Chapter 592: Chapter 591: England Showing Fierce Love by Dominating Broadcasts
Sky Sports made a prediction for Manchester City’s late season run, "Manchester City’s early announcement of focusing on the cup competitions seems like a good choice."
"They have steered clear of the intense league battles."
"But the issue is, do they think they’ll still be in the mid-table in March and April just because they are there now?"
"They have seriously underestimated the intensity of the latter half of the Premier League."
"By the time March and April come around and they’re fighting to stave off relegation, the FA Cup will become a burden to them. They’ll likely face a collapse on multiple fronts."
"This is due to unfamiliarity with the Premier League. Maxa’s intentions are good, and he has a high level of coaching, but, unfortunately, he has never experienced the Premier League before."
Why don’t teams like Tottenham Hotspur and Everton, a group of mid-table Premier League teams, put their energy into cup competitions like Manchester City?
Because, in reality, there is no such thing as mid-table teams in the Premier League.
This is a league where even relegation-threatened teams can knock down Arsenal and Manchester United.
Any mid-table team that lets down its guard could easily become a relegation battler.
Let’s not even talk about relegation-threatened teams.
Tottenham Hotspur appears to be a mid-table team too.
But they’re only six points behind fourth-placed Chelsea.
And they’re only nine points behind second-placed Manchester United!
Theoretically, Tottenham Hotspur even has a chance to break into the Champions League spots!
Such a Tottenham Hotspur team doesn’t dare to be distracted by cup competitions.
And yet, Manchester City thinks they are safe in the league and focus solely on cup games; they will undoubtedly be punished in the end.
On January 8th, the Carabao Cup semi-final first leg kicked off.
Liverpool, in this situation, made appropriate rotations.
Because their league position has dropped to eighth place.
Keep in mind, this is a team people believed had a chance to challenge for the Premier League title.
The power of a challenging schedule is apparent.
In the end, Liverpool overpowered Manchester City three to two at home.
A full-strength Manchester City encountered a tough opponent for the first time.
The unpredictability of cup competitions began to show.
Manchester City’s strong attack but weak defense was displayed in full measure.
With such inconsistency, how could you dare to set your sights on winning the competition?
It’s just ridiculous!
...
The Times reported, "Manchester City’s shortcut has been penalized! Football is round, it’s not a game where you win just because you want to!"
Echo Report commented, "Even though Liverpool’s league performances have been very tense, and can even be described as a struggle, their current form is still better than Manchester City’s!"
"Essentially, Liverpool is at a championship level, while Manchester City is a mid-table team."
BBC said, "For Manchester City, perhaps the only consolation is that the next match will be on their home ground. But the ’Home Kings’ Manchester City have already lost a fair number of games at Maine Road Stadium this season!"
"Before their Carabao Cup rematch with Liverpool, Manchester City has to first face Leeds United at home. They can’t possibly maintain their top form three days later against Liverpool!" Sky Sports pointed out.
England’s media posed a global conundrum.
For Manchester City fans, their biggest source of confidence now is their home record.
And before they face Liverpool, they have a home game.
If they lose this match, their home defeat will take a toll on their confidence, and their mental state will inevitably be poor when they play Liverpool afterward.
If they win this match, it shows they have given their all, which means their physical condition won’t likely be in good shape for playing Liverpool next.
It’s an uncomfortable choice either way.
Elimination from the Carabao Cup has become inevitable!
On January 11th, the twenty-third round of the Premier League.
Manchester City faced an away challenge against Newcastle United, currently ranked third in the Premier League.
Two to zero!
Newcastle easily defeated Manchester City.
Deng Kai made three threatening passes, but Fowler failed to seize the opportunities.
A genius killer’s performance will greatly diminish when targeted.
He needs a better output environment; he isn’t the type of player who can create chances on his own.
On January 18th, in the 24th round of the Premier League.
Manchester City hosted Leeds United at home.
Leeds United, who were on top of the Premier League during the first three rounds of the season, were now ranked 13th, even worse than 12th-placed Manchester City.
Manchester City: ???
After all, this was just Manchester City playing carelessly and willingly giving up the league results.
In this match, both Robbies scored.
Robbie Keane scored first for the team.
Robbie Fowler quickly helped Manchester City even the score.
Ribery won a free kick, and Deng Kai’s ’banana shot’ killed off Leeds United, defending the dignity of Manchester City’s home ground.
After the match, seventy thousand fans at Maine Road Stadium chanted "Kings of the Home Ground".
Without a doubt, they were pointing to Liverpool, who would be visiting them in three days.
A great battle was about to begin.
"Sky Sports" defined this English League Cup semi-final second-leg match as the "focal battle".
Not just because it was the semi-final.
But also because it was "traditional English teams" punishing "speculators"!
Many people believe that Manchester City’s behavior would lead to less exciting league matches.
Yet for Premier League fans, the Premier League is the most thrilling competition, even more so than most Champions League matches.
After all, most people only have time to watch football on weekends; who has time on a Wednesday?
Unfortunately, such professional news from "Sky Sports" was nothing compared to what was on the front page of "The Sun Newspaper"!
"The Sun Newspaper": "Jordan declars war! England’s top glamor star, Jordan Katie Price, officially announces her hunt for Deng Kai!"
Katie Price, an English model and singer, was an early Internet celebrity.
Her personal life was often featured in magazines like "The Sun Newspaper".
Some reported that she appeared in news like the third page of "The Sun Newspaper" at least four times a week.
The 1978-born celebrity was once flat-chested and had a flat career.
But after undergoing breast enlargement surgery, changing her cup size from C to D, her career immediately peaked.
She changed boyfriends very quickly.
"The Sun Newspaper" and Katie Price had a private partnership, so this piece of news from "The Sun Newspaper" was one of the rare messages guaranteed to be true.
Soon, Katie Price personally responded to the rumors from "The Sun Newspaper": "I know the rumors about my interest in Deng Kai have attracted a lot of attention, so I feel obliged to come out and explain."
"It’s not a rumor!"
Fans: ???
Fans: Good work!
Katie Price: "I like Deng Kai’s mature-yet-boyish demeanor, I adore men who seem tender on the outside but wild at heart!"
"I know that a little boy like him needs some extra motivation."
"So if Deng Kai helps Manchester City reverse the situation against Liverpool, I will reward Deng Kai with a little touch of my... treasures!"
Price finished speaking and deliberately squeezed her chest, making her meaning quite clear.
