Chapter 231: Clash of the Captains! Last-Second Killer Goal! Suárez: Victory Is Waving at Us Ahead!
While the Chinese team from Bayswater was crushing Queens Park Rangers with a 6-goal rampage at their home ground, Round 5 of the Premier League also came to a close.
The marquee match of this round was Manchester United hosting Chelsea.
It was the first real test for the Blues under the management of André Villas-Boas.
And the result? Ferguson gave Villas-Boas a proper lesson at Old Trafford.
Both teams had participated in Europa League matches on Wednesday.
Although neither side intended to go all-out in the Europa League, they still made some rotations and adjustments.
Ferguson, notably, deployed a bold 4-4-2 formation at home.
A daring move indeed.
Up front, it was a dual-striker