Sergio Aguero delivered the Premier League its greatest-ever finish to a season but it was not on a plate. Amid the excitement, it is easy to forget how difficult a goal it was to score.
Aguero fed the ball into Mario Balotelli and continued his run, receiving it back before sidestepping several Queens Park Rangers defenders and scoring at Paddy Kenny’s near post. Cue bedlam.
It sparked extraordinary scenes inside the Etihad Stadium. Aguero ripped off his shirt in celebration, having started then finished a move that confirmed City as champions for the first time in 44 years.
He cost a club record £35million when signed from Atletico Madrid in 2011 and plenty considered that crazy money at the time. Blessed with hindsight, we can now define it as a bargain.
That goal against QPR in 2012 was one of 149 for the Argentine in the Premier League.
Against Tottenham Hotspur on Monday, 30-year-old Aguero will attempt to join the 150 club, moving him to joint eighth in the all-time list alongside Michael Owen.
On the other side will be Harry Kane, the Tottenham talisman who is five years younger than his City counterpart. By comparison, he has scored 113 in the top flight.
So Kane is not far behind Aguero, but really, offered a choice of who you would rather lead the line at Wembley Stadium, the City striker comes out on top.
Rio Ferdinand, despite his Manchester United allegiances, agrees.
At the start of the season, City swept Chelsea aside in the Community Shield. Aguero scored twice and, naturally, was named man of the match at Wembley.
It took him to 201 strikes in all competitions for City and Ferdinand afterwards paid him the highest compliment. ’I would take him over Harry Kane,’ the former United centre-back said.
‘I think he is the best striker in the Premier League. He was the hardest I played against, fantastic movement, pace and awareness. Kane is a great player, but Aguero just takes it.’
As it stands, Aguero is still the more complete Premier League package. His movement can be mesmerising, his centre of gravity extraordinarily low and, after seven years in England, he remains a potent match winner.
The Argentine’s chances created per 90 is currently the best its been since 2013-14 (1.94) and he has contributed six goals and two assists in nine games.
Kane has contributed five and one, though is brilliant in his own way. An expert with either foot, a target man who knows how to use his 6ft 2in height and someone with time on his side to get even better.
The result of Monday night’s match could depend on which striker turns up. Usually, that man is Aguero.
The City poacher enjoys playing against Tottenham, having got 10 goals in his last 12 appearances against them. In games against the Big Six, he scores on average every 132 minutes while Kane is on 170.
Aguero will already go down in Premier League history for what he did against QPR and is also closing in on becoming the top scorer from overseas. Arsenal legend Thierry Henry is the man to beat on 175.
Kane has proven his credentials in the Prem, considering he has hit 20-plus goals for four consecutive seasons. Aguero, though, is still a cut above.