NEIL MOXLEY

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That is the latest in a long list of barbs, kicks- up- thebackside and messages – coded or otherwise – that have come from the Spaniard’s mouth this season.

During the winter, when the arrival of Gabriel Jesus was on the horizon, Guardiola (above) was asked about Aguero’s future.

“At the end of the season? I don’t know,” he said, as onlookers up and down the country scratched their heads in disbelief at the manager’s ambivalence about losing a 30-goal-a-season man.

When Jesus, Raheem Sterling and Leroy Sane linked up for a few matches after the turn of the New Year, there was another beauty. “If Silva has still caught the eye more often than not. And Aguero has still hit the net more often.

At the age of 28 and with one decade of successful goal-scoring behind him, the Argentine should be enjoying the best years of his career.

Not, surely, having to justify his position.

The proof will be if Aguero reaches the open market.

Rival clubs will be falling over themselves to guarantee those 30 goals a season.

If he doesn’t get love and respect from his boss at the Etihad, there will be plenty ready to shower him with some. fella. But because he truly preferred to do his talking on the pitch where he was incredibly strong.

It is difficult to think of a forward who outmuscled him.

Socially, he was fine too. It’s just that the bigger mouths in that Villa side dominated. Well, when you had the likes of Mark Bosnich, Dwight Yorke and Ian Taylor around, it was difficult for most to be heard.

He wasn’t the greatest on the ball but he was tough, fit and athletic. In today’s market, he’d have been worth a fortune.

His death is such a shame – as it always is with one so young.

And while we are on the subject of what has been a rotten build-up to the game, perhaps Birmingham City supporterspp should devote became entwined. The more we attempted to untangle them, the worse it got. When she saw what we’d done, Helen laughed her head off. And gave us an apple each, possibly not as a reward.

Before and afterwards, she was the unspoken power behind Trevor. Always smiling. A class act. Sadly, she lost her fight to cancer a couple of weeks ago.

In tribute to her and Trevor, the football world gathered in Solihull on Thursday. People such as Martin O’Neill, Kevin Keegan, Joe Royle, Howard Wilkinson, Ron Atkinson, Peter Reid...the list goes on.

So it is to be hoped this lunchtime that both sets of supporters can forget their differences, at least for 60 seconds, and honour them fittingly.gy