Sergio Aguero (Picture: Getty)

It may have been handed to him on a plate, gift wrapped too at that, but there was never a doubt that Sergio Aguero would not profit from Brad Guzan’s howler in the opening minutes of Manchester City’s game against Aston Villa last Saturday.

City would go on to win the match 3-2, making it successive wins for the first time since mid-February, and also meant that Aguero stood alone atop the Premier League scoring charts with 21 goals – ahead of both Harry Kane and Diego Costa.

It has been another impressive season for the Argentinian, bringing up his century of goals for the club (42 assists along the way too) – smashing the previous quickest record in achieving this by some 25 games.



Yet it was not a shock to see Aguero’s name missed off the shortlist for the Player’s Player of the Year award that was recently announced, nor that he failed to make the PFA team of the season announced this past weekend with Kane and Costa the two strikers chosen.


Interestingly too, during his four seasons at City, Aguero has not once made this team, despite his level of performance and helping City to two titles.

Working against Aguero this season was the fact that for both Kane and Costa it was their first full season in the Premier League, and, when the voting takes place both of their hot starts to the season were fresh in the mind (and came at a time when Aguero missed a chunk of games through injury). Not only though has Aguero scored the most goals this season in the Premier League, but he has the most points (goals plus assists) on a per-90 minutes basis, averaging 1.12 per 90 minutes of action.

Much as we can decry the manner in which the award and team are chosen, there is a frustration that Aguero has again been overlooked despite another impressive season, but perhaps he has set the bar so high in terms of expectation that the perception of him (incorrectly) is that his form has dipped over the course of this season.

There is a sense that he is a victim of his own circumstances and that the level of his play – and his goals of course – are taken for granted by the wider football fan. Is it strange that the opinion of him is understated and whilst the likes of Kane and Costa this season, and Robin van Persie and Luis Suarez beforehand were lauded, Aguero’s profile is rarely elevated.

There are a number of areas where Manchester City have struggled this season yet Aguero’s performances are not considered one of these. In fact, without his goals City could really have had a scrap for a top four spot rather than just week long concern following defeat in the Manchester derby.

It has even been suggested that City as a club do not do enhance the reputation of their ‘star’ players in the media, citing the reputations of the likes of Luis Suarez in comparison. Still, at City there is no doubt of the value of his worth to the side and club in general, and his continued presence at the club is where City should focus when looking at any rebuilding this summer.

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