When it comes to crucial moments that decide the outcome of championships, people always remember the match-winners.
They are so often the glory boys.
As they took charge of this season’s Premier League title race again yesterday with a tense victory at Everton, Manchester City’s dramatic triumph in 2012 is testament to that.
No one will forget Sergio Aguero’s seminal strike in the final seconds of injury time in their last-day showdown with QPR.
Forever it will remain in the club’s history.
It’s easy to forget, however, the contribution that day of Edin Dzeko who, with City 2-1 down going into added time, levelled the match at 2-2, paving the way for Aguero’s monumental moment.
Yet with the Argentine striker limping off with another muscle injury after scoring at Goodison Park and unlikely to play again this season, and Alvaro Negredo without a goal in 14 games, the onus will be on Dzeko to become the hero.
Back in August, maybe January too, there will have been few City fans too upset to see the big Bosnian leave – and he might well be among the transfer departures this coming summer.
Rarely does he look comfortable with the slick, swift style of play that has been introduced at the Etihad since Manuel Pellegrini took over.
When Aguero and Negredo were combining almost telepathically and scoring goals for fun at the start of the season, Dzeko was a mere support act and often a figure of frustration as his work-rate was criticised, attacks broke down through him or he wasted gilt-edged opportunities.
Yet now he has the chance to become the headline act, the saviour, and deserves the trust of Pellegrini to deliver the title.
Needing two wins from remaining home games against Aston Villa and West Ham, City could not have asked for any more. They are in the perfect place, pole position, and won’t take anything for granted.
And that is also where Joe Hart can tell Pellegrini to forget any ideas of replacing him with another keeper.
Like Dzeko, his future has been uncertain all season. But Hart has been just as resilient and put aside any obvious frustrations over his treatment at being dropped to confirm his status as No1.
His close-range save from Steven Naismith against Everton proved equally as vital as Dzeko’s 23rd and 24th goals of the season.
Had the Scot netted to make it 2-2 at the start of the second half, City’s fortunes could have suffered and we could be talking about Liverpool still at the top with two games left. Big players come up with pivotal contributions in the most significant fixtures, and Hart proved he is capable of just that.
City have others too, but interestingly Aguero, Yaya Toure, David Silva and Vincent Kompany have started only eight league games together.
These four players are the spine of this side, the ones who provide composure and leadership at the back, inspiration and intelligence in midfield and firepower in attack.
Pellegrini has missed them when absent, especially Aguero who has 17 league goals from 19 starts.
But this is where their squad strength can make the difference and players like Dzeko and Hart rise to the occasion.
