It is the kind of story that feels fake. If you wrote a script where a team needs two goals in stoppage time to win their first title in 44 years, a Hollywood producer would probably tell you to tone it down. But on May 13, 2012, Manchester City versus QPR actually delivered that exact level of insanity.
Most people remember the "Aguerooooo" scream. It’s basically the soundtrack to modern English football. But if you look at the full 90 minutes, it wasn't just a clinical victory. Honestly, it was a total mess for City. They were playing against a QPR side fighting for their lives to stay in the Premier League. One team was desperate for glory; the other was desperate to avoid the financial black hole of relegation.
The Day the World Stopped for 90 Minutes
The atmosphere at the Etihad was suffocating. You could see it on the fans' faces before kickoff—that mixture of hope and "City-itis," the old club curse of finding new ways to lose.
City started the day level on points with Manchester United but ahead on goal difference. Simple math, right? Win and you’re champions. For 39 minutes, it looked like business as usual. Pablo Zabaleta—who, let’s be real, was never the most prolific scorer—found himself in the box and poked one home. It wasn't pretty. Paddy Kenny, the QPR keeper, probably should’ve saved it, but it looped in.
Stadium erupted. Everything felt settled.
Then the second half happened. Joleon Lescott had a nightmare moment, miscalculating a header that fell right to Djibril Cissé. Bang. 1-1. Suddenly, the title was slipping away because over at Sunderland, Wayne Rooney had already scored for Manchester United.
Joey Barton and the Red Card Chaos
You can't talk about Manchester City versus QPR without mentioning Joey Barton. It’s one of the most bizarre sequences in league history.
🔗 Read more: When is Georgia's next game: The 2026 Bulldog schedule and what to expect
In the 55th minute, Barton was sent off for an elbow on Carlos Tevez. But he didn't just leave. He decided if he was going down, he was taking everyone with him. He kneed Sergio Agüero in the back. He tried to headbutt Vincent Kompany. He even went after Mario Balotelli on the touchline.
Most people thought: "Okay, QPR are down to ten men. City will cruise now."
Wrong.
Instead of collapsing, ten-man QPR actually took the lead. Armand Traoré sprinted down the wing and crossed for Jamie Mackie, who headed it past Joe Hart. 2-1 to QPR. The Etihad went silent. Like, genuinely hauntingly silent. Fans were literally crying in the stands with 25 minutes left.
Why 93:20 Still Defies Logic
By the 90th minute, the score was still 2-1. Manchester United’s game had finished. They had won. Sir Alex Ferguson’s players were on the pitch at the Stadium of Light, waiting for the final whistle in Manchester so they could start celebrating their 20th title.
The fourth official held up the board: 5 minutes of added time.
💡 You might also like: Vince Carter Meme I Got One More: The Story Behind the Internet's Favorite Comeback
Edin Džeko gave them a spark at 91:14. A towering header from a David Silva corner. 2-2.
But a draw wasn't enough. They needed a win. They had roughly three minutes to find a goal or face decades of mockery. What happened next is the most analyzed sequence in sports history.
- Nigel de Jong carries the ball forward.
- He finds Agüero outside the box.
- Agüero plays a sharp one-two with Mario Balotelli.
- Balotelli, while falling over, manages to poke the ball back.
- Agüero skips past a lunging Nedum Onuoha.
When Agüero hit the back of the net at exactly 93:20, the entire stadium basically exploded. It wasn't just a goal; it was the end of 44 years of pain.
The Stats That Don't Tell the Whole Story
If you just looked at the box score of Manchester City versus QPR, you’d think it was a blowout.
- Possession: City had 81.3% of the ball.
- Shots: City took 44 shots. QPR took 3.
- Corners: City had 19. QPR had zero.
But football isn't played on a spreadsheet. Despite dominating every single metric, City were losing until the very last seconds of the season. QPR, to their credit, defended like their lives depended on it—mostly because they did. Ironically, because Bolton failed to beat Stoke City that same day, QPR actually stayed up despite losing.
Practical Takeaways from the Match
Even though this happened years ago, the lessons for fans and analysts are still relevant today.
📖 Related: Finding the Best Texas Longhorns iPhone Wallpaper Without the Low-Res Junk
Never leave early. Thousands of City fans actually left the stadium at the 90-minute mark thinking it was over. They missed the greatest comeback in history while standing in the parking lot.
The "New" Manchester City started here. Before this game, City were the "noisy neighbors." This win broke the psychological barrier. Since that day, they’ve gone on to dominate the league, winning multiple titles under Manuel Pellegrini and Pep Guardiola.
Understand the "Away Goal" myth. People often forget that QPR didn't need to win to stay up; they just needed Bolton to fail. If you’re tracking a relegation battle, always keep an eye on the "as-it-stands" live table, not just the score of the game you're watching.
To really appreciate the gravity of Manchester City versus QPR, you have to look at the historical context. This wasn't just about three points. It was the moment the power shifted in Manchester. If Agüero misses that shot, United wins the title, and City’s project might have stuttered. Instead, they became a juggernaut.
Next time you watch a "boring" game between a top-four side and a relegation candidate, remember this match. It’s the reason we still watch until the final whistle.
To get the full picture of how this rivalry has evolved, you should look into the 6-0 thrashing City gave QPR in 2015, which officially relegated the London club. It was a cold reminder of how much the gap had grown since that sweaty, panicked afternoon in 2012. You can also re-watch the official Premier League highlights to see the exact moment Balotelli makes his only assist of the entire season—the most important touch of his career.