Kompany ensured City remain on course to retain the Premier League title with a superb 30m goal to leave the Fixes beaten 1-0.

But the club captain, whose contract is up in the summer, then shed a few tears as he set out on the end-of-season lap of honour ahead of his team-mates.

He said: “I do not know at this point. Retirement? Absolutely not. I am going to play.”

Kompany has been plagued by injuries in recent seasons, reduced to a bit-part role at City with Pep Guardiola unable to rely on him to remain fit.

But Guardiola’s regard for Kompany’s experience has been clear in recent weeks, with the veteran selected for each of the last three league games – against Manchester United, Burnley and Leicester – with their title hopes on the line.

Guardiola said: “This club has over a century of history and not a lot in the trophy cabinet but there are players who help us to be who we are today – Joe Hart, Pablo Zabaleta, Vincent Kompany…

“When he is fit he is an incredible centre-back. Not just for the goal. He is our leader many times.”

But Guardiola was equally non-committal on the future, saying: “We’ll finish the season and after we are going to talk. We are going to take a beer together and decide what is best, especially for the club.”

Kompany saves his goals for big moments. There was the one against Manchester United in 2012 which turned the title race City’s way, while his last three have come in last year’s League Cup final, the Manchester derby and now this critical must-win game against Leicester.

If this does prove to have been Kompany’s final home game, it was certainly some way to sign off. City will hope it proves a pivotal moment in the title race.

They will head to Brighton for the final game one point clear of Liverpool, who host Wolves, after the remarkable battle in which the two clubs have pushed each other all the way.

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