5 most iconic moments in Premier League history

Arguably the biggest and most competitive league in Europe, the English Premier League has not been devoid of entertaining and controversial moments alike.

Be it quotable lines from players and managers during press conferences or surprise title wins and iconic pieces of commentary, the Premier League has never had a dull season.

Five most memorable moments in the history of the Premier League

Every Premier League season provides some moments that linger on, but some actions and moments become iconic over the years. Some of the best players and managers grace the Premier League, and the advent of social media means every action gets magnified these days.

On that note, let's take a look at the five most iconic moments in Premier League history.

#5 Eric Cantona's infamous kung-fu kick

Eric Cantona is revered by Manchester United fans for his role in establishing the club as one of the biggest ones in the world.

The France international joined Manchester United from Leeds United in 1992 and brought creativity, goals and some much-needed swagger to the Old Trafford outfit. But Cantona was a complex, rather divisive figure who divided opinion. His most controversial moment as a Manchester United player came in 1995.

In a match against Crystal Palace, Cantona was sent off after kicking defender Richard Shaw. As the striker walked towards the tunnel, Cantona kung-fu kicked a Crystal Palace fan and followed that up by punching the man. The fan, Matthew Simmons, was allegedly abusing Cantona.

This incident was not received well by footballing authorities. Cantona was banned from the game for eight months, and he had to cope with intense criticism from the football world.

However, his quote at a press conference after this incident attained legendary status.

"When the seagulls follow the trawler, it's because they think sardines will be thrown into the sea. Thank you very much."

After much deliberation, the Frenchman resumed playing for Manchester United after his ban. Nevertheless, he is regarded as a bonafide legend of the club for his exploits in the Premier League and other competitions.

#4 "I am a special one" - Jose Mourinho

Jose Mourinho was regarded as one of the best young managers in the game when he joined Chelsea from Porto in 2004.

The Portuguese had led Porto to unexpected Champions League success in the previous season, so Chelsea's new owner Roman Abramovich saw Mourinho as the ideal man to manage the club. Abramovich did not shy away from splurging money on players, and Mourinho enjoyed incredible success at the club.

On being appointed as the Chelsea manager, the young Mourinho said in his first press conference:

"Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion, and I think I'm a special one."

Mourinho was dubbed the 'Special One' from that moment. Various iterations of the name have spawned since then.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp called himself the 'Normal One', while Mourinho declared himself to be the 'Happy One' when he became the Chelsea manager for the second time in 2013.

#3 The Steven Gerrard slip

Arguably, Liverpool's greatest ever player, Steven Gerrard deserved a better ending to the 2013-14 Premier League season.

Liverpool were leading the league after 35 games when they played host to Chelsea. It looked likely that Liverpool would end their long and agonizing wait for their first Premier League title that season before disaster struck.

Gerrard slipped while trying to receive a pass from Mamadou Sakho, allowing Chelsea striker Demba Ba to nip in and streak ahead. Ba coolly slotted the ball past Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet as Liverpool subsequently lost the match 2-0.

Despite Gerrard's excellent individual season, Liverpool spectacularly imploded as Manchester City were crowned the Premier League champions.

"I sat in the back of the car and felt the tears rolling down my face. I hadn't cried for years, but on the way home, I couldn't stop. The tears kept coming. I can't even tell you if the streets were thick with traffic or as empty as I was on the inside. It was killing me." Gerrard wrote in his autobiography, My Story.

Liverpool did win the Premier League under the management of Jurgen Klopp last season. Gerrard, meanwhile, is enjoying a good spell as the manager of Scottish giants Rangers.

#2 Leicester City's improbable Premier League win

Leicester City celebrate their 2015-16 Premier League win.

One of the greatest sporting stories of all time, Leicester City were crowned the 2015-16 Premier League champions in a fairy tale triumph.

The Foxes were 5000-1 favourites to win the division before the season began. That was because they had finished a lowly 14th in the league the season before. Even the appointment of experienced Italian manager Claudio Ranieri was met with scepticism.

However, Ranieri's Leicester City went on to script history that season. Striker Jamie Vardy broke the record for most consecutive league games with a goal, while winger Riyad Mahrez and midfielder N'Golo Kante established themselves as two of the best players in the Premier League.

Mahrez won the PFA Players' Player of the Year for his performances before he joined Manchester City in 2018 for a fee of £61 million. Kante joined Chelsea in 2016 for £32 million and is regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world.

Leicester City have now become a force to be reckoned with. While they are not expected to win the Premier League again any time soon, they have been one of the best teams in the league in recent years, thanks to their shrewd player acquisitions.

#1 The Kun 'Agueroooo' moment

Manchester City were bought by the Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008. The new owners flexed their financial muscle by spending huge amounts of money to acquire quality players.

Sergio Aguero was one such player who was signed from Atletico Madrid in 2011 for a fee of £36 million. It proved to an excellent signing, as Aguero hit the ground running at Manchester City in his very first season. On the final day of an eventful 2011-12 campaign, Manchester City were ahead of Manchester United on goal difference.

Manchester City faced Queens Park Rangers on the final day, while Manchester United locked horns with Sunderland. QPR went 2-1 up against Manchester City despite being a man down, and as things stood, Manchester United were winning the league title as they led Sunderland.

Edin Dzeko scored a stoppage-time equaliser for Manchester City, but they needed a winner to secure the league title. In stepped 'Kun' Aguero.

In the 94th minute, Aguero received a ball from Mario Balotelli and bulged the net. As Manchester City' joy knew no bounds, United could only wonder what might have been.

Meanwhile, commentator Martin Tyler shouted 'Agueroooo' in what has come to be regarded as an iconic moment. With that triumph, Manchester City announced themselves as a team to be reckoned with.

Ten years later, City are on the cusp of a third Premier League win in four seasons.

Also Read: 5 most expensive centre-backs in world football.

About the author

Abhinav is a journalist who covers football at Sportskeeda. An avid football fan and long-suffering supporter of Manchester United, he currently writes previews, covering football leagues across the world. Armed with a good understanding of SEO and journalism guidelines, Abhinav possesses a strong knowledge of football and footballers. He loves a good transfer rumor and loves discussing the sport with his friends and family.

He's also pursuing a Master's Degree in International Relations.

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Edited by Bhargav