Man City unveil Sergio Aguero statue as Pep Guardiola fuels exit rumours

Here are your evening headlines on Friday, May 13:

Manchester City have unveiled a permanent statue of Sergio Aguero outside the Etihad Stadium, exactly ten years to the day since he scored the goal that secured the club its first-ever Premier League title.

The statue of Aguero is of him celebrating his iconic winner against QPR in the famous 3-2 win, in which he scored in second-half stoppage time to secure Roberto Mancini's side the title and deny cross-city rivals Manchester United. City were trailing 2-1 as the contest entered its closing stages, but goals from Edin Dzeko and Aguero sparked unforgettable scenes at the Etihad Stadium.

Unveiled on Friday morning on the east side of the Etihad Stadium, the statue of the Argentinian striker — who was forced to retire last year because of a health condition — has joined the statues of former club captain Vincent Kompany and former midfield maestro David Silva, commemorating a defining and special era for City.

Pep Guardiola said the relentless nature of the football calendar does not leave any time for managers or players to enjoy their jobs. The Manchester City boss is again in the heat of a Premier League title battle with Liverpool, facing a difficult trip to West Ham just four days after his team brilliantly blitzed Wolves to keep their three-point lead at the summit.

Guardiola this week re-opened the question of whether he will stay beyond the end of his City contract next summer, by suggesting he would not even discuss his future with the club until the end of next season. That led to speculation that he may be ready to walk away from the Etihad Stadium, as his last two contract extensions have been sorted in plenty of time.

Guardiola stepped away from his first