Chapter 188: The Rules of the European Game! You Don't Deserve to Wear Bayswater Chinese's Shirt!
Since the international break at the beginning of October, Bayswater Chinese had been subjected to a relentless run of fixtures.
October 17: Away vs. ArsenalOctober 21: Champions League away vs. Real MadridOctober 24: Home vs. SunderlandOctober 27: League Cup home vs. Aston VillaOctober 30: Home vs. Manchester CityNovember 3: Champions League home vs. Real MadridNovember 7: Away vs. Liverpool
Seven matches in just 22 days.
And five of them were against some of the strongest teams in world football today.
Even Sunderland and Aston Villa were sitting in the top ten of the Premier League.
That schedule alone made it clear just how intense Bayswater Chinese's fixture pressure was.
The grind of competing across two—and often three—fronts in the Premier League is unlike anything else in world football.
And it wasn't just Bayswater Chinese feeling it.
Manchester United, also competing in the Champions League, had collapsed in their league matches immediately after Matchdays 3 and 4.
They lost 0–2 to Liverpool, and in this round, Ferguson's side lost 0–1 away to Chelsea.
Ferguson had no choice but to rotate.
And when you're up against a team with no European distractions, like Chelsea, he was content with the result.
So what about Yang Cheng's team?
Bayswater Chinese had sold four core starters in the summer.
Yang Cheng had promoted young talent.
He had done everything possible to rotate wisely and get the most out of his hand.
But with such a brutal and condensed schedule, rotation was inevitable.
The result?
A total collapse at Anfield.
The team that Yang Cheng had painstakingly built, the identity built around sharp passing and intricate combinations—
completely malfunctioned.
They were blunt going forward.
In the entire first half, only two shots.
Zero on target.
And defensively, they were just as messy.
If it weren't for Neuer's brilliance, they would've been trailing by more than two at halftime.
Benítez deployed his signature 4-2-3-1:
GK: ReinaDEF: Aurelio, Agger, Carragher, Glen JohnsonMID: Lucas Leiva, Mascherano (DMs), Benayoun, Gerrard, KuytFW: Torres
That midfield quartet—Lucas, Mascherano, Gerrard, Kuyt—ran tirelessly and completely smothered Bayswater Chinese's passing game.
And with Torres up front ready to counter, it was a perfect trap.
The turning point came in the 12th minute.
Right after Bayswater Chinese's initial attacking wave failed, they got caught.
Kuyt won the ball on the right, Gerrard played a diagonal ball, Torres broke the offside trap and went through one-on-one.
José Fonte couldn't stop him and committed a foul.
Penalty.
The foul occurred right on the edge of the box—debatable.
Referee Howard Webb gave it inside the box.
Bayswater Chinese players were adamant it was outside.
But regardless, the match dynamic was completely altered.
From that moment on, Bayswater Chinese couldn't find their rhythm.
Yang Cheng had started a midfield of Rakitic, Javi Martínez, and Aaron Ramsey.
But the trio couldn't control the tempo, couldn't hold the ball.
Defensively, the team wasn't terrible.
They didn't allow many chances.
But in the 41st minute, Liverpool won a free kick in the final third.
Aurelio bent it beautifully, Neuer made a stunning save—
only for Gerrard to pounce on the rebound and smash it in.
2–0 down at halftime.
…
When Bayswater Chinese's players walked into the away dressing room at Anfield, Yang Cheng was already waiting.
Face like thunder.
Arms crossed.
Staring daggers.
The mood in the room instantly froze.
Even the air felt heavy.
Normally a lively space, the room turned deathly silent.
No one dared speak.
No one even breathed loudly.
They all knew: he was livid.
And rightly so.
Yang Cheng was utterly disgusted by the first-half performance.
He thought the players had played like cowards.
Especially after conceding the penalty—
they completely lost control.
But that wasn't the worst part.
What enraged him most?
Only two shots in the first half.
And both came within the first 10 minutes.
Which meant: for 35 minutes straight, they produced nothing.
Not even a speculative long shot.
"I don't know what the hell you were thinking out there."
"But as your manager, standing on that sideline—I've never felt so ashamed!"
"That wasn't Bayswater Chinese. That wasn't the team I know!"
"You looked like cowards—one punch from the opponent and you panicked, scattered, and gave up!"
"You buried your heads in the grass like ostriches. You didn't even fight back!"
