We chat to opposition legends and find out their most formidable sky blue team – created from the players they came up against.
Zamora, a boyhood West Ham fan, joined the Hammers in January 2004 and went on to become a cult hero in the claret and blue.
He spent four-and-a-half years with West Ham after joining from Tottenham.
Zamora made 149 appearances in all competitions and scored an impressive 40 goals.
The goalscoring hero of their 2004/05 Championship Play-Off win over Preston, Zamora also helped keep the Hammers in the top-flight two years later during their ‘Great Escape’ in 2006/07.
He was also part of the squad which reached the 2006 FA Cup final.
During his career, he came up against some City greats and here he selects his best sky blue XI.
GOALKEEPER: JOE HART
I’ll go with Joe Hart.
I have known him a long time and played both with him and against him.
I know him as a goalkeeper but also a character.
He was a great goalkeeper, great lad with great heart and amazing player for Man City, being part of their history.
RIGHT WING BACK: PABLO ZABALETA
He was so steady and consistent. He went under the radar.
He was so solid week-in and week-out.
Putting it simply, he was a really good player.
He knows how to play the game, knows how to defend.
CENTRE BACK: RICHARD DUNNE
I played with Dunney at QPR.
I know exactly what he’s all about – putting absolutely everything on the line for the team.
He’d run through a brick wall for you.
Dunney is Dunney.
CENTRE BACK: VINCENT KOMPANY
I’ve got Vincent as the captain – the leader!
We played against you on the last day of the season, of course, when I was at QPR and you won the League Championship and we stayed up too.
Vincent came in our dressing room after the game and he was in tears.
He was so emotional and that just demonstrated what winning your first Premier League title meant to him.
He was on Cloud Nine.
CENTRE BACK: JOLEON LESCOTT
Joleon is someone, again, that I’ve played with and against for many, many years.
I played against him when he was at Everton and West Brom and I always had good games against him.
But in that City side, he stepped up another level.
He was just a solid, solid centre-half.
LEFT WING BACK: MARTIN PETROV
He was always rapid, up and down, worked his socks off.
He also scored some banging goals, too, so he’s in there.
CENTRAL MIDFIELD: GARETH BARRY
I’m picking Gaz just ahead of Nigel de Jong, who was also a fantastic midfielder.
Gaz was so, so steady. He was never lower than 7 out of 10 every single week. He was so reliable.
He didn’t get the same praise of some other players when you’re that kind of player but your fellow pros value you so highly.
He was so consistent.
CENTRAL MIDFIELD: YAYA TOURE
What a beast! He could do it all.
He’d burst through you. His feet were magnificent. His range of passing was a dream. He had absolute everything.
He was also a great, great lad. He played at some major clubs, won the lot and still had the decency to give people the time of day.
Not everyone is like that! He was unbelievable.
CENTRAL MIDFIELD: DAVID SILVA
Silva was a real game-changer.
I remember playing City at the Etihad and no-one could get anywhere near him.
It was one touch, two touch – ridiculous.
He floated in and out of holes and created chances for fun.
He was special.
FORWARD: CARLOS TEVEZ
I played with him at West Ham. He was my strike partner.
He wasn’t the best trainer when he was at West Ham but come the weekend, you knew exactly what he was going to do – and that was run his socks off, give everything and, more often than not, score a goal. He always had a goal in him.
He was a great lad, could have a laugh and joke, spoke little English but a great character, great for the dressing room.
FORWARD: SERGIO AGUERO
Aguero is Aguero, isn’t he.
Give him the ball in and around the box and he’ll get you a goal.
What I liked about him is he went under the radar. He played and scored goals. He kept himself to himself. He was a model pro. He kept a low profile.
In terms of goals to minutes, he’s up there with the best.
