With 81% of the vote, there was a clear winner - so without further ado, let’s see what it was...
Stoke 0-1 City, 26 January 2013
An unlikely hero came to the Blues’ rescue in the FA Cup fourth-round tie, helping Roberto Mancini’s side to a first win in the Potteries since 1999.
City heading into the clash having swept Watford aside in the previous round but fully aware of their six-game winless streak at the Britannia.
That run would come to an end though as Pablo Zabaleta struck with five minutes of normal time remaining to send the visitors through, drilling home at the back post to send the travelling fans delirious.
The Blues would go on to reach the final of the competition, defeating Leeds, Barnsley and Chelsea on the way to Wembley, but the less said about the events of 11 May 2013, the better!
Match highlights
Starting XIs
Stoke: Sorensen, Shotton, Shawcross, Huth, Wilkinson (Whitehead 73), Kightly (Jerome 66), Whelan, Nzonzi, Etherington, Walters, Jones (Crouch 73)
Unused subs: Nash, Owen, Adam, Upson
City: Pantilimon, Zabaleta, Kompany (Clichy 39), Lescott, Kolarov (Aguero 62), Garica, Barry, Milner, Tevez (Rodwell 86), Silva, Dzeko
Unused subs: Hart, Lopes, Rekik, Sinclair
Key moments
19’ - David Silva curls an effort goalward from the corner of the box, only for it to rebound off the post
30’ - Vincent Kompany limps off with a calf injury
85’ - Zabaleta nets the winner, racing onto Sergio Aguero’s deflected cross and finishing with the outside of his foot into the bottom corner
90 - Cameron Jerome spurns the chance to take the game to a replay, firing over from 12 yards
Man of the Match
Reaction
“It was never a pretty game but the Blues were in control for the most part, always looked the more threatening and rarely looked like surrendering their record of not conceding a goal in 2013.” - Chris Bailey, MCFC
“It was not exactly Cup football to warm the cockles on a day when most of the Potteries lay under snow, though at least the visiting fans standing (by choice) behind one of the goals were able to amuse themselves at the expense of the Stoke manager’s dress sense.” - Paul Wilson, the Observer
“City emphatically deserved their victory, which was delivered by a goal from Pablo Zabaleta after precisely 84 minutes and 27 seconds of largely unremarkable action. The precision is explained by the fact that at that stage some of us were yearning for any kind of definite conclusion.” - Patrick Collins, the Daily Mail
“This was a repeat of the 2011 final, when City brought an end to their 35-year wait for a trophy by beating Tony Pulis’ side 1-0. The champions would have won with some ease this time, but for some wayward finishing, and some typically merciless Stoke defending.” - Simon Mullock, the Mirror
“Zabaleta, head and shoulders the best player on the pitch, rescued everyone from a further 90 minutes of anti-football Thank goodness these two don’t have to do it all over again at the Etihad Stadium. For City, though, the juggernaut could be picking up speed.” Jack Gaughan, Evening Standard
