Chapter 530: Destiny Lies with Manchester United?

At 7:45 pm on September 9, 2018, Greenwich time, the first semi-final of this season's League Cup kicked off at the Etihad Stadium, with the Blue Moon Manchester City facing the Red Devils Manchester United.

This is the first time the two sides have met again after a month.

Since the two sides met in the League Cup semi-finals, it means that there will be at least 4 Manchester derbies this season.

For fans, this is really great. After all, these two teams are the strongest in the world football. Every time they play, it is undoubtedly a football feast.

Both sides sent their main players. On the one hand, this is the semi-final of the League Cup. As long as they defeat their opponents, they can compete for a championship; on the other hand, neither side wants to lose in the derby.

Especially Manchester City, who played at home, they have lost five consecutive games in the Manchester derby and can't afford to continue to lose.

After the game started, Manchester City launched a fierce offensive against Manchester United with the cheers of more than 50,000 home fans at the Etihad Stadium, and they were ready to eat Manchester United in one bite.

Under Manchester City's wave-like offensive, Manchester United could only defend but not fight back.

However, football games are really magical. The first to score was Manchester United, who played very passively away from home.

In the 33rd minute of the game, Manchester United player Luke Shaw made a cross from the left, and the ball was cleared by Manchester City player Zinchenko. Bruno, who was waiting outside, shot the ball and broke through Manchester City's city.

This goal made Manchester City anxious. They continued to attack Manchester United, hoping to equalize the score before the end of the first half.

In the 44th minute, Manchester City central defender Mangala was intercepted in the backcourt, Gundogan passed the ball to Harry Kane, Stones had no choice but to knock down the opponent, and the referee decisively awarded a penalty kick, which Bruno took and scored!

Bruno scored twice, and Manchester City fell behind 0:2!

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Two goals behind at halftime, Manchester City players were completely confused.

In the first half, Manchester City had an absolute advantage in various data. Every time they attacked, it seemed like they were going to score a goal.

But the result is that they have fallen behind by two goals without knowing it!

Is Manchester United, or Bruno, really their nemesis?

Manchester City players were in a daze, and felt that their three views were about to collapse.

If there was not much time left in the first half, with Manchester City's current state, they would probably continue to lose the ball.

The halftime break gave Manchester City a chance to breathe, so that they would not completely collapse.

After the start of the second half, Manchester City, which had recovered some of its form, continued to attack.

At this time, Manchester City had no choice but to attack.

Manchester United continued to use defensive counterattacks to deal with Manchester City.

With equal numbers, Manchester United was really unable to compete with Manchester City for ball control.

In the 51st minute, Bernardo Silva, who was brought in by Manchester City with a lot of money in the summer, launched a counterattack. Sterling ghosted into the penalty area and shot, but the ball was blocked by Manchester United's Romero.

In the 55th minute, Kevin De Bruyne passed the ball to Sterling at the top of the penalty area. Sterling passed back with a triangle, and De Bruyne easily pushed the ball into the goal!

1:2, Manchester City pulled one back.

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Manchester City, which closed the score, was in high spirits and continued to strengthen its offensive. Guardiola also made continuous adjustments, with Aguero and Kyle Walker coming on as substitutes.

On the Manchester United side, Mourinho sent out defensive stalwarts Fellaini, Herrera and Lindelof in a row, changing the formation to 541, vowing to take a victory at the Etihad Stadium.

However, Manchester City had good luck. In the stoppage time, Bernardo Silva kicked the ball to the front of the goal at 45 degrees from the right, and Aguero, who came on as a substitute, headed the ball into the goal!

2:2, Manchester City tied!

This draw also allowed Guardiola to end his four-game losing streak against Mourinho, and also left some suspense in the two-round League Cup semi-final.

With the end of this game, Manchester United's Christmas devil schedule has come to a temporary end.

Their next game will be in 6 days, which is next Monday night.

For Manchester United, it has been a long time since they could play once a week.

After the international match day in mid-November, they played a total of 16 games in the next 52 days, with an average of one game every three days.

During this period, the longest interval between Manchester United's games was 115 hours, less than five days; the shortest interval was 46 hours, less than two days.

That is, Manchester United's bench depth is still good, and Mourinho is also doing his best to rotate, otherwise it will be difficult for them to survive such a period of time that can be called a death schedule.

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Nearly a week of rest time allowed Manchester United players to get enough rest, which also made them full of energy in the next 23rd round of the Premier League.

In the first home league game in 2018, Manchester United won 3:0 at home against Stoke City, Valencia, Mbappe and Harry Kane scored, and Bruno assisted twice.

Because Liverpool beat Manchester City 4:3 at home in a focus game a day ago, Manchester United's advantage in the standings has expanded to 10 points.

British media have said that the battle for the Premier League championship this season has basically been settled.

The reason why this conclusion was drawn when there were still 15 rounds left in the league is that Manchester United is too terrifying this season. They have won 23 consecutive league games, and their Premier League winning streak record has been extended to 24 games!

Manchester City's performance is not bad either, they have 19 wins, 2 draws and 2 losses in 23 games.

Except for Manchester United in the last two seasons and the first two years of Mourinho's first term at Chelsea, such performance is definitely the only choice for the championship.

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Manchester United's Premier League winning streak continues.

On the afternoon of January 20, Manchester United visited Burnley.

As the key League Cup semi-final battle with Manchester City will be ushered in at home next week, Mourinho has made a large-scale rotation of Manchester United's lineup.

On Boxing Day before the New Year, Burnley almost let Manchester United overturn at Old Trafford. Today, they once again let the world see the hope of ending Manchester United's winning streak.

Until the 80th minute of the game, the score on the field was still 0:0.

In order to win away from home, Mourinho has replaced Bruno, Mbappe and Harry Kane in the second half, but Burnley is worthy of having the best defense in the Premier League after Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea. Facing Manchester United's fierce attack, they defended it tightly.

They even threatened Manchester United's goal through several quick counterattacks. If it weren't for their unreliable strikers, Manchester United might really suffer their first defeat of the season at Turf Moor today.

Burnley's goal loss is the fourth lowest in the Premier League, with only 21 goals in the first 23 rounds; but their attack is also the fourth worst in the Premier League, with only 19 goals in 23 games, only more than Swansea, Brighton and West Brom.

Just when everyone thought the game would end with 0:0 and Manchester United would end their 24-game winning streak in the Premier League, Manchester United scored in the 84th minute of the game!

Bruno passed the ball to the right, Harry Kane made a diagonal pass from the right, and Mbappe shot into the upper left corner from 12 yards on the left side of the penalty area.

1:0, Manchester United once again completed a lore against Burnley!

And the Premier League winning streak was rewritten by Manchester United to 25 games again!

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Manchester United once again completed a lore victory, which simply made Manchester City desperate!

Although they defeated Newcastle 3:1 at home in this round, they are still 10 points behind Manchester United, and there is one less game in the remaining rounds of the league.

Under such circumstances, Manchester City management had to hold an emergency meeting and adjust the goals of this season. That is to shift the strategic focus to the cup competition.

Of course, this does not mean that Manchester City will strategically give up the league.

After all, with their bench thickness, even if they play with a substitute rotation lineup, they can still easily beat the mid- and lower-level Premier League teams. And if the main players play, it is not difficult to beat the other four teams of the big6 except Manchester United.

And since we have to impact the cup competition, the first thing to bear the brunt is the League Cup.

In the first round of the match between the two sides, Manchester City drew with Manchester United at home. Although they lost the initiative, they still have a good chance.

After all, there is no away goal advantage in the League Cup semi-finals. As long as they can draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford, whether it is 0:0, 1:1, or a draw with other scores, both sides will enter overtime.

Of course, if they can beat Manchester United away, they can directly advance to the final.

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Since the opening of the winter transfer window of international football on New Year's Day, European football has been undercurrents.

Even in this winter window, it can't be described as undercurrents, but stormy waves.

On January 6, Coutinho, who had been clamoring to leave Liverpool for several years, finally fulfilled his childhood dream and successfully joined Barcelona.

In order to get the Brazilian midfielder, Barcelona also paid a transfer fee of 120 million euros and attached a clause of 40 million euros, which means that the transfer can be up to 160 million euros.

It is said that in order to join Barcelona, ​​Coutinho even personally paid 10 million euros to help Barcelona complete the transfer.

It is a familiar plot and a familiar formula.

Liverpool, which received huge funds through Coutinho's transfer, is also making waves in the transfer market. They spent 75 million pounds to dig up Senegalese international center back Koulibaly from Naples in Serie A.

Originally, Naples, which intended to compete with Juventus for the Serie A championship this season, did not want to sell Koulibaly, but Koulibaly's will to leave was very strong, so Naples had to give in.

Among them, Senegalese striker Mane is said to have played a key role.

In addition to Liverpool, other Premier League big6 teams are also making big moves. Manchester City spent 57 million euros to recruit central defender Laporte from Athletic Bilbao, Arsenal spent 56 million euros to recruit Aubameyang from Dortmund while sending away the young tiger Walcott, and Tottenham Hotspur recruited Lucas Moura from Paris Saint-Germain for 25 million euros.

That is, Manchester United and Chelsea seemed to be relatively quiet and did not make any moves.