The Mark Hughes instruction that led to iconic Sergio Aguero and Man City moment

Sheikh Rattle n Roll

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Apologies if this has been posted somewhere else, but is Mark Hughes trying to rewrite history. I know it has been a few years now, but at 2-2, I am certain the Bolton game at Stoke was still ongoing. Here is what is written in the MuEN-

The sight of Sergio Aguero lashing the ball past Paddy Kenny before wheeling away to celebrate inside a joyous Etihad Stadium is a memory etched into the brain of Manchester City fans.

One goal completed an unbelievable comeback for Roberto Mancini's side against QPR having trailed going into injury time and saw them claim their first Premier League title on goal difference at the expense of their main rivals United, whose game with Sunderland had finished minutes earlier.

City's famous victory would not have been possible, however, without the contribution of QPR and former Blues boss Mark Hughes. Before they kicked off to restart the game at 2-2, the players turned to Hughes to see what he wanted them to do.

With the relegation battle also going down to the final day, the whistle had already gone to call time on Bolton's stay in the Premier League. The QPR players knew before they had finished in Manchester that they would be staying in the division for the following season.

That was in Hughes's mind as he told Jay Bothroyd to whack it into City territory rather than attempt to keep possession.

"They got back on level terms and I always remember at that point we knew we were safe because the other result had come in," Hughes told The Coaches Voice.

"At that point I wanted to make sure, because United were up the road obviously waiting on the result. I'm thinking 'I wouldn't mind United winning, if I'm honest'. So I'm thinking we've just conceded the second goal, it's 2-2. I think it was Jay Bothroyd who looked over and said 'What do you want us to do?'

"Because the players had obviously understood that the game was over and we'd stayed up. We just said: 'Just kick it as far as you can, right in the corner, the game's over'.

The ball was indeed punted out of play near City's corner flag but was picked up by Joe Hart, who had sprinted from goal as soon as he saw where the ball was heading and threw it back into play. Gael Clichy ran unopposed into the QPR third and laid the ball left to Samir Nasri. The ball was half-cleared but Nasri recovered possession and curled it into the box.

This time it was cleared and Shaun Wright-Phillips carried the ball to the halfway line and won a throw. From it, Joleon Lescott won the header, Nigel de Jong moved forward and found Aguero who exchanged passes with Mario Balotelli and fired the ball into the net.

"I have to say, of all the games I've been involved in, the noise at the moment when that goal went in is different to anything I've heard before or since," said Hughes. "It was just unbelievable sound - different sound to a football crowd. It was a mixture of screaming and noise and it was just an unbelievable moment."
 
The notion the all the QPR players knew they had stayed up is nonsense. The desperate lunge at Sergio as he goes onto the box for a start but more the defender punching the ground in anger/frustration and another one smashes the ball into the net as Sergio runs off to celebrate.

Also they started hitting the ball out for a throw in Citys half much earlier in the game to waste time.
 
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Apologies if this has been posted somewhere else, but is Mark Hughes trying to rewrite history. I know it has been a few years now, but at 2-2, I am certain the Bolton game at Stoke was still ongoing. Here is what is written in the MuEN-

The sight of Sergio Aguero lashing the ball past Paddy Kenny before wheeling away to celebrate inside a joyous Etihad Stadium is a memory etched into the brain of Manchester City fans.

One goal completed an unbelievable comeback for Roberto Mancini's side against QPR having trailed going into injury time and saw them claim their first Premier League title on goal difference at the expense of their main rivals United, whose game with Sunderland had finished minutes earlier.

City's famous victory would not have been possible, however, without the contribution of QPR and former Blues boss Mark Hughes. Before they kicked off to restart the game at 2-2, the players turned to Hughes to see what he wanted them to do.

With the relegation battle also going down to the final day, the whistle had already gone to call time on Bolton's stay in the Premier League. The QPR players knew before they had finished in Manchester that they would be staying in the division for the following season.

That was in Hughes's mind as he told Jay Bothroyd to whack it into City territory rather than attempt to keep possession.

"They got back on level terms and I always remember at that point we knew we were safe because the other result had come in," Hughes told The Coaches Voice.

"At that point I wanted to make sure, because United were up the road obviously waiting on the result. I'm thinking 'I wouldn't mind United winning, if I'm honest'. So I'm thinking we've just conceded the second goal, it's 2-2. I think it was Jay Bothroyd who looked over and said 'What do you want us to do?'

"Because the players had obviously understood that the game was over and we'd stayed up. We just said: 'Just kick it as far as you can, right in the corner, the game's over'.

The ball was indeed punted out of play near City's corner flag but was picked up by Joe Hart, who had sprinted from goal as soon as he saw where the ball was heading and threw it back into play. Gael Clichy ran unopposed into the QPR third and laid the ball left to Samir Nasri. The ball was half-cleared but Nasri recovered possession and curled it into the box.

This time it was cleared and Shaun Wright-Phillips carried the ball to the halfway line and won a throw. From it, Joleon Lescott won the header, Nigel de Jong moved forward and found Aguero who exchanged passes with Mario Balotelli and fired the ball into the net.

"I have to say, of all the games I've been involved in, the noise at the moment when that goal went in is different to anything I've heard before or since," said Hughes. "It was just unbelievable sound - different sound to a football crowd. It was a mixture of screaming and noise and it was just an unbelievable moment."
The final whistle went in the other game well before ours, I remember the QPR fans losing the plot in the away end.
 

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