Kyle Walker has spoken about his memorable celebration on the final day of the Premier League season, an iconic moment that is sure to go down in Manchester City folklore.
In the seconds that followed Ilkay Gundogan's dramatic winner that sealed a 3-2 come-from-behind win against Aston Villa and with it the Premier League title, City's substitutes swarmed onto the pitch to celebrate with their on-field teammates.
The images of Gundogan sliding on his knees, Phil Foden hands-on-head in disbelief and Bernardo Silva scurrying across from the bench will live long in the memory.
But while his teammates ran towards the action, Walker headed in the other direction, straight towards a rocking Family Stand.
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The CityTV cameras - trained on Pep Guardiola as the goal went in - quickly pivoted to focus on Walker, as the 32-year-old forgot about the injury that had kept him on the sidelines and charged down the touchline.
Caught up in the pandemonium the England star slid on his knees before yanking the corner flag straight out of the ground - he only just managed to stop himself from hurling it into the stands in a pure rush of adrenaline.
Speaking to reporters ahead of City's second pre-season match of their US tour - a meeting with Bayern Munich in Green Bay - Walker recounted the moment.
"If the fans weren't there I could have carried on all the way back to Sheffield," Walker said. "I remember turning round to Jack [Grealish] when we were 2-0 down and he's looking at me thinking 'what's happened here.'"
Walker was on the bench that day, but an ankle injury meant he was never going to come on. He fought through the pain to play in the second leg of the Champions League final defeat to Real Madrid, a necessary decision but one that took its toll.
Walker added: "I took a risk playing in the second leg against Madrid, but to get to a Champions League final sometimes you have to sacrifice as much as you can. I'm not talking a sob story, but these are lads I spend day in day out with.
"Each and every one of us through some part of my five years here has put their body on the line. That's what I had to do on that day. Would I have played in the final? Good question. We didn’t win the semi, but if we had got through I can assure you I would have definitely played in the final."
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