Yang Cheng stood in the middle of the room, pointing at them all as he shouted, voice rising, fire in his eyes.
No one dared lift their heads.
Because they knew—he was right.
They'd played like garbage.
"I've got nothing else to say to you before this match is over."
"But hear this: if you go out there and play the second half like you did the first—you don't deserve to wear this shirt."
With that, Yang Cheng stormed out, slamming the door behind him.
The room was left in stunned silence.
They expected a scolding—
but not like this.
Not this brutal.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Then came a heavy cough—
Assistant coach Brian Kidd stepped up.
"Alright, listen up. Let's talk about tactical adjustments for the second half…"
…
As the Bayswater Chinese players walked out of the tunnel, one by one, each of them glanced toward Yang Cheng.
He stood where he always did—calm, composed, arms behind his back.
Just like always.
That alone gave them some comfort.
They remembered Kidd's words—
and each of them clenched their fists, mentally prepared.
They were going to fight.
Yang Cheng deliberately didn't look at them as they took the pitch.
Once the lineup was set, he finally turned his eyes to the field.
Today's Liverpool were at full strength.
Bayswater Chinese were heavily rotated.
With matches against Manchester City and Real Madrid just days before, many starting spots had been handed to backups and youngsters.
No one expected it: after a solid start, the moment they fell behind, Bayswater Chinese's young squad completely unraveled under Liverpool's pressure.
That's the weakness of youth.
But now the situation left Yang Cheng with no choice—he had to act, make adjustments, and take action.
First and foremost, he had to reignite his players' fighting spirit.
So, Yang Cheng went for a classic carrot-and-stick strategy.
He and Brian Kidd played their usual routine—Yang Cheng the harsh critic, Kidd the gentle guide.
"How are they doing?"
Yang Cheng asked when Brian Kidd came to the touchline from the tunnel.
"Somewhat effective. But we'll see on the pitch."
Kidd answered.
Yang Cheng nodded.
"They're not playing badly because of fear of Liverpool."
"They're afraid of not winning such an important match."
"After conceding, the pressure overwhelmed them."
"But now? There's nothing left to lose. If we spark them a little, it might have a surprising effect."
Kidd agreed.
But this strategy would put Yang Cheng's authority to the test.
If he held a strong enough place in their hearts, the players would fight like hell for him and for the shirt.
If not—he'd lose them.
But Yang Cheng was confident: in himself, in the team, and in these players.
…
The second half began.
And just as Yang Cheng hoped, the team's performance drastically improved.
This group of young players simply needed a fire lit under them.
Even the front line—Hazard, Carroll, Di María—suddenly came alive.
Liverpool continued with their high pressing 4-2-3-1, trying to disrupt Bayswater Chinese's buildup and control.
But after the halftime cooldown, Yang Cheng's fury, and Kidd's precise guidance, Bayswater Chinese's youngsters threw themselves into the fight.
They wanted—no, needed—to prove themselves to their manager.
For the first two minutes, the game stayed around midfield, with Liverpool continuing to press.
It looked similar to the first half…
But Yang Cheng and Kidd could see—the rhythm had returned.
And then, in the 49th minute, Kyle Walker made his mark.
He tracked Benayoun tightly on the right wing, muscled him aside with a strong challenge, and won the ball.
Walker then burst forward along the sideline and passed to Aaron Ramsey, who moved it quickly to Di María.
The Argentine returned it wide—
And Walker was flying up the line, delivering a whipped cross with the outside of his right boot.
It had fierce spin, but unfortunately, Carroll could only sky the header.
He turned to Walker, tapping his own forehead as if to say:
"Mate, that's impossible to head properly!"
Yang Cheng, watching from the sideline, just shook his head.
"The interception and buildup were great. But that cross…"
He sighed.
"Too raw."
Technical coach Danny McGrain chimed in.
"Walker relies heavily on his physicality. His strength makes him excellent at defending—he wins space and bullies wingers off the ball."
"And because of his speed, once he wins it, he's immediately dangerous on the counter."
Yang Cheng and Kidd nodded.
That last play had shown just that.
"But to sustain that playstyle, he needs elite stamina and durability—he has to be able to sprint up and down the pitch all game," McGrain added.
Yang Cheng agreed.
"I'm not worried about his defending. He's solid. He's got technique. His passing's okay too."
"But when he gets into the final third, he loses composure. His brain gets hot, and he starts rushing things. Like that cross."
