Killing The Game: Vincent Kompany Reflects on City's Dramatic 2012 Title Win in Upcoming Book
Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has revealed that he still feels sick when thinking back to the Citizens' first Premier League title in excerpts taken from an upcoming book titled Killing The Game.
Author Daniel Slack-Smith is set to release his book, which will chronicle the last 10 years of Manchester City’s history since the Abu Dhabi group takeover. Slack-Smith has conducted interviews with some of the key figures involved with the club in that time - with the Daily Mail publishing an extract this weekend.
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Manchester City won one of the most dramatic and memorable title chases in recent history back in 2012. It went right down to the wire with just goal difference separating them from their famous rivals Manchester United going into the final game.
City looked to have blown their big chance as they headed into extra time at the end of the day 2-1 down to QPR. With the United fixture already over, only three points would secure the title for City but an incredible turn of events saw them score in the 92nd and 94th minute to lift their first Premier League title.
Kompany reflected on the momentous day, claiming he still feels sick thinking of what might have been that day.
The Belgian said: “I think that's the game with the most pressure on it that I've ever been in. It was insane because - everyone was watching it. It was United versus City. It was basically for the title.
“I think you can almost see it on my face after the goal, this…it's not anger, or frustration, but it's definitely pent-up emotion that comes out because you want to almost rebel against this image.
“It makes me sick to even talk about it,' Kompany said on the topic of losing that game, 'I think we would have gone into hiding for two months. It would have been a stain, really, because we did so many great things that season.
“Throwing it away against a team that's fighting for relegation at home would have been a catastrophe. I can't even describe it. I don't know where the belief would have come from for anything else after that.
“We went to Newcastle for the second-last game of the season and Yaya (Toure) came up to me in the hotel,” Kompany recalled. "He said, 'You've headed the ball and tackled brilliantly all season. Thank you. Now leave it to me'."
“Next thing you know, we play this game, win 2-0, and Yaya scores two. Then, we prepare for the QPR game, and Kun [Sergio Aguero] does the same thing. They'd never done this before, they've never done since. Only these two games. I'll remember it forever.”
