Vincent Kompany scored a jaw-dropping goal for the ages as Manchester City kept their title bid on course against Leicester .
With the scores goalless and the clock ticking down, desperation to break the deadlock was beginning to take hold inside the Etihad.
And it took something special from Kompany, who collected the ball outside the box before slamming a shot right into the top corner of Kasper Schmeichel's goal.
It proved to be the decisive goal that now leaves City just one win away from securing back-to-back league titles.
But HAD Kompany have listened to teammate Sergio Aguero , it could all have been a very different story.
Gary Neville perfectly sums up Vincent Kompany's incredible goal against Leicester
Following the win, Aguero approached his captain and half-jokingly quipped: "I tell you Vinny. Don't shoot, no, no!"
And Aguero perhaps could be forgiven for not trusting Kompany's shooting ability.
It was the Belgian's first goal from outside the box since he scored for former club Hamburg back in 2007.
Not only that, but it was his first attempt at a shot from outside the box in over five years.
Even manager Pep Guardiola admitted he was not expecting his central defender to take a pop at goal.
When asked what he was thinking when Kompany marauded forward, Guardiola said: "Pass the ball, pass the ball."
Kompany was visibly emotional after his goal earned City their 31st win of a stellar campaign which sees them top the table a point ahead of Liverpool .
Speaking about his strike after the match, Kompany said: "I haven’t scored this season but I always feel in big moments I can do something. Headers, anything. I always feel I can do something.
"There was a little bit of frustration today. I could hear people saying don’t shoot. It annoyed me.
How Man City's win over Leicester affects Premier League title race
"I thought ‘I’ve not come this far in my career for young players to tell me not to shoot’. I’ve scored goals like that in training.
"It’s 15 years of top level football of having top level midfielders tell me to put the ball wide. For 15 years I’ve said I’ll shoot and you’ll be happy when it goes in.
"I think it’s the emotion, the stage. We’re playing against realistically a top six team.
"Brendan Rodgers has transformed them and credit to him. We said before the game we’d need something from deep inside us. We needed more than quality.
"Sometimes you’re the one to do it. It was a really good team performance and I’m really happy for everyone."
