Chapter 655: Chapter 654: Premier League Number One!
Lockrun actually had several spectacular shots in this game.
Manchester City’s aggressive attack resulted in at least three great counterattacking opportunities for the opposition, including two one-on-ones.
But Neuer’s two brilliant saves and one clearance deep into the penalty area ensured the goal remained secure.
His performance could be considered quite outstanding.
The match ended.
A well-rested Manchester City then faced one of their real contenders in the league... Liverpool.
The Premier League had already seen eight rounds of play.
Chelsea, Arsenal, and Manchester City were the top three teams, each with six wins and two draws, totaling twenty points.
Manchester United was in fourth with six wins, one draw, and one loss, amassing nineteen points.
Close behind them was Liverpool with four wins, three draws, and one loss, totaling fifteen points.
Following them were Fulham with fourteen points, and Southampton and Birmingham with twelve points, while Charlton and Portsmouth had eleven points.
Considering the schedule, Newcastle United and Aston Villa might also be the truly competitive teams this season.
Among these teams, many had already faced Manchester City.
As for the results, Manchester City had won quite comfortably in most cases.
It could be said that if Manchester City won against Liverpool in the next round, they would likely break into the Champions League zone unless something unexpected happened.
The game was held at Liverpool’s home ground, Anfield.
Both teams took this match very seriously.
People generally believed Manchester City had the advantage.
Because Liverpool’s opponent in the previous round was Arsenal, a tough match, which Liverpool ultimately lost 1-2.
Manchester City, on the other hand, had been resting and waiting, a rather ungracious act.
Furthermore, there were several highlights to look forward to in this game.
How would Gerard, a newly crowned Premier League best midfielder, perform in front of Deng Kai?
Would he slip again?
Robbie Fowler, the genius striker, how would he fare against his former club?
Could the golden boy, Owen, and the English pillar, Heskey, be a more lethal combination than Adriano and Ribery?
Could Riise, who had previously embarrassed Liverpool, redeem himself in this game?
Rumor has it that for the past half a year, Riise hadn’t been welcomed by any English street girls.
Not even with money.
Because his reputation was utterly ruined.
Everyone knew he was an unfeeling pile-driving machine, and taking his money brought no pleasure.
As a result, Riise had to pay ten times the price to stand out.
The game at Anfield was a sell-out.
Manchester City’s away supporters were just a small group.
But at least they had some.
Last season, although Manchester City was the king at home,
away from home, their fans were few and far between.
Perhaps one day, Manchester City will have fans all over the world.
In this game for Manchester City, Thiago Silva replaced Desailly, earning a starting spot as center back alongside Chiellini.
This center back pairing was not tall, and lacked a bit in toughness,
but they excelled in mobility and flexibility.
Because their opponents were the quick and agile striking duo of Robbie Fowler and Owen.
Four or five years ago, it was their English frontline that terrorized defenders around the world.
And Heskey sat on the bench, becoming the team’s second choice.
As the players lined up in the tunnel preparing to enter the field, Deng Kai embraced Robbie Fowler.
Although Fowler had only been at Manchester City for one year, he had a very good impression of the club, as it was the place where he bloomed again.
Deng Kai also shook hands with Gerard and exchanged pleasantries with Kilop.
All friends.
With the main referee’s whistle, the match officially began.
Liverpool were clearly the more proactive team.
Because it was their home ground.
And Gerrard was very active.
Compared to the Liverpool team they had faced a year and a half ago in the UEFA Cup, there wasn’t much change in the team before their eyes.
There had been declines or departures of experienced veterans, but there were also promising youngsters stepping up.
However, Gerrard’s growth was there for all to see.
He had become the limit for this Liverpool team.
But regrettably, in the days to come, Liverpool fans would gradually come to realize.
Gerrard wasn’t their limit; he was their bottom line.
Because the midfield can only decide the bottom line.
The defense is the team’s baseline.
And it is the forwards who set the limit for a team.
In the 8th minute,
"Limit" Gerrard successfully reached the baseline after shrugging off Smicer’s pull and delivered a cross.
Robbie Fowler, with his clever movement, shook off Chiellini and, before Thiago Silva could get to it, headed the ball into the net!
Anfield, a boiling sea of red!
"GOAL! Robbie Fowler bites his old club back! A wakeup call to his former employers!"
"No way around it; Robbie Fowler knows Manchester City’s defensive system too well, Chiellini and Thiago Silva couldn’t keep him in check during internal training matches, and they still can’t now."
"Robbie Fowler was one of the players best suited to Manchester City’s tactics last season."
"That’s Fowler’s seventh goal, his tally is still only second to Henry and Adriano’s tier."
"Including Deng Kai, Ronaldo, and Van Nistelrooy, they are all in this tier too."
In the 15th minute,
Robbie Fowler once again used his intelligent runs to penetrate the box and drew a foul from Chiellini.
A yellow card and a penalty!
Owen then scored from the spot.
Two-nil!
Liverpool took an early lead.
The fans at the venue kept chanting Robbie Fowler’s name.
The story of Fowler’s return to Liverpool was as beautiful as a fairy tale!
Deng Kai immediately sought to communicate with Baggio, Adriano, Ribery, and others.
"Attack through the middle, try to converge there as much as possible, and take more shots," Deng Kai didn’t look down on Liverpool’s goalkeeper Dudek; he was a good goalkeeper.
But Liverpool’s formation was a 4-4-2; going through the flank they had to get through the barriers of the wide midfielder, full-back, central midfielder, and even central defenders – four layers of defense.
Whereas through the middle, the opposition was also four players: two central midfielders and two central defenders.
But the potential gains through the middle were clearly higher than on the flanks.
The center of the field is always the most dangerous area in football.
In the 23rd minute,
Deng Kai played a lateral pass to Tu Lei and then made a forward run.
Liverpool immediately had a player restrict Deng Kai.
Tu Lei passed the ball wide to Ribery and then made a forward run himself.
Suddenly, Liverpool’s central midfield was somewhat understaffed in defense.
Since when do two central midfielders make runs forward simultaneously?
Weren’t they afraid of being hit on the counter?
Ribery passed the ball forward.
Tu Lei, making a run outwards, received the ball and then chipped it into the far post of the large penalty area.
Baggio also shook off Kilop, dived into the box, and directed a header towards goal.
Kilop and Happia were mostly focused on Adriano, neglecting Baggio.
Bang!
Dudek, putting in a high-level performance, parried Baggio’s header.
