When Swansea toppled Man City - but Mancini's team beat the rest

It is a victory that ranks among Swansea City's finest and which helped set up perhaps the most dramatic moment in the history of the Premier League.

In March 2012, Manchester City were edging towards the club's first Premier League title, and were expected to brush aside a Swansea team still coming to terms with life in the Premier League.

But there were tears on the away end at what was then known as the Liberty Stadium after Swansea stopped Roberto Mancini's star-studded team in their tracks.

As a result of their 1-0 loss, Manchester City were knocked off the summit of the table for the first time in five months.

They did not reclaim top spot until the closing fortnight of the season - and only beat Sir Alex Ferguson's Manchester United to the Premier League crown thanks to Sergio Aguero's 94th-minute goal on an extraordinary final day.

As Swansea prepare to host Manchester City in the EFL Cup on Wednesday, BBC Sport Wales looks back on the clubs' memorable encounter 13 years ago.

Swansea were in their first top-flight campaign in almost three decades having won the Championship play-off final in 2011, a mere eight years after they beat Hull on the final day of the season to avoid dropping out of the Football League.

Manchester City, by contrast, were establishing themselves as one of football's superpowers following the takeover of the club by Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008.

There was a chasm between the clubs.

It had been no surprise, therefore, when Swansea were beaten 4-0 at the Etihad Stadium in their first Premier League game in August 2011.

"That was a baptism of fire," remembers former Swansea midfielder Leon Britton, one of the many within Brendan Rodgers' team who made top-flight debuts that night.

"The vast majority of us had never played at that level, so of course you're always going to question if you can cut it in the Premier League."

The consensus, outside south-west Wales at least, was that Swansea would not survive among the elite, particularly after they failed to muster a goal – never mind a win - in their first four top-tier games.

But gradually, a squad whose most expensive player was £3.5m summer signing Danny Graham began to thrive, turning heads as they delivered points while playing stylish football.

By the time the Manchester City return fixture came around, Rodgers' side had amassed 33 points, with 11 games left to get themselves beyond the traditional 40-point safety mark.

"It was coming to the business end of the season and we knew City were getting close to winning their first Premier League title," Britton says.

"They were not going to want to let it slip. We knew it was going to be an incredibly hard game."

As it turned out, it was Swansea who made life difficult for Manchester City, dominating to such an extent that Mancini sent Aguero on from the bench before half-time in an attempt to change the flow of the contest.

Swansea had missed a penalty by that stage, with Joe Hart saving from Scott Sinclair, but the home side eventually found the goal their performance deserved seven minutes from time.

Wayne Routledge crossed from the right and Luke Moore, an £850,000 signing from Derby County, hung in the air before heading home with almost his first touch after coming off the bench.

After Micah Richards saw a late equaliser ruled out for offside, Swansea could celebrate a landmark triumph, while the visitors' misery was summed up by the tears of a supporter on the away end, whose image flashed up on television screens up and down the land.

"We were a good team," says Moore, the former striker who now works as an agent.

"We were riding the crest of a wave that season.

"Manchester City wanted to beat us and were chasing the win. The game got stretched and I was the one who was lucky enough to pop up with the goal."

Moore plays down his contribution, insisting it was "a free header you should be scoring".

But it is a goal that will live long in Swansea memories given the size of the giant it brought down.

"It's nice to be a little part of the club's history," Moore concedes.

"We had a great group at that time. That was our moment."

Having beaten Manchester City, Swansea went on to cruise to Premier League survival, with Rodgers' contribution seeing him headhunted by Liverpool come the end of the season.

The Swans went on to spend seven years in the top division – and won the 2013 League Cup – in a golden era for the club.

They took various scalps along the way, with famous victories coming at grounds such as Anfield, the Emirates, Stamford Bridge, Old Trafford and the Mestalla.

But there is an argument that the Manchester City triumph was the most notable of all, given that Swansea were in their maiden Premier League year and Mancini's side were fighting for the title.

"Manchester City were blowing everyone away with the signings they were making. They had an incredible team," Britton says.

"It probably was that moment which put Swansea on the map, where we truly arrived in the Premier League.

"Maybe that day was the day that everyone really thought, 'yeah, we're a Premier League team and we're here to stay'."

Manchester City responded to the Swansea defeat by beating Chelsea, but their springtime wobble continued in draws with Stoke and Sunderland before another away defeat, at Arsenal on 1 April, prompted suggestions that Mancini's title hopes were over.

But then nobody could have anticipated the drama that was still to come.

Having stormed to the top of the table as their neighbours faltered, Manchester United suddenly slipped up, losing twice – including in the Manchester derby on 30 April - and drawing once in their final six games of the season.

Manchester City, meanwhile, found form when it mattered most, winning five straight matches before their home fixture against Queens Park Rangers on the final day.

United won at Sunderland that afternoon, meaning Mancini's men had to see off lowly QPR to win the league on goal difference.

Yet remarkably, they seemed to destined to blow their big chance with Rangers winning 2-1 in added time.

United had a 20th league title within their grasp, only for Edin Dzeko to equalise in the 92nd minute and Aguero to send the Etihad into meltdown two minutes later.

In Wales, meanwhile, Liverpool were losing to Rodgers' Swansea – yet nobody on the away end seemed to mind when news that Manchester United had missed out on the title came through.

"I think if you talk about moments in Premier League history, you'd say that's probably up there as the greatest," Britton says.

"We were coming into injury time against Liverpool. There was a break in the game and I remember standing on the halfway line next to Luis Suarez and all of a sudden the Liverpool fans erupted, celebrating and going mental.

"I don't think Luis Suarez knew what was going on. He looked a little bit perplexed about why they were celebrating a break in play. I said to him, 'Manchester City must have won the league'.

"I'll always remember that, the little moment I was there with Luis Suarez. He probably doesn't remember, but I do."

Manchester City fans remember that moment too - while Swansea's followers will not forget the day their team humbled the side who would soon be champions.