Promising young designer Raza Mohammed rubbed shoulders with Premier League stars after winning a contest to design a mascot for the team’s home tie against Sunderland.
Raza, 10, a pupil at Rolls Crescent primary school in Hulme, Manchester, was one of hundreds of children invited by sponsor Nissan to win the chance to lead the team out of the tunnel for the big game. He designed a striking image showing a golden eagle - which was spray-painted onto a Nissan Juke as part of the prize.
The two runners-up were James Gordon, 11, from Priestnall High School in Heaton Mersey, Stockport, and Max Mayers-Davies, a pupil at Oakwood Avenue Primary School in Warrington. They also got the chance to escort players onto the pitch before the game won 3-2 by City thanks to a Frank Lampard goal.
Nissan marketing manager John Parslow said: “We couldn’t think of a more exciting way to start a new year. To walk out on to the pitch in front of 48,000 people is an experience I’m sure they will remember forever. I hope they enjoyed every second of it.”