Start to finish: Tevez started fewer league games than Wayne Rooney or Dimitar Berbatov in 08/09, but there was no denying his contribution to a triumphant league campaign. He provided Boxing Day cheer with a late winner at Stoke, laid on Berbatov’s last-minute clincher at Bolton and then, just when the Reds needed him most, he inspired a sensational comeback against Spurs at Old Trafford in late April.
In position: Carlos was at his best for the Reds when tucked just in behind the main striker, although he also had the pace to play on the shoulder of the last man. Covering an awful lot of ground, his constant harassment of defenders often forced errors.
Season highlight: All those long-haul flights to South America for World Cup qualifiers paid off on Boxing Day when Tevez reacted quickest to poke home a winner at Stoke.
Beating the Potters may not seem significant on the face of it, but it was a major boost when you consider the Reds were trailing Liverpool by seven points at kick-off.
Vital contribution: With United 2-0 down to Tottenham, Sir Alex threw on the Argentine at half-time. The effect was instant and Tevez’s enthusiasm rubbed off on both his team-mates and the crowd. Within 12 minutes United had the ball in the net; within 34, the Reds were winning 5-2. The manager’s verdict: “Carlos won us the game.”
Any lows: After bagging four against Blackburn Rovers in the Carling Cup, Tevez found himself warming the bench in the Reds’ next fixture. Frustrating, perhaps, but Sir Alex’s squad rotation ensures everyone’s kept fresh. Indeed, in his next start - at home to Aalborg in the Champions League - it took Tevez just three minutes to find the net.
Any other business: He often celebrated in front of the north-west corner, where his family sat. “They've been very supportive, I like to share special moments with them."