McGrain and Kidd exchanged knowing smiles.
Walker wasn't old, but with Jamaican roots, his physical gifts were absurd.
Speed, agility, power—he could hold his own against any winger.
But his decision-making in the final third?
That was still his biggest weakness.
"That's just how he was brought up," McGrain sighed.
"Guys like him—physically dominant in youth teams—they win everything just by being fast and strong. There's no need to think."
"So the fact that he even has decent technique now is already impressive."
This was the classic problem with English youth development:
too much focus on athleticism, not enough on intelligence and vision.
"But now, in a team like this, he's in the perfect place to grow," McGrain said.
"If he settles down, soaks everything in, his ceiling is incredibly high."
As a former right-back himself, McGrain had a special fondness for Walker.
…
Following Walker's counterattack, the rest of Bayswater Chinese's young squad surged forward.
They began pinning Liverpool into their own half.
Liverpool tried twice to relieve the pressure with long balls.
One was a Gerrard switch to Benayoun on the left.
But Walker chased him down and forced an error—the ball rolled out of bounds.
In the 51st minute, Agger launched a long pass to Torres—too close to the box.
Neuer rushed out of his area and cleared it to Pepe, who then passed to Javi Martínez.
The Spaniard carried it past midfield, spotted Carroll dropping in, and pinged a quick through ball.
Carroll pulled Carragher out of position and laid it off first-time to Rakitic.
The Croatian was charging forward—he didn't even take a touch, just pushed it ahead.
The ball arrived just outside the left corner of the box, perfectly timed for Eden Hazard, who was sprinting into space.
Hazard sold a fake as if to burst down the line—
Glen Johnson bought it, shifted to block the cross…
But Hazard slammed on the brakes, stopped on a dime, and cut inside.
The ball was glued to his foot as he dribbled past the corner of the box into the top left of the D.
As he wound up to shoot—Daniel Agger lunged in without hesitation.
It was as if Hazard had been waiting for that moment—he didn't even give Agger a chance to close him down before sending a low pass with his right foot.
The ball zipped past Agger, sliding diagonally to the right side of the penalty spot.
In that instant, Di María burst forward from the top-right corner of the box, shrugging off Aurelio's marking, and cut into the box.
With the outside of his left foot, he met Hazard's diagonal pass with a smooth push toward goal.
Pepe Reina had already started moving to his right, but Di María's shot caught him by surprise—he went the opposite direction, curling the ball into the left side of Liverpool's goal.
The keeper had no chance.
"GOOOAAAL!!!"
"Di María!"
"In the clutch moment, Di María steps up and pulls one back for Bayswater Chinese!"
"1–2!"
"Since the second half kicked off, Bayswater Chinese have looked like a completely different team."
"Di María keeps their hopes alive!"
"The build-up was brilliant—this is the Bayswater Chinese we know!"
"Quick, smooth passing and incisive movement tore Liverpool's defense apart."
"And Hazard's setup was sheer class—half the goal belongs to him."
No one noticed that the moment Di María scored, Yang Cheng, Brian Kidd, and Danny McGrain exchanged subtle smiles on the touchline.
That goal alone made the halftime dressing room explosion worth it.
…
With the restart, the goal had lit a fire under Bayswater Chinese's young squad.
From the kickoff, they immediately pressed Liverpool back and kept up the pressure.
That's youth for you.
In the first half, they had been overrun, and their rhythm shattered.
But now, they'd found their groove—
and with hope of a comeback in their hearts, every player started fighting like hell.
Even Liverpool were forced to retreat.
Especially Benayoun, who'd played well in the first half—
but was now completely smothered by Kyle Walker.
On the left, Ryan Bertrand held down Kuyt, although the Dutchman's relentless runs kept Bertrand busy—unlike Walker, who looked dominant on the right.
In midfield, Ramsey and Rakitic began to buzz.
And while Andy Carroll was marked heavily by Agger and Carragher and struggled to get chances, he kept dropping deep to link play.
That gave more space to Hazard and Di María on the flanks, and the late-arriving Ramsey and Rakitic, who had become the main attacking threats.
In the 59th minute, Bayswater Chinese had Liverpool pinned in their half.
The Reds still hadn't managed a single shot in the second half.
On the right flank, they forced another turnover.
Walker dispossessed Benayoun, then sparked the counter.
Di María dragged wide to receive, but Walker instead threaded a diagonal ball to Ramsey bursting into the right channel.
Ramsey reached the top-right corner of the box and whipped in a cross toward the penalty spot.
Carroll and Agger both went up for it.
Agger, between Carroll and goal, had the better angle.
So Carroll smartly let the ball go—barely brushing his head—sending it to the left of the penalty spot.
Right where Hazard was arriving.
The Belgian controlled it with his chest, side-on to goal.
Glen Johnson reacted fast, closing him down.
But Hazard didn't wait—he spun with the ball, let it drop, and clipped it with his right foot.
Everyone expected him to aim for the far post.
But Hazard wrong-footed them all—he went near post.
Not powerful, not fast.
But Reina had already shifted his weight.
He couldn't react.
2–2!
Hazard took off sprinting out of the stadium, shouting with joy.
All his teammates chased after him, surrounding him on the sideline in celebration.
They weren't just celebrating the goal.
They were turning to look back—
toward the visiting dugout.
There, they saw Yang Cheng and Brian Kidd, both standing and applauding.
At last, they had earned the right to wear this shirt.
They had proven themselves.
…
Benítez didn't wait long.
In the 60th minute, he subbed Aquilani on for Benayoun.
Benayoun had been excellent in the first half, but had disappeared in the second under Walker's pressure.
Bayswater Chinese's constant waves of attacks were taking their toll.
Benítez shifted to something closer to a 4-3-3.
Gerrard moved to Benayoun's position, and the midfield now had Lucas Leiva, Mascherano, and Aquilani in a triangle.
It was designed to shield the defense, especially the flanks.
Meanwhile, Bayswater Chinese were going all in.
Yang Cheng wanted to ride the momentum and complete the comeback.
From the equalizer onward, Bayswater Chinese created chance after chance—completely pinning Liverpool back.
If the first half had been Liverpool's dominance,
then the second was all Bayswater Chinese.
Starting in the 70th minute, Yang Cheng made back-to-back substitutions, bringing on Lambert and Walcott to boost the attack.
But in the end, the team couldn't find the winner at Anfield.
2–2.
Bayswater Chinese settled for a hard-fought away draw.
Both sides had 10 shots.
But in shots on target, Liverpool had just 3, while Bayswater Chinese had 4.
Possession?
Thanks to their second-half dominance, Bayswater Chinese edged it with 52.5%.
Man of the Match went to the Belgian winger Hazard, who had a goal and an assist.
Sky Sports wrote:
"Quiet in the first half, but took over in the second. In 45 minutes, he changed the match."
That one goal, one assist performance reminded everyone of his enormous potential.
Sky gave him a 9/10.
But for Yang Cheng, there was another surprise.
His halftime outburst and storming out of the dressing room?
It had somehow leaked—fast.
The stadium press corps, more than 100 journalists, caught wind of it.
After the match, they swarmed Bayswater Chinese players, fishing for details.
Most of the young players, terrified of saying the wrong thing, declined interviews.
Only one spoke:
José Fonte, the stand-in captain.
"The manager was very unhappy with our first-half performance."
He said plainly to a crowd of reporters.
"I've never seen him this angry before!"
José Fonte admitted that the team had played horribly in the first half.
"We all felt the coach was right to be upset, and that's why we showed what we're really capable of in the second half."
At the post-match press conference, Yang Cheng himself admitted he had lost his temper at halftime.
"But that's in the past now," he added, even joking that compared to managers like Ferguson and Wenger, he almost never shouted at his players.
"Maybe that's why people think I'm too soft, like I lack authority."
"But I think after today, no one will doubt I can lose my temper."
As for the match, Yang Cheng believed the first half was a mental collapse, while the second half was a reflection of the team's true level.
"These young players have proven their value and talent. What they need now is consistency."
Considering the hellish schedule they'd just endured, and the fact that they came back from 0–2 down at Anfield, Yang Cheng said:
"I'm satisfied with the result."
…
Elsewhere in the league this round:
Manchester City beat Burnley 3–1 at homeArsenal crushed Wolves 4–1 awayManchester United lost 0–1 to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
After the round, Chelsea, now on a winning streak, sat atop the table with 30 points.
Hiddink's side had been impressive this season, largely because they were focused on the league.
They were still in the Europa League and League Cup, but they didn't care much about those.
Their goal this season? Return to the top four.
United, having lost to Chelsea, surrendered the top spot.
The table now looked like this:
Chelsea – 30 ptsManchester United – 28 ptsArsenal – 27 ptsManchester City – 27 ptsBayswater Chinese – 26 ptsLiverpool
For the first time in years, Bayswater Chinese had fallen out of the top four.
The media buzzed.
Most pointed fingers at Yang Cheng's summer fire sale of four core players, claiming the dip in form was inevitable.
That said, Bayswater Chinese had a game in hand—
their postponed away match at White Hart Lane against Tottenham, who were currently 7th, even ahead of Liverpool.
Still, could Yang Cheng's side get a result?
He paid no mind to the rumors.
He believed in one thing:
"In football, the only thing that speaks is the game."
…
After another international break, the Premier League resumed on November 21 – Matchday 13.
Liverpool hosted Manchester City and fought to a 2–2 draw.
That made it 3 straight matches without a win for Benítez's side—two draws and a loss.
Meanwhile:
Chelsea beat Wolves 2–0 at home (goals from Malouda and Essien)Arsenal beat Sunderland 1–0 away (Benzema with the winner)Manchester United thrashed Everton 3–0 at Old TraffordBayswater Chinese demolished Fulham 4–0 at home, with goals from Gareth Bale, Lewandowski, Piszczek, and substitute Lambert in the 75th minute
But the biggest news across Europe wasn't the league results—
it was the release of the 30-man shortlist for the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year.
In past years, Yang Cheng rarely paid attention to these awards.
But after winning a historic six-trophy season, he had to take notice.
Especially with regard to how many of his players would be recognized.
The lists were largely the same.
From Bayswater Chinese: Džeko, Maicon, Yaya Touré, Modrić, and Neuer made both.
Five players.
Barcelona had six.
That alone irritated Yang Cheng.
"Barça reached the Champions League final, sure—but they didn't win it. We won more titles. So why do they have more nominees?"
The truth?
Big clubs always got the spotlight.
Technically, Džeko, Maicon, and Touré had made the lists thanks to their achievements at Bayswater Chinese.
But in official counts, because they had since transferred, they were only counted as "half" nominations.
That meant Bayswater Chinese had 3.5 real nominations.
Which ranked them second among Europe's elite, just behind Barça.
"We're still not on their level in terms of player branding and marketing," Yang Cheng admitted.
Even though many of the listed players—Arshavin, Ribéry—had long been in the conversation...
Seeing players like Benzema and Gourcuff from Arsenal also make the list made Yang Cheng realize just how much sway the old giants still held.
"We won back-to-back Champions League titles and six trophies in one season—and we still have fewer nominations than Barça."
"Vidic from Manchester United made it... but not Thiago Silva or Pepe?"
"All I can say is—what a joke."
And then there was Casillas.
Only two goalkeepers made the 30-man list.
Neuer won six trophies.
Casillas? Nothing.
But he was still in the list.
Brian Kidd sighed:
"If Bale had hit that form a few months earlier, he and Walcott would've made it too."
Yang Cheng agreed.
The list had likely been finalized long before Bale's eruption at the Bernabéu.
"That's the advantage of big clubs. They dominate the narrative. We need to build our own player marketing machine."
Yang Cheng was resolute.
Their recent marketing push for Bale and Walcott had already paid off.
Apparently, three or four sponsors were interested in the British Twin Stars.
British players, once they broke through, still held huge commercial value worldwide.
But if Bayswater Chinese couldn't keep up with promoting their players and building individual reputations,
sooner or later, those players would be tempted away.
Because at a certain point, money is just a number.
Players want more than wages—
they want legacy.
That's why so many stars flock to Real Madrid and Barcelona.
And as for this year's Ballon d'Or or World Player awards?
Bayswater Chinese had little hope.
Džeko, Modrić, Touré—talented, yes.
But from small footballing nations.
And from Bayswater Chinese.
A double handicap.
No matter how well they played or how many titles they won—
their influence was capped.
As Yang Cheng bitterly concluded:
"If Džeko were from Brazil or a major European country like England, Spain, Portugal, or Germany—he'd already be in the top three."
But this is the game of European football.
In this game, players from Brazil, Argentina, and the top footballing nations of Western Europe are always the ones under the spotlight.
For Yang Cheng, the biggest regret was Modrić.
But there was nothing he could do.
Even in his previous life, when Modrić led Croatia to the World Cup final and helped Real Madrid win consecutive Champions League titles, many still claimed he didn't deserve those honors.
In Yang Cheng's eyes, the ones with the most chance to break through for Bayswater Chinese next were Gareth Bale and Walcott.
Lewandowski was excellent, but coming from a lesser footballing nation, it was never going to be easy to crack the top three.
…
After Matchday 13, Bayswater Chinese stayed home to host Marseille for Matchday 5 of the Champions League group stage.
Having won all four of their previous group matches, Yang Cheng made a number of rotations and gave many young players a chance to start.
Just 10 minutes in, Carroll opened the scoring with a header.
The English striker had started the season brightly but had dipped in form over the past few games.
Understandably so.
At first, he'd caught opponents off guard.
But once they adjusted and began marking him specifically, his impact was limited.
Still, Yang Cheng and the coaching staff had been supporting him—
and he was working hard to adapt within the team's tactical setup.
But in the 16th minute, Marseille equalized.
From then on, both teams had their chances but failed to score again.
1–1 the final result.
Notably, the two fullbacks in this match were Ryan Bertrand and Kyle Walker.
After the match, Walker was especially excited to speak to the media—this was his first Champions League start.
Just a short time ago at Sheffield United, he couldn't even hold down a spot in the Championship.
Now at Bayswater Chinese, he was starting in the Premier League… and in Europe.
Walker proudly shared that he'd spoken with former teammate Kyle Naughton before the match.
Both had transferred out of Sheffield United for similar fees.
"Back then, Naughton was the starter, and I was his backup," Walker laughed.
"Now he's played just one minute for Spurs this season, and I've already started several matches—and played in the Champions League!"
He said joining Bayswater Chinese was the best decision of his career.
But he also admitted he wasn't a complete player yet.
"I've been studying Maicon's tapes from training and matches. I'm still a long way from his level."
"Oh—and Lukasz too. He's a great example for me to learn from."
After five rounds, Bayswater Chinese stood top of the group with 4 wins, 1 draw, 13 points, and had already secured first place.
Real Madrid: 3 wins, 2 losses, 9 points.
Marseille: 2 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses, 7 points.
Debrecen: 5 losses, 0 points.
In the final round, Bayswater Chinese would travel to Hungary to face Debrecen, while Marseille would host Real Madrid—
a match that would decide who joined Bayswater Chinese in the knockout stages.
…
Premier League Matchday 14:
Manchester City 2–1 Hull CityManchester United 4–1 Portsmouth (Rooney hat trick)Liverpool 2–0 Everton (Merseyside Derby)Bayswater Chinese 3–0 Wolves (Goals: Pepe, Modrić, Bale)
The biggest shock of the round?
Arsenal beat Chelsea 3–2 at the Emirates.
The Gunners scored twice early in the first half.
Drogba pulled one back just before halftime, and then equalized again in the 86th minute.
But in stoppage time, Benzema assisted Arshavin, who scored the winner.
3–2!
Arsenal finally got a win in a big match.
After 14 rounds:
Manchester United – 34 ptsArsenal – 33 ptsChelsea – 33 ptsBayswater Chinese – 32 pts (10 wins, 2 draws, 1 loss)Manchester City – 31 pts
Further back, Tottenham had just 23 points—eight behind the top five, likely out of the title race.
The title race was now clearly between United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Bayswater Chinese, and City.
All five had world-class squads, exceptional coaching, and strong, consistent form.
Aside from head-to-head clashes, none of them were dropping points against weaker sides.
In that sense, Ferguson's pre-season prediction had come true:
"The title will be decided by the head-to-heads."
Arsenal had struggled in those matchups—but by beating Chelsea at home, Wenger's side had finally proven themselves under pressure.
…
Into December: League Cup Quarterfinals.
Bayswater Chinese traveled to Portsmouth with a squad full of backups and youth.
After conceding first, they came back with goals from Carroll (brace), Ramsey, and Di María to win 4–2.
Chelsea beat Blackburn on penaltiesManchester United beat Tottenham 2–0 at Old TraffordManchester City crushed Arsenal 3–0 at home
The Gunners, fresh off their big win over Chelsea, once again fell in a high-profile match.
Partly because Wenger rotated too heavily.
With Champions League duties on their minds, Arsenal couldn't go full strength.
City had a much lighter load.
And so, the League Cup semifinals were set:
Bayswater Chinese (away) vs. ChelseaManchester City (home) vs. Manchester United
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