It’s a victory that ranks amongst Swansea Metropolis’s best and which helped arrange maybe probably the most dramatic second within the historical past of the Premier League.
In March 2012, Manchester Metropolis have been edging in direction of the membership’s first Premier League title, and have been anticipated to brush apart a Swansea staff nonetheless coming to phrases with life within the Premier League.
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However there have been tears on the away finish at what was then referred to as the Liberty Stadium after Swansea stopped Roberto Mancini’s star-studded staff of their tracks.
Because of their 1-0 loss, Manchester Metropolis have been knocked off the summit of the desk for the primary time in 5 months.
They didn’t reclaim high spot till the closing fortnight of the season – and solely beat Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United to the Premier League crown because of Sergio Aguero’s 94th-minute objective on a rare ultimate day.
As Swansea put together to host Manchester Metropolis within the EFL Cup on Wednesday, BBC Sport Wales seems to be again on the golf equipment’ memorable encounter 13 years in the past.
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A ‘baptism of fireside’ on the Etihad
Brendan Rodgers (left) led Swansea to eleventh in 2011-12 whereas Roberto Mancini (proper) masterminded Manchester Metropolis’s first Premier League title [Huw Evans Agency]
Swansea have been of their first top-flight marketing campaign in nearly three a long time having received the Championship play-off ultimate in 2011, a mere eight years after they beat Hull on the ultimate day of the season to keep away from dropping out of the Soccer League.
Manchester Metropolis, against this, have been establishing themselves as one in all soccer’s superpowers following the takeover of the membership by Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008.
There was a chasm between the golf equipment.
It had been no shock, subsequently, when Swansea have been crushed 4-0 on the Etihad Stadium of their first Premier League sport in August 2011.
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“That was a baptism of fireside,” remembers former Swansea midfielder Leon Britton, one of many many inside Brendan Rodgers’ staff who made top-flight debuts that evening.
“The overwhelming majority of us had by no means performed at that stage, so in fact you are at all times going to query for those who can minimize it within the Premier League.”
The consensus, exterior south-west Wales at the least, was that Swansea wouldn’t survive among the many elite, significantly after they did not muster a objective – by no means thoughts a win – of their first 4 top-tier video games.
However progressively, a squad whose costliest participant was £3.5m summer time signing Danny Graham started to thrive, turning heads as they delivered factors whereas taking part in fashionable soccer.
Swansea’s March 2012 win was their solely overcome Manchester Metropolis in 14 Premier League conferences between the golf equipment [Huw Evans Agency]
‘We have been driving the crest of a wave’
By the point the Manchester Metropolis return fixture got here round, Rodgers’ facet had amassed 33 factors, with 11 video games left to get themselves past the standard 40-point security mark.
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“It was coming to the enterprise finish of the season and we knew Metropolis have been getting near profitable their first Premier League title,” Britton says.
“They weren’t going to need to let it slip. We knew it was going to be an extremely exhausting sport.”
Because it turned out, it was Swansea who made life troublesome for Manchester Metropolis, dominating to such an extent that Mancini despatched Aguero on from the bench earlier than half-time in an try to alter the circulation of the competition.
Swansea had missed a penalty by that stage, with Joe Hart saving from Scott Sinclair, however the house facet ultimately discovered the objective their efficiency deserved seven minutes from time.
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Wayne Routledge crossed from the proper and Luke Moore, an £850,000 signing from Derby County, hung within the air earlier than heading house with nearly his first contact after coming off the bench.
Luke Moore’s objective was one in all solely eight he scored within the league in two-and-a-half seasons at Swansea [Huw Evans Agency]
After Micah Richards noticed a late equaliser dominated out for offside, Swansea might rejoice a landmark triumph, whereas the guests’ distress was summed up by the tears of a supporter on the away finish, whose picture flashed up on tv screens up and down the land.
“We have been staff,” says Moore, the previous striker who now works as an agent.
“We have been driving the crest of a wave that season.
“Manchester Metropolis needed to beat us and have been chasing the win. The sport obtained stretched and I used to be the one who was fortunate sufficient to pop up with the objective.”
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Moore performs down his contribution, insisting it was “a free header you need to be scoring”.
However it’s a objective that can stay lengthy in Swansea reminiscences given the dimensions of the enormous it introduced down.
“It is good to be a little bit a part of the membership’s historical past,” Moore concedes.
“We had an amazing group at the moment. That was our second.”
The largest scalp of all?
Having crushed Manchester Metropolis, Swansea went on to cruise to Premier League survival, with Rodgers’ contribution seeing him headhunted by Liverpool come the tip of the season.
The Swans went on to spend seven years within the high division – and received the 2013 League Cup – in a golden period for the membership.
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They took varied scalps alongside the best way, with well-known victories coming at grounds equivalent to Anfield, the Emirates, Stamford Bridge, Previous Trafford and the Mestalla.
However there may be an argument that the Manchester Metropolis triumph was probably the most notable of all, provided that Swansea have been of their maiden Premier League yr and Mancini’s facet have been preventing for the title.
“Manchester Metropolis have been blowing everybody away with the signings they have been making. That they had an unbelievable staff,” Britton says.
“It most likely was that second which put Swansea on the map, the place we actually arrived within the Premier League.
“Perhaps that day was the day that everybody actually thought, ‘yeah, we’re a Premier League staff and we’re right here to remain’.”
Manchester Metropolis received the title for the primary time since 1968 and solely the third time of their historical past [Getty Images]
Manchester Metropolis responded to the Swansea defeat by beating Chelsea, however their springtime wobble continued in attracts with Stoke and Sunderland earlier than one other away defeat, at Arsenal on 1 April,
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However then no one might have anticipated the drama that was nonetheless to come back.
Having stormed to the highest of the desk as their neighbours faltered, Manchester United instantly slipped up, dropping twice – together with within the Manchester derby on 30 April – and drawing as soon as of their ultimate six video games of the season.
Manchester Metropolis, in the meantime, discovered kind when it mattered most, profitable 5 straight matches earlier than their house fixture in opposition to Queens Park Rangers on the ultimate day.
United received at Sunderland that afternoon, that means Mancini’s males needed to see off lowly QPR to win the league on objective distinction.
But remarkably, they appeared to destined to blow their large probability with Rangers profitable 2-1 in added time.
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United had a twentieth league title inside their grasp, just for Edin Dzeko to equalise within the 92nd minute and Aguero to ship the Etihad into meltdown two minutes later.
Luis Suarez ‘perplexed’ by Liverpool celebrations
Liverpool have been crushed at Swansea on the ultimate day of the 2011-12 season because of a objective from Danny Graham [Getty Images]
In Wales, in the meantime, Liverpool have been dropping to Rodgers’ Swansea – but no one on the away finish appeared to thoughts when information that Manchester United had missed out on the title got here via.
“I feel for those who discuss moments in Premier League historical past, you’d say that is most likely up there as the best,” Britton says.
“We have been coming into damage time in opposition to Liverpool. There was a break within the sport and I bear in mind standing on the midway line subsequent to Luis Suarez and hastily the Liverpool followers erupted, celebrating and going psychological.
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“I do not suppose Luis Suarez knew what was happening. He regarded a little bit bit perplexed about why they have been celebrating a break in play. I stated to him, ‘Manchester Metropolis should have received the league’.
“I am going to at all times do not forget that, the little second I used to be there with Luis Suarez. He most likely would not bear in mind, however I do.”
Manchester Metropolis followers do not forget that second too – whereas Swansea’s followers won’t neglect the day their staff humbled the facet who would quickly be champions.