Drama reigns as City snatch title at death
MANCHESTER CITY (3) vs QUEENS PARK RANGERS (2)
SUNDERLAND (0) vs MANCHESTER UNITED (1)
STOKE CITY (2) vs BOLTON WANDERERS (2)
Aguero’s winner caps rollercoaster day as United pipped by rivals on goal difference
MANCHESTER City manager Roberto Mancini caught his breath long enough to salute a “crazy season” after his team snatched their first top-flight title since 1968 on goal difference in the most dizzying climax of the Premier League’s vivid 20-year history.
Stoppage-time goals from Sergio Aguero and Edin Dzeko wrenched the trophy from the clutches of Manchester United after 10-man QPR appeared to have sprung a huge final-day upset and handed the advantage back to City’s neighbours and fiercest rivals.
United ensured perhaps the league’s most dramatic season enjoyed a fitting finale by winning at Sunderland, Wayne Rooney scoring, and forcing City to summon a colossal push as the title that was theirs to lose very nearly slipped from their grasp.
A late defeat did nothing to dampen QPR’s joy at survival, guaranteed by Bolton’s draw at Stoke, and their relief was exceeded only by the maelstrom of emotions engulfing City and Mancini upon taking the next step in the super-rich club’s quest for world domination.
“It was incredible,” said the Italian. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a finale like this. We didn’t deserve to lose, we had a lot of chances and we deserved to win the game and championship. It’s been a crazy season and a crazy last minute.”
United’s players made their way off the pitch thinking they were champions only for news of Aguero’s most decisive of winners to leach into the Stadium of Light as some were still catching their breath.
“It is a cruel way to have the title ripped away,” said United manager Sir Alex Ferguson. “Everybody expected City to win, but they did it against 10 men for half an hour and with five extra minutes to help them. I congratulate City. Anybody who wins it deserves it.”
A visit from QPR, dreadful away, looked the perfect fixture for City, virtually invincible at home, but Rangers’ survival fight added an element of unpredictability and the hosts looked riddled with angst.
Even when they took the lead, through full-back Pablo Zabaleta’s near-post drive, it was a fraught, heart-in-mouth moment, goalkeeper Paddy Kenny parrying but the ball looping over him and just under the crossbar in the 39th minute.
Those nerves crystallised three minutes into the second half when Joleon Lescott misjudged a backward header and played in QPR striker Djibril Cisse, who gleefully lashed a volley low past Joe Hart.
Even Joey Barton’s red card, for an off-the-ball elbow on Carlos Tevez, followed by a kick at Sergio Aguero, could not halt Rangers, who silenced City when Jamie Mackie dived to head the visitors into the lead.
Defeat, and Rooney’s 20th-minute close-range header in the north-east, looked to have denied City, even when substitute Dzeko headed an equaliser, but, with seconds left, Aguero burrowed into the penalty area and conjured the final flourish of an enthralling, firecracker season.