Once again, it absolutely had to be Carlos Tevez. Why? Because the controversy swirling around his ability to play for West Ham United as he single-handedly saved the club from relegation is the only story that could overshadow Manchester United’s Premiership title celebrations. And how it did: Tevez on Sunday produced a heroic, mesmerizing performance to seal his club’s safety. His 45th-minute goal, a fantastic showcase of strength, guile and determination, not only won the game and staved off relegation, but it also secured a place for the Argentine in West Ham folklore forever, regardless of how the legal battle surrounding his legitimacy turns out. And it had to be at Old Trafford, where Manchester United was preparing its Premier League title celebration.
Just 10 weeks ago, West Ham was toiling in 19th place in the EPL, 10 points from safety. But out of nowhere, Tevez emerged with seven goals and five assists in the final 10 games to power West Ham to a 15th-place finish. Just as remarkable is the list of clubs it defeated as West Ham took a final 21 points from a possible 27: Blackburn, Middlesbrough, Arsenal, Everton, Wigan, Bolton and Manchester United. Four of those clubs qualified for Europe next season. Suddenly, the $11 million penalty West Ham had to pay for breaking the Premier League’s rules in signing Tevez, looks negligible-especially when you consider that the club didn’t have to pay a transfer fee to acquire him in the first place. But most British papers say that heroic performances notwithstanding, Tevez shouldn’t have been allowed to play for the club in the first place.