The most iconic football moments of 2019: Vincent Kompany, Lucas Moura and more
With 2019 coming to an end, we take a look at some of the most iconic moments from the Premier League and Champions League in 2019.
Kompany vs Leicester
After 11 years at Manchester City, Vincent Kompany bowed out in spectacular style.
With the 2018/19 Premier League title poised delicately between the Citizens and Liverpool, captain Kompany stepped up in the most unlikely of fashions.
In their penultimate game of the season against Leicester, the Belgian picked up a pass just past the halfway line.
The Foxes’ midfield backed off, understandably not fearing any 30 yard howitzers from a 33-year-old centre back, and Kompany unleashed a fearsome strike into the top corner past Kasper Schmeichel.
It was Kompany’s last appearance at the Etihad Stadium, and a fitting end to a stellar career in Manchester that effectively sealed the title for City.
Moura vs Ajax
The second-half of Tottenham’s Premier League season in 2019 was one to forget. But while Spurs were floundering domestically, they were pulling off miracles in Europe.
After falling 3-0 behind to Ajax on aggregate in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, Lucas Moura inspired an epic second-half comeback with a left-footed hat-trick.
Half-time substitute Fernando Llorente spent the second 45 minutes of the game bullying the Ajax defence, and his knock down was laid off to Moura in the dying seconds with Tottenham needing one more goal to get to the Champions League final.
The Brazilian steered the ball home to send the Tottenham players and bench into pandemonium. Although the resulting final was something of an anti-climax for Spurs, Moura’s winner against Ajax will remain a cherished moment.
VAR Sterling vs Spurs/and again
VAR has been one of the hottest talking points in football this year. One the most controversial moments involving it was Tottenham’s Champions League quarter-final against Manchester City.
With the aggregate score tied and Spurs set to go through on away goals, City won the ball back in midfield and worked it to Sterling, who fired home an apparent last-minute winner.
The goal sent City wild, with Pep Guardiola jumping around on the touchline. The joyous celebrations were soon halted though after a VAR review spotted that Sergio Aguero’s toe had been offside in the build up.
Lightning struck twice for City against Tottenham just a few months later in the Premier League as they were denied another last minute winner by VAR. This time it was a handball from Aymeric Laporte that preceded Gabriel Jesus turning the ball in.
Stones clearance vs Liverpool
While it lacked any epic final day conclusions, the battle for the Premier League between Manchester City and Liverpool was an enthralling one.
Liverpool went into 2019 with a 20-game unbeaten run and a seven-point lead over City, but quickly found that lead cut after goals from Sergio Aguero and Leroy Sane gave the Citizens a 2-1 victory at the start of January.
It effectively turned the tide of the title race, but it could have been different had it not been for the tightest of goal line clearances from John Stones.
After his initial clearance had rebounded off Ederson, Stones raced back towards his goal to hook the ball away with millimetres to spare.
Such a tight margin was the perfect metaphor for Liverpool and City’s neck and neck title race.
The difference between the two sides was essentially millimetres.
Liverpool stun Barcelona
Liverpool may have just been pipped to the Premier League, but they were able to claim their sixth European title. The defining moment of their Champions League campaign came against Barcelona at Anfield.
After losing the first leg 3-0 at the Nou Camp, Liverpool had an almighty task on their hands. This task was only compounded by the absences of Roberto Firmino and Mohammed Salah.
But up stepped Divock Origi, who grabbed an early goal before Gini Wijnaldum fired in two goals shortly after half time to level the tie.
The winner then came in spectacular fashion in the 79th minute after the lightning decision making of Trent Alexander Arnold. His quickly taken corner was fizzed in to Origi, who turned the ball home with superb precision.
The goal sent Liverpool to the Champions League final, where Origi was on hand yet again to wrap up the win for the Reds with another late second-half strike.
Kepa in the Carabao Cup final
Chelsea under Maurizio Sarri were an up-and-down team, often criticised for their slow style of play. However, they did produce one of the most extraordinary moments of 2019 in the Carabao Cup final.
With the scores tied at 0-0 deep into extra-time, Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga appeared to go down with cramp.
Sarri called on replacement keeper Willy Caballero - who had saved three penalties in a shootout in the League Cup final for City in 2017 - who was stripped and ready to go on before Kepa remarkably refused to go off.
The young Spaniard’s defiance sent Sarri into a rage, before he eventually backed down and left Kepa on the pitch for the penalty shootout.
It was a startling moment of rebellion from Kepa in a difficult season for Sarri at Chelsea.
Maguire moves to United
Harry Maguire became the most expensive defender ever after his £80 million transfer from Leicester to Manchester United over the summer.
The Yorkshire born centre-back had enjoyed an impressive World Cup campaign in 2018 which saw his stock rise dramatically. After another good season at the King Power stadium, the Foxes decided to cash in.
United appeared to have priced Manchester City out of the transfer, who could have done with a spare defender considering their current injury problems.
Maguire’s performances at United have been solid, although he hasn’t been able to do much to help boost what is generally a limited side by the Red Devils historical standards.
Mourinho in at Spurs
Managerial sackings are an ever present feature of football, but few were more dramatic than Mauricio Pochettino’s departure from Tottenham.
Although he had guided Spurs to the 2019 Champions League final, domestic form had been a huge problem with Tottenham without an away win since January.
In November, Daniel Levy made the decision that it was time for a change and served Pochettino the sack. It was a move that surprised most given how he had improved Tottenham over recent years.
What made the move even more shocking was the almost immediate appointment of Jose Mourinho. After a sour end to his spell at Manchester United, it was Mourinho’s return to the Premier League after receiving the sack himself almost a year ago.
After an initial upturn in results, things have tailed off somewhat under the Portuguese with Spurs still out of the Champions League places.