Chapter 958: Derby at Wembley

After playing an insignificant league game, English football has officially entered FA Cup time.

The status of the FA Cup in the British Isles is second only to the Premier League, and the history of the FA Cup is even longer than the history of the Premier League and the predecessor of the Premier League, English League One.

The two semi-final games were played between England's greatest giant Manchester United and the richest tycoon Manchester City, as well as two weak teams Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City.

For Bolton Wanderers and Stoke City, who have reached the semi-finals, this is a supreme honor for their clubs, especially since the semi-finals will be played at the sacred Wembley Stadium. Every player has the reputation of being at Wembley Stadium. We are proud to play football, and every fan is proud to have watched his home team play at Wembley Stadium.

After the Middle Eastern rich took over Manchester City, although Manchester City is no longer weak, their background is no higher than that of the other semi-final team. This is the first time they have reached the FA Cup semi-finals in 30 years.

Whether it is from the perspective of destroying the dream of local rivals Manchester United to win the treble, or from the perspective of winning the first championship trophy in 30 years, or because of playing at the great Wembley Stadium, this game Manchester City must win.

Although Manchester City was the main force hiding in preparation for the FA Cup semi-finals and ultimately lost to Liverpool by 3 goals, the fans did not think so, and neither did the players.

Manchester City fans believe that Manchester City is now strong and does not need to give up the league in order to prepare for the FA Cup, especially against a strong enemy like Liverpool. Losing like this is actually very demoralizing.

Manchester United captain Tevez publicly stated that Liverpool has almost fallen into the relegation zone and Manchester City does not need to be afraid of them. Milner and Balotelli were dissatisfied with Mancini for replacing them. They both thought that they were on the court, maybe. Liverpool can't beat Manchester United.

Before the big battle with Manchester United, Mancini started his public relations. He called on Manchester City players to stop fighting among themselves, forget their conflicts and unhappiness with him, defeat Manchester United, advance to the FA Cup final, and win the club's first title in 35 years. A champion.

Mancini said. "I think the players have backed me and they would be foolish not to, and like me, they have a great chance of winning the trophy. It's important for these players because it's their first trophy."

"I've always played to win. It's the same for them, don't change it, it doesn't matter who plays on Saturday, it's the team that matters and all the players are behind me."

"I think every player knows that we are at a critical moment for the club and if we perform well we can reach the final, so every player will give 100 per cent. We should be happy about this moment and we have improved as a unit over the past year. A lot.”

Mancini can only use this method to get Manchester City players and fans to support him. In Manchester United, Sir Alex Ferguson’s authority does not need any proof. In Manchester United, even if Sir Alex Ferguson says it is getting better, the fans and The players won't say anything either.

Before the game, Sir Alex Ferguson officially proposed his goal of winning the Triple Crown.

"The time has entered April. This is not a month for collecting trophies, but almost all champions are produced in this month. I am very lucky and grateful that we still have the chance to win the championship in three and three lines. In 1999, we He scored two goals in a magical minute, reversed Bayern and won the first treble in history. The scene of scoring at that time has always stayed in my heart. I will never forget it. It was a very special game. I think that was the beginning of our dominance of the Premier League after 2000. That was a starting point. Winning all the championships is very important to the team, which means a lot. It made us realize the value of working hard to win the championship. After 12 years, we once again Having the opportunity to compete for the Triple Crown is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I don’t want to lose him. I don’t think anyone at Manchester United wants to lose such an opportunity. From now on, we will work hard for the second Triple Crown. ,

I hope that at the end of the season, we can recreate the glory of 1999 and not feel regretful or sad for our efforts. "

After announcing his intention to compete for the treble of League, Champions League and FA Cup this season, Ferguson also complained about the decision to play the FA Cup semi-finals at Wembley Stadium.

"Think about it, the semi-finals have already been played at Wembley, so what's the point of the final?" Sir Alex reminded the FA, "Isn't everyone proud to play the final at Wembley? Now Manchester United and Manchester City has entered the semi-finals and we all have to go to London to play. Then our fans have to pay more for air tickets and hotels. This is really unfair to them. I believe Manchester United fans would prefer us to be at Old Trafford. Advance to the finals.”

Ferguson complained, but Stoke City, the opponent in the other semi-final group, held up his hands in favor of playing the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley Stadium.

Stoke City's coach said: "For my players, the biggest motivation to win is to go to Wembley and play a game there. Because of the monopoly of the top Premier League teams, the current Wembley Stadium For most clubs, it’s like a moon in the water and a flower in the mirror. No matter how hard they try, they can’t realize their professional dream of playing at Wembley. Now many players can only dream about playing at Wembley in the game, like us For a player from such a small club, the appeal of Wembley is too great."

The semi-final between Stoke City and Bolton took place first. These two teams were ranked 13th and 14th in the Premier League. They originally thought it would be a close match, and neither side was prepared to give up this match, but What was shocking in the end was that at Wembley Stadium, Stoke City exploded with unprecedented strength and scored five goals in a row. In the end, Bolton were beaten 5:0 and reached the final.

Manchester United players watched the game on the spot, and everyone was shocked. The FA Cup is indeed a hotbed of upsets, and such a big upset can happen in a close game.

Especially for Manchester United, which has superior strength and historical record, this game can be regarded as a reminder to them. If they cannot give their best, they may be eliminated by Manchester City, who are extremely hungry for the championship.

Manchester United has achieved 6 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss in the past 8 meetings between the two sides. The only defeat happened to be against Manchester City in the League Cup last year. The two sides have met 13 times in the cup, with Manchester United having the upper hand with 7 wins, 1 draw and 5 losses. Among them, there have been 6 historical encounters in the FA Cup, with Manchester United winning 4 and losing 2. The last time Manchester City defeated Manchester United in the FA Cup was in January 1955.

Ferguson has recorded 23 wins, 10 draws and 7 losses against Manchester City 40 times. This is his 10th FA Cup semi-final since coaching Manchester United. The only defeat was a penalty kick loss to Everton in 2009.

However, the more victories, the greater the chance of failure. Therefore, before this game, the veteran Ferguson reminded the players that they must cheer up and never underestimate the enemy. nt

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