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Hello and welcome to the City Is Ours 2021 awards, the most prestigious self-proclaimed awards in world football – as far as Manchester City is concerned, anyway.
2021 has been an incredible year for City, a year that will be remembered for a long time for many different reasons.
Because of that, The city is our Writer Alex Brotherton, Moonchester, Pete the Badge and Phil Foden’s dog Carabao came together to recognize the accomplishments of Pep Guardiola and his men.
Greatest achievement
Runners-up: Win a third Premier League title in four years, a record 21 in a row, outscoring Liverpool and Chelsea in Hell Week
Winner: reach a first Champions League final
After years of failure, false dawn and shattered dreams, 2021 is the year City finally reach the Champions League final. And (some) fans were able to attend after a year of confined football!
As we all know, the final itself was pretty gruesome, but the journey through the Round of 16 was one of the best periods of Guardiola’s tenure.
We were used to seeing City playing great football week after week, but the courage, determination and dedication that Guardiola’s men showed against Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain in the later stages of the competition paid off. made the judges proud to be Blues.
Best moment
Runners-up: Scott Carson making a Premier League appearance almost 10 years after his last, Sergio Aguero calling Phil Foden a “different sauce”, Phil Foden’s rocket in Dortmund, Rodri’s block against Liverpool
Winner: Aguero to double in his last home game
In the last home game of his City career, Sergio Aguero came off the bench to score a fantastic brace in a 5-0 win over Everton.
The goals – a skillful outside foot in the lower corner and a perfectly placed header – showcased Aguero’s scoring instincts at their best.
To top it off, after a season contested behind closed doors, 10,000 fans have been allowed into the Etihad Stadium to bid farewell to a legend.
Does it get better than that?
Best goal
Finalists: Rodri v Everton, Raheem Sterling v Everton, Ferran Torres v Newcastle
Winner: Bernardo Silva v Aston Villa
It’s ironic that City’s best goal in 2021 is a rather non-City goal, don’t you think?
(Image: Shaun Botterill / Getty Images)
City rarely get a chance to counterattack – dominating possession makes that quite difficult – but as they showed at Villa Park earlier in December, when they do, it can be spectacular.
Five touches were enough to get the ball from City’s penalty area into the back of Aston Villa’s net.
Everything from Joao Cancelo and Riyad Mahrez playing under intense pressure, to Gabriel Jesus’ precise cross and Bernardo’s first end was perfect.
It was one of those goals that you celebrate so enthusiastically, whether you’re in the pub, in your living room, or downstairs. Magnificent.
Best existential moment
Finalists: Kyle Walker red card at RB Leipzig, pile-on in Dortmund
Winner: Ruben Dias playing Twister against Leeds
Dias must have been so bored during City’s recent 7-0 demolition at Leeds United that he thought it would be fun to practice a bit of break dancing / play a game of Twister, just to feel something.
With Jack Harrison ready to cross at the edge of the six-yard box, Dias – lying on the ground to begin with – put his right foot on blue, his left hand on green, and his left foot on red, while stepping back, into the aim to preserve the white sheet.
In a way, it worked.
Most Improved Player
Finalists: Joao Cancelo, Ferran Torres
Winner: Rodri
(Image: James Williamson – AMA / Getty Images.)
Cancelo has been great this season, but Rodri has been huge.
The Spain midfielder may have suffered a few swings towards the end of last season, but since August he has been arguably City’s best player.
His passing, vision and confidence have taken giant leaps forward, but what was most impressive was his reading of the game and his understanding of when to exert pressure and create space for others.
Fernandinho could leave soon, but his position is secure in Rodri’s hands.
Most moving moment
Runners-up: Losing the Champions League final, Pep’s emotional interview with Aguero
Winner: the farewell of Sergio Aguero
(Image: Getty Images)
Saying goodbye to Aguero the first time around was emotional, but there probably wasn’t a dry eye in Manchester’s blue half when the club legend retired earlier in December.
City’s all-time top scorer left the club in May after a remarkable 10-year stint in sky blue, choosing to join Barcelona for the next stage of his career.
Sadly, a heart problem forced him to retire at the age of 33, with Kun understandably upset during his farewell press conference at Barcelona’s Camp Nou.
Thousands of City fans tune in to watch the conference online, with Guardiola and Txiki Begiristain representing the club at the event.
Over to you, Sergio.
MVP
Finalists: Riyad Mahrez, Ruben Dias, Kyle Walker
Winner: Bernardo Silva
It was very, very hard. Ruben Dias may feel wronged, but Bernardo Silva is our MVP.
Just like you, we never tire of Manchester City! This is why we have decided to complete our extensive City coverage on the Manchester Evening News with a more fan-centric platform designed specifically for City fans – The city is ours.
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Of course, Dias has been invaluable to City’s successful year. But he had already established himself as City’s new leader at the end of the year, as Bernardo looked like he wanted to leave to help City win the title, before asking to leave and then putting in performances. breathtaking. because.
For much of 2021, he’s been the player who made it all work for City, and he still misses his workhorse presence and technical genius when he’s not playing.
Here’s the difference: a team of 11 Diases would be nice. But a team of 11 Bernardos? A different sauce, as Sergio would say.
Do you agree with the judges’ choices? Follow our City Is our writer Alex brotherton on Twitter to participate in the discussion and give us your feedback in the comments section below.
