Chapter 685: Chapter 684: The Top Five in the Premier League, Manchester City Has Two
The 88th minute.
Reyes and Bogkamp coordinated perfectly, performing a one-two that broke through Manchester City’s defense.
For a moment, it seemed as if Bogkamp were pairing up with another Henry.
Bang!
Bogkamp took a shot.
But when he looked up, he found Neuer right in front of him.
The football bounced off Neuer and flew away.
The third minute of stoppage time.
Arsenal pulled off a rear-field interception.
Cole, Bogkamp, and Wu Xudong launched a three-pronged attack.
Reyes carried the ball forward.
He wanted to pass to Bogkamp, as it was clear that among the three, Bogkamp was the most likely to score.
But Mascherano, tracking back, was sticking close to Bogkamp.
Tu Lei and other players began to close in around them.
Reyes had to release the ball, ultimately resorting to finding Ashley Cole on the same flank.
Considering Cole’s blistering pace, Reyes made the pass with a substantial lead.
The ball’s landing spot was about five or six meters from the penalty area.
Totally bemused, Reyes just played the ball.
Because Neuer, who should have been standing inside the small box, had charged out!
Ashley Cole raced with the ball at his feet.
But Neuer’s charge was too early.
Neuer got to the ball first.
His next move, however, left the entire stadium dumbfounded.
After a feinted pass left Cole in the dust, he directly carried the ball forward!
Almost everyone was stunned for a split second, including some Manchester City players.
Then, snapping back to reality, Vieira lunged at him.
Opportunity!
This was Manchester City gifting Arsenal a killer chance!
Manchester City was being too careless!
Neuer, the goalkeeper, has even rushed out; doesn’t he know that a goalkeeper’s role is fundamentally different from other players’?
Now, Manchester City’s goal was wide open.
As long as Arsenal could get the ball.
Anybody from their team... anybody! As long as anyone got the ball, they could score the winner against Manchester City!
An empty net like this cannot be missed!
Bang!
Neuer passed to Tu Lei, who was there to support him.
Vieira turned around, signaling his teammates to encircle Tu Lei while he moved towards Manchester City’s backfield—that is, away from Tu Lei.
The reason was... after passing to Tu Lei, Neuer would naturally retreat.
And Tu Lei, under pressure, would likely pass back to Neuer.
Vieira positioned himself in the passing lane between Tu Lei and Neuer.
This would be a deadly interception!
This...
Hmm?
Vieira’s pupils shrank.
The man in the yellow goalkeeper’s jersey to his right was... Neuer?
Neuer hadn’t gone back!
After exchanging with Tu Lei, Neuer had carried the ball past the halfway line?
Was this madness?
What on earth was happening?
It must be said, Neuer’s decisive move forward was utterly unexpected.
So much so, he easily carried the ball to the right flank.
This was practically a solo foray of a thousand miles!
Bang!
Neuer passed to Fabregas, who found himself open.
Though also in shock, Fabregas, as a genius midfielder, acted on instinct.
Bang!
Without controlling the ball, he chipped it into the penalty area.
Just perfect, as both Torres and Villa, concerned about Neuer not having support, were desperately tracking back.
The penalty area was empty.
They moved out.
Deng Kai surged forward.
In perfect sync with Fabregas.
Kolo Toure tugged and pulled, but he couldn’t muster his full strength in time as Deng Kai’s speed was too fast.
However, the football was a bit too deep.
Deng Kai could barely reach it.
Just as Kolo Toure was briefly relieved,
Deng Kai suddenly went to ground, with a sliding tackle catching up to the ball.
Lehmann, who had rushed out to collect the football, failed to spot it in time, and the ball passed between his legs.
He thought about turning to chase.
Because the ball wasn’t moving fast.
But he turned too sharply.
His feet slipped, and he fell to the ground.
Despite scrambling on the ground with hands and feet, he kept slipping.
It was somewhat like the scene of a certain goalkeeper who was later accused of match-fixing.
But the difference was, Lehmann truly slipped, truly couldn’t catch up,
While that goalkeeper truly wanted to slip, truly wanted to be unable to catch up.
"GOAL!!!"
"Deng Kai!!!"
"A beautiful sliding shot!"
"This is a decider! Deng Kai has decided the game against Arsenal!"
"My goodness! This is Arsenal’s third defeat of the season, aside from two Champion’s League group matches!"
"And it’s their first defeat of the year!"
"Arsenal has finally lost a game!"
"Undefeated against undefeated! Manchester City continues their unbeaten record!"
"No chance left!"
"The main referee has blown the whistle!"
"Arsenal has been eliminated!"
"Manchester City has reached the League Cup final for the second season in a row!"
"They are very likely to retain the championship title, successfully defending their trophy!"
Beep beep beep!
Three whistles, the match is over.
On the pitch and in the stands, a wave of blue surged.
The huge banner prepared by Manchester City fans before the game was unfurled once again.
It was a giant blue moon.
Manchester City players joined hands to thank the fans, chanting together, "Fear the Blue Moon!"
"Fear the Blue Moon!"
"Fear the Blue Moon!"
The Gunners, in their red and white, looked dispirited in the glow of the blue light, somewhat dimmed.
It was over.
Out of the four competitions they participated in this season, one had finally come to a complete end.
There was no chance of starting over.
Wenger quickly perceived the change in his players’ mood and clapped his hands to call them, "Well played! Reyes, you’ve done well enough."
"Everyone performed well."
"No worries, our main battlefield is in the Premier League, understand?"
"Don’t be burdened, a temporary setback is acceptable for the ultimate victory."
Wenger continually consoled his players.
Then he shook hands sportingly with Maxa and quickly left with his team.
Meanwhile, the Manchester City players were still interacting with their fans.
All of them were very happy because they had defeated a full Arsenal team!
What did that mean?
It was one of the top four strongest teams in the Premier League!
What?
Manchester City was also one of those top four teams?
Yes, indeed, but not the Manchester City of today!
The Manchester City among the Premier League’s top four referred to their main squad.
But today’s starting lineup, except for Deng Kai, were all substitutes.
That was the real reason behind the excitement of this group of players.
They were the fifth strongest team in the Premier League this season!
Sure enough, after the match, the major media outlets also noticed this.
"Two goals, one assist, one own goal! Deng Kai dominates the game, slicing through the Gunners on horseback!"
"Deng Kai goes full throttle, speed cranked to the max! No one at Arsenal could stop him!"
"Is that even a goalkeeper? Manchester City’s Neuer goes solo for miles, orchestrating a stunning decider!"
"Reyes starts, performs excellently but can’t save the day! Fear the Blue Moon as they defeat the unbeatable Gunners!"
"Legend of the Blue Moon! Manchester City secures their seventeenth consecutive victory in all competitions!"
