The teams managed by Pep Guardiola, Gareth Taylor, Brian Barry-Murphy and Ben Wilkinson all won trophies in the previous calendar year as we played out one of the most successful 12-month periods in the Club’s history.
In order to lift trophies, including the three Premier League titles across men’s, EDS and Under-18s football, you have to score a lot of goals.
While they all count the same, some of those are more impressive strikes than others.
Here we take a look at our 10 favourite City hits throughout 2022…
Bernardo v Sporting, 15 February
City were already 1-0 up in the early stages of the away leg of our Round of 16 UEFA Champions League tie with Sporting CP when Bernardo Silva stepped on to a dropping ball.
The Portugal international, back in the city where he first made his name with Benfica, met the ball on the half-volley and with one fluid stroke of his left boot sent the ball crashing into the crossbar and then down into the goal.
His wand of a left foot has delivered us some special goals in recent years, but this could well be the best of the lot during his time at the Etihad Stadium.
Caroline Weir v Manchester United, February
The Scottish midfielder saved her best for our city rivals during her time at City and this exquisite chip was no different.
Reminiscent of her chip nominated for the Puskas Award in 2021, this strike proved the difference in an otherwise cagey game.
Shortly after coming on deep in the second half, Weir won the ball in midfield before driving towards the 18-yard line and guiding a lob into the top corner to send the Academy Stadium into raptures.
Rodrigo v Watford, 23 April
With the title race seemingly heading to the wire, City needed a convincing victory over relegation threatened Watford to settle the nerves.
That’s exactly what we got with a four-goal game from Gabriel Jesus. However, it was a Rodrigo strike that most caught the eye on the day.
The Spaniard, who had already made a name for himself as a scorer of beautiful goals, chested a ball down from 25 yards and waited for it to bounce before firing a looping shot over Ben Foster and into the top corner.
Kayky v Leeds, 23 April
City needed a victory at Elland Road to seal the Premier League 2 title with a game to spare. There appeared to be some nerves as the Blues went 1-0 down in the sixth minute.
However, all that evaporated just two minutes later with a back-to-front passing move that typified the style of football all City sides are now known for.
Cole Palmer picked up the ball in midfield, laid it off to Kwaku Oduroh who fired a pass into the feet of James McAtee. With just one delicate touch, he found Kayky behind the defence.
It was then up to the Brazilian to drive towards the goal and slide the ball beyond Kristoffer Klaesson in the Leeds goal.
Ade Mebude v Southampton, 19 May
Another title on the line – this time the national Under-18 Premier League crown. Having won the north group, it was down to a one-off fixture with southern winners Southampton to decide the national champions.
Again, City started slowly and went a goal down but it was down to our two wingers, crucial to our form all season, to get us back in the game.
After teeing up Tai Sodje for the equaliser, Mebude was set free by his fellow menace on the wing Carlos Borges before beating his man and finishing calmly.
Ilkay Gundogan v Aston Villa, 22 May
Most of the goals on this list have earned their place for the aesthetic pleasure of the moment. This goal is different, it’s a part of our history forever more.
2-0 down with 20 minutes of the Premier League left and three goals required to win the title, the Blues put together a miraculous comeback.
First, Gundogan nodded home in the 76th minute and just two minutes later Rodrigo sent a low drive home from 18 yards. The stage was set for Gundogan to make history, tapping in Kevin De Bruyne’s ball and sending the Etihad into a state of bedlam.
Kevin De Bruyne v Bournemouth, 13 August
City started the season in blistering form in front of goal with new man Erling Haaland already on the scoresheet in the opener against West Ham United.
The striker also occupied defenders to allow our midfielders greater space in order to get a shot away.
De Bruyne made the most of that in this match, driving towards the Bournemouth defence, swaying one way and the next before eventually curling the ball home with the outside of his right boot.
A goal that very few players in the world are capable of scoring.
Erling Haaland v Borussia Dortmund, 14 September
An astonishing feat of athleticism, Haaland’s late strike against his former team sealed a win that put us in pole position in our Champions League group.
Climbing high to get on the end of a cross, Haaland incredibly got his left boot almost to the height of the crossbar in order to divert the ball home.
Immediately after the game, Guardiola likened the finish to an iconic goal by his mentor Johan Cruyff.
Yui Hasegawa v Leicester, 16 October
Primarily a defensive midfielder in the side to win the ball back and start moves from deep, Hasegawa’s debut included a special moment at the top end of the pitch.
Receiving the ball around 25 yards out, the Japan midfielder shifted to the right and let rip on a fierce strike into the far corner.
A dream debut that demonstrated Hasegawa’s abilities in attacking areas to go alongside her press resistant expertise at the base of the midfield.
Kevin De Bruyne v Leicester, 29 October
Just like Hasegawa 13 days earlier, De Bruyne’s unstoppable strike came in a league clash with Leicester City.
With Brendan Rodgers’ side sitting very deep and making it difficult for City to find a way through, every opportunity would need to be maximised.
So when De Bruyne sent this free-kick in off the inside of the post, it gave City the breakthrough we needed and we didn’t look back from that point.
