Pep Guardiola thinks a replay of Sergio Aguero’s incredible last-gasp title winner ten years ago is not entirely out of the question next week. But he says Manchester City will be doing their best to ensure that it does not come to that!
On the anniversary of that remarkable moment, which brought to an end 44 years without a league title, the Blues have been celebrating, with the unveiling of an Aguero statue at the Etihad Stadium the centre point. But with City three points clear of Liverpool with two games to play, the possibility of another tense finish to the campaign cannot be ruled out.
If City lose at West Ham on Sunday, where they could be down to just one fit centre back, and Liverpool go to Southampton and win on Tuesday, the two teams would go into the last day level on points, but with the Blues boasting a better goal difference. It would be the same scenario as 2012, when only a City win would secure the crown, and they left it until added time to score the two goals that did just that.
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Guardiola says he did not watch the 2012 game live but saw it afterwards, but baulked at the suggestion he might enjoy a re-run, by way of a proper celebration of that incredible moment, saying: “I was in Barcelona, and I saw it” before adding that he would rather take three points in London on Sunday and get to the brink of winning the title.
“It can happen (another last-gasp title win) but it would be incomparable, the first time is the first time, first one always special. Arriving in that moment and feeling well, we need six points and everyone knows winning at West Ham and it will be almost, almost done, it’s a final, like it was at Wolves and we have to try to do it again on Sunday.”
Guardiola and his squad are focussed on this year’s title race and have not been involved in the celebrations of the 93:20 moment ten years on, but Guardiola added his own tribute to Aguero and that crucial turning point in City’s history.
Asked about the statue, he said: “More than deserved, It's a great honour for Sergio, his family and friends, an icon of his club, on the tenth anniversary of the goal he scored on 93:20 but also for all his career here.”
