- Benjamin Wolfe
SAYONARA, SERGIO! - Aguero breaks Rooney record as City lift title - Man City 5-0 Everton Review
Oh my god, what an ending to the story. Manchester City rounds off the Premier League season in style with a 5-0 win at home to Everton. Goals came from Kevin De Bruyne, Gabriel Jesus, Phil Foden, and of course Sergio Aguero.
Pep, ever the savage, started Sergio Aguero on the bench today. The reception he got was probably worth it though. As for the rest of the team, it was mostly business as usual. Ederson was in goal with Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ruben Dias, and Zinchenko ahead of him. This is the back five I think we will play in the final. Fernandinho started with Kevin De Bruyne and surprisingly Phil Foden in midfield. The front trio was Gabriel Jesus, Riyad Mahrez, and Raheem Sterling. A very strong eleven from Pep.
Let the tears flow. Sergio Aguero has left the Premier League. The five-time champion, and orchestrator of the most iconic moment in England’s top-flight history played his final minutes for Manchester City today. He leaves as the fourth-highest goal scorer (184) in Premier League history, with the most hat-tricks (12) to supplement his accolades. Today, his goals saw him overtake Wayne Rooney as the player with the most goals in the Premier League for a single club. He managed the feat in 117 fewer games too! His domestic journey here is now over, however, there is just the small matter of a Champions League final to navigate before he embarks for Spain.
Sergio Aguero may have celebrated the Premier League title, but there's one more to go next weekend. Can he end on the greatest of notes?
Today was a huge day for many reasons. There was also the moment we finally got to lift the Premier League trophy, and in front of a selection of fans which made the moment all the sweeter. Three times Premier League champions in a four-year period. It is monumental. It is historic. Let the celebrations commence!
Aside from all this history-making, there was also a game played today as Everton visited the Etihad.
City went out there and proved what it was that made them champions, they beat Everton soundly and scored some lovely goals along the way. It took only eleven minutes for Kevin De Bruyne to open the scoring. After some neat work from Riyad Mahrez, the Belgian fired into the bottom corner from twenty yards. A typically unstoppable strike.
Just three minutes later and Gabriel Jesus doubled City’s lead. Kevin De Bryune at the heart of it again as he played a sweet ball through the Everton defence. Gabriel Jesus was on the end of it and after some lovely footwork and a nice finish from the Brazilian, City was 2-0 up.
The only real moment of danger from Everton came in the 37th minute. Richarlison went down under pressure from a ghost or maybe a strong gust of wind. It certainly was not under contact from Ruben Dias but a penalty was awarded. Thankfully the golden gloves of Ederson were equal to the Gylfi Sigurdsson penalty and justice was served.
Ederson got his hands on his second consecutive golden glove after the game, and during the game stopped any hope of an Everton comeback with his penalty save.
In the second half, the goals continued to flow, and Phil Foden was next in line. The favourite for Young Player of the Year finishing off a Raheem Sterling assist in the 53rd minute. The ball into the box from Gabriel Jesus was taken and passed off by Sterling to Foden. The latter jinking the ball onto his right foot before finishing into the bottom corner.
Then it was time, on came Sergio Aguero. One last dance. Everyone was willing the chances to come and come they did. In the 71st minute, Fernandinho intercepted the ball and played in the Argentine hitman. He jinked side to side and expertly placed the ball in the corner with the outside of his boot. The finish was a pass. It oozed class. The crowd went wild!
The fairytale moment!
Then it was dream territory as in the 76th minute the ball came into the box from Fernandinho, and Sergio Aguero leaped and headed the ball into the other corner. The players and fans were delirious. Sergio Aguero had broken the record. What a fitting final game. His City career in the Premier League began with two goals off the bench, and it ended with two goals off the bench.
Sergio Aguero scored two goals off the bench on his final ever Premier League appearance for City, the only time he has done so since his debut in 2011. Poetic.
I hope La Liga is ready for him because he looks as sharp as ever. Next up for City though, Portugal. The Champions League final. Oh my god.
SO LONG, SERGIO
After 275 Premier League appearances, and 184 goals, we finally say goodbye to Sergio Aguero in England. What a legacy he has carved out for himself here. From those two debut goals against Swansea in 2011 to his last goal against Everton in 2021, and just the 15 trophies in between. There was not a dry eye amongst the 10,000 blues allowed inside the Etihad. It feels surreal that Sergio Aguero will not play another Premier League game, but that time has come, and we have to let go.
Long live the King.
Sergio himself said:
"When you feel the love from your fans, everything is a lot easier. I have the City fans to thank for everything.”
No, we thank you. We love you forever and always, Sergio. Good luck in Spain.
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FINAL
That is it. All of the preparation Pep Guardiola could have for the upcoming final is done. There are no more games, no more judgments to make. I would be very surprised if he did not already know his entire starting eleven for the game. Today was huge, recent years have been beyond brilliant, but this is arguably the biggest game in the history of the club. It is completely fine if you are nervous, I am!
MAN OF THE MATCH
Of course, it is Sergio. The living legend. This entire game felt surreal once he entered the pitch. From the moment Riyad Mahrez booted the ball out of play to allow the substitution, to Ederson running 70 yards to celebrate with him. The whole game was Sergio-centered and it was amazing. We were treated to two typical Kun finishes of the highest quality and he fully deserves this.
So long, King.
PLAYER RATINGS:
EDERSON - 8
WALKER - 7
DIAS - 7
STONES - 7
ZINCHENKO - 6
FERNANDINHO - 7
FODEN - 8
DE BRUYNE - 9
MAHREZ – 8
STERLING – 7
JESUS - 7
Subs: Rodri – 6, Torres – 6, AGUERO – 9.320