Man City 11/12 — The Agüero Moment: Full Squad & Ratings

Man City 2011/12 season — all 18 players rated, best XI, and how to draft them in 38-0.

Man City 2011/12 — Season Story

Manchester City's 2011/12 season ended with the most famous moment in Premier League history: Sergio Aguero's goal at 93 minutes and 20 seconds, a 3-2 win over QPR, and the title won on goal difference after a 44-year wait. The image of Aguero whipping his shirt off and sprinting into the crowd is the defining picture of the modern Premier League — and it was the ending to a season that had been building towards it all year.

Roberto Mancini's team had spent the summer of 2011 turning themselves into champions-elect: Aguero arrived from Atletico Madrid for 38 million pounds, Samir Nasri joined from Arsenal, and the squad that had finished third the previous season suddenly looked like a collection of the best players in the country. The opening statement came in October, when City won 6-1 at Old Trafford — Manchester United's heaviest home defeat in the Premier League era.

The season became a two-horse race that swung back and forth. City led by eight points in April, then lost at Arsenal and drew at home to Sunderland to hand United the initiative; United led by three with six games to play, then lost at Wigan and dropped points at home to Everton. It came down to the final day, with City needing a win over QPR to be sure of the title on goal difference.

What followed was the greatest collapse-and-recovery in title history: City trailed 2-1 with 15 minutes left after Joey Barton's red card and a QPR team fighting relegation defended for their lives. Edin Dzeko equalised in the 92nd minute. Then Aguero received the ball on the edge of the box, shifted it onto his left foot, and scored the goal that ended 44 years of waiting. City finished level on 89 points with United — the title decided by eight goals of goal difference, and by 93:20.

93:20 — The Goal That Ended 44 Years

The final day script was chaos. City went behind to a Pablo Zabaleta own goal, took the lead through Zabaleta's header, then fell behind again when Djibril Cisse scored for QPR after Joey Barton's red card. With the score 2-1 in the 90th minute, the title was slipping away — United were winning their game, and the goal difference gap was closing with every minute.

Then came the final act. Dzeko, a giant striker, met David Silva's corner to make it 2-2 in the 92nd minute. The stadium sensed it. Mario Balotelli, the man who had won the ball, slipped it to Aguero on the edge of the area; Aguero shifted it past one defender and struck it low and hard past the QPR keeper at the near post. The clock read 93:20. The stadium exploded, the crowd poured onto the pitch, and a goal that had been 44 years in the making was complete.

The 6-1 at Old Trafford

The season's statement result came on 23 October 2011, when City travelled to Old Trafford and won 6-1 — United's heaviest home defeat in Premier League history, and the first time they had conceded six at home in 81 years. Mario Balotelli, who had been the subject of a firework incident at his house the night before, scored twice, and the celebrations told the story: City had arrived as a serious force.

The result changed the psychology of the title race. For the first time, the football world treated City as favourites rather than challengers, and United spent the rest of the season chasing. The 6-1 would also prove decisive in the final reckoning: when the two teams finished level on 89 points, City's superior goal difference — built in no small part on that October afternoon — was the margin of the title.

The Spine: Kompany, Silva and Aguero

If the Aguero moment was the headline, the season belonged to the spine. Vincent Kompany was the best defender in the league, scoring the winner in the title-deciding derby at the Etihad in April and marshalling a defence that conceded 29 goals all season. David Silva was the best playmaker in the country, his passing the difference between the old City and the new one.

And Aguero, in his first season, scored 23 league goals — including the winner in the derby and the 93:20 strike — to justify every penny of his transfer fee. Yaya Toure added 6 league goals from midfield and his presence in the big games was transformative. This was the season the modern City was born, and the 2011/12 squad is the one that started it all.

Key Players & Ratings

Sergio Aguero (89 OVR) is the crown jewel — 23 league goals in his debut season, including the most famous goal in Premier League history. David Silva (88) is the creator, Vincent Kompany (87) the captain and defensive leader, Yaya Toure (87) the midfield force, and Joe Hart (86) the goalkeeper. Samir Nasri (83), Edin Dzeko (83) and Mario Balotelli (82) complete an attack-heavy squad.

The squad average of 82.2 OVR sits above the 80.7 pool average, with elite options across the pitch. The depth is a little thinner than the later City dynasty squads — the bench has honest players like Nigel de Jong (81), Gareth Barry (81) and Adam Johnson (78) — but the starting-quality names here are genuine draft prizes.

Full 18-Man Squad

Best XI — Man City 2011/12

The highest-rated eleven available from this squad in 38-0:

• GK Joe Hart 86 OVR
• RB Pablo Zabaleta 81 OVR
• CB Vincent Kompany 87 OVR
• CB Joleon Lescott 82 OVR
• CDM Gareth Barry 81 OVR
• CM Yaya Touré 87 OVR
• CAM David Silva 88 OVR
• CAM Samir Nasri 83 OVR
• ST Sergio Agüero 89 OVR
• ST Edin Džeko 83 OVR
• ST Mario Balotelli 82 OVR

Drafting This Squad in 38-0

This squad rewards attacking picks. Aguero is the obvious first choice — an 89-rated striker who creates as well as scores. Silva solves the creative midfield position, Kompany is a top-tier centre-back, and Joe Hart (86) is a solid goalkeeping option. Yaya Toure offers something rare: a box-to-box midfielder who scores in big games.

In Legend mode, the hierarchy is clear: Aguero (89), Silva (88), Kompany and Toure (87), Hart (86). Below that, the ratings cluster around 80-83, so there is little to choose between the supporting cast. Take one of the top five and this landing is a success; anything less and you have wasted a rare visit.

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