Tears flowed on and off the pitch after our Premier League clash with Everton in May 2021.In what was a hugely emotional time for the whole planet as we gradually came out of COVID lockdown and people...
Tears flowed on and off the pitch after our Premier League clash with Everton in May 2021.
In what was a hugely emotional time for the whole planet as we gradually came out of COVID lockdown and people were allowed to attend sporting events again, so the stands of the Etihad were once more filled with City fans for the first time in 15 long months – albeit a restricted, but joyous gate of 10,000.
Those who were lucky enough to be there that day witnessed the final Premier League appearance of one of our greatest players of all time, Sergio Aguero.
The title was already wrapped up by the time Carlo Ancelotti’s side took the field, but there was no Aguero in City’s starting XI.
The Argentine was always going to enter proceedings sooner or later and by the time he did, goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus and Phil Foden had given the champions a commanding 3-0 lead.
The moment everyone in the stadium and millions more watching around the world had been waiting for came on 65 minutes when Aguero replaced Riyad Mahrez.
Six minutes later, Aguero turned Everton’s Mason Holgate inside out before calmly slotting past Jordan Pickford.
He ran off to celebrate with De Bruyne in the picture you can see above.
Five minutes later, Aguero soared to meet Fernandinho’s cross to plant a superb header past Pickford to make it 5-0, move past Wayne Rooney’s record of most goals with one Premier League club, and score his 260th Manchester City goal.
Pickford would keep out three more Aguero efforts in the remaining minutes, and the hat-trick everybody was willing was denied.
At the end of the game, the tears flowed.
Aguero was understandably overcome with emotion, Pep Guardiola was in tears and so were thousands of City fans around the world as realisation set in that his time with the Blues was almost over.
There was still a Champions League final to look forward to, but everything felt a little surreal and slightly detached from reality.
“Sergio showed in the last decade his instinct is great, it’s fantastic,” said Guardiola shortly after his players had been presented with the Premier League trophy.
“He has this gift that his mum and dad gave him, or God, and he will always have it.
“He’s a funny and humble guy, a good guy, he made an incredible two goals.
“Sergio helped alongside us to bring this club to the level we have now, he’s a special person.
“It was the perfect end and a fairy-tale moment.”
Indeed it was.
Category: General Sports
