Top 25 Manchester City players of the Premier League era - #5

Pablo Zabaleta

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When Pablo Zabaleta joined Manchester City in the summer of 2008 he signed for a team that had only been in the Premier League for six years and had not finished any higher than eighth in that time.

The Argentine must not have been able to believe his luck when, one day later, the club was bought by Sheikh Mansour, and he went on to play a major role in their success over the next nine years.

Zabaleta helped City to FA Cup glory in 2011 and memorably scored the opening goal one year later when they beat Queens Park Rangers 3-2 on the final day to clinch the title - his only goal of the entire campaign.

A trophyless season followed in 2012-13, but Zabaleta's individual performances saw him named in the PFA Team of the Year and pick up Man City's Player of the Season award.

The full-back won a Premier League and League Cup double in 2013-14 and scooped the latter trophy again in 2016 before bringing an end to his City career earlier this summer having made 332 appearances for the club.