javier Hernandez strike that was gifted to him by Swansea's poor defending.
To be honest with you, it's hasn't been the greatest or most interesting game on the field, but the occasion and the atmosphere is just fantastic.
But nonetheless, Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement party is going to plan, and he is heading out of Old Trafford a happy man at this rate.
RESULTS: Stoke 1-2 Spurs, Everton 2-0 West Ham, Fulham 1-3 Liverpool, Norwich 4-0 West Brom, QPR 1-2 Newcastle, Sunderland 1-1 Southampton.
We're back underway at Old Trafford.
Swansea have made the bright start to this half, now clear-cut chances as of yet, but some nice football on show. They have a corner at the moment.
GOAL! Manchester United 1-1 Swansea City (Michu)
The away side are level! And who else but Michu. The corner is over hit from the left, and falls to Nathan Dyer on the right. He curls in a lovely cross which Michu runs to meet and drills across goal into the far corner. Lovely technique, lovely goal. 1-1.
Swansea fans are at it again with chants, directing at Ferguson: "You're getting sacked in the morning."
That's 22 goals this season for Michu by the way, who cost £2m in the summer.
CHANCE! Swansea come fractions away from turning the game on its head! Wayne Routledge links up in the midway point of the United half before playing a one-two with Michu. Routledge outpaces Ferdinand and slices a ball with the outside of his boot from the left of the box. De Gea is beaten, but the ball creeps just wide of the far post.
Nathan Dyer is currently being dealt with by the medics following a collision with Nemanja Vidic.
Since the Routledge effort, there hasn't been too much in the way of action.
United have a corner though.
Which is easily caught by Tremmel.
CHANCE! Swansea have a really good chance to go in front after breaking following a United attack. Dyer races away down the right and plays in Michu on the edge of the box, he slots through Pablo Hernandez, who twists and turns away from Ferdinand before forcing a save from De Gea at his near post.
CHANCE! The Swans come close again and have a right bit of momentum going. The ball falls into the box to Chico Flores who has two bites of the cherry in a crowded box. He wants a penalty against Jones, but play goes on.
SWANSEA CHANGE Ben Davies is brought on for Neil Taylor.
UNITED CHANGE It's the change that everyone was waiting for, Paul Scholes jogs off the field to a magical ovation. Chants of his name ring around the stadium, as Antonio Valencia comes on in his place.
UNITED CHANGE Danny Welbeck, to a lesser applause, was also replaced by Anderson.
CHANCE! United come a whisker away from going back in front. Evra holds off a number of chances to surge down the byeline before putting in a cross. Tremmel punches the ball clear, but only as far as Anderson on the edge of the box, who drives a volley just wide of the post.
Phil Jones comes across to make a cracking sliding challenge on Dyer, who was through on goal.
SWANSEA CHANGE It's the goalscorer Michu who makes his way off the field, with compatriot Angel Rangel coming on.
UNITED CHANGE Here is another big moment in this match, Ryan Giggs is coming onto the field in place of goalscorer Javier Hernandez.
So many layers of emotion in this match.
United have a chance to have a strike on goal from a free kick as Van Persie was chopped down by Flores.
It comes to nothing, but a corner. Van Persie swings it in and it falls to a late-arriving Vidic at the far post, but he cannot make significant enough contact to get the effort on target.
Flores and Van Persie again clash, and United have another opportunity from a free kick in pretty much an identical position. A cross has to come from Giggs.
The cross is cleared away by Swansea, but United come back down the right and try to create another chance in the box, but the ball goes behind and out for a goal kick.
This game is slowly dying, but surely United can't just draw on Fergie's last match at Old Trafford. Swansea are still pressing for a winner though.
CHANCE! This games goes from one end to the other as Pablo Hernandez has a shot blocked as he dribbles his way in the box. From the block, United go up the other end and Van Persie wins a corner.
GOAL! Manchester United 2-1 Swansea City (Rio Ferdinand)
Sorry for the jynx Swans fans, but United have just taken the lead once again with minutes to play. The corner evades everyone and makes its way to an unmarked Ferdinand at the far post, who blasts a half-volley into the top corner of the net to delight Old Trafford. Huge smiles from Ferguson.
Just before the goal, Swansea made their final change, with Kemy Agustien coming on for Hernandez.
There will be three minutes of time added on. The last-ever amount of Fergie time at Old Trafford.
CHANCE! Van Persie has an effort on goal, but it's a poor one and is too tame to beat Tremmel.
The clock ticks down, and I'm sure there will be a huge ovation on the full-time whistle.
FULL TIME: Manchester United 2-1 Swansea City
So that's it from Alex Ferguson's final game at Old Trafford, and they have ended on a high note. Michu had cancelled out Javier Hernandez's first-half opener before Rio Ferdinand stuck a late winner.
We still have a lot more to come though, with the trophy presentation and a speech from Fergie to come.
The announcer at Old Trafford lists the trophies won by Ferguson, what an accomplishment.
Fergie takes the microphone and starts his speech.
Ferguson thanks everyone at Manchester United: "All of you, this has been the most fantastic experience of my life"
Ferguson: "Everyone at the club stood by me through hard times. Your job now is to stand by our new manager."
Ferguson: "I want to pay tribute to Paul Scholes. He is one of greatest players this club has had and will ever have."
Ferguson heads down the tunnel, but we still have the Premier League trophy presentation to come. Don't go anywhere.
The stage is all set for the trophy presentation.
Steve Bruce and Bryan Robson are about to bring the trophy out onto the field.
The players are in the tunnel, and ready to return.
Bruce and Robson are walking out onto the pitch with the Premier League trophy, complete with red and white ribbons.
The coaching staff are now making their way towards the stage to pick up their applause.
And here, to a massive ovation, comes Ferguson along with Mike Phelan leading out the team.
The players come out to a bit of a cringy bouncy hug, but they can get away with it today.
All the players are now individually receiving their medals and a hug from Ferguson.
For your information, a few sections of the crowd booed Wayne Rooney when he went up to collect his medal, with an awkward looking exchange with Ferguson. Rooney had a smile on his face though.
And there we have it, Ferguson lifts the trophy and Manchester United are the Premier League champions.
Well that's it from an emotional Old Trafford, what a send off for Sir Alex Ferguson. A legend who will never be forgotten. Stick around for my analysis piece on the site, but from me, it's goodbye.
Written by
Matt Cotton
Matt Cotton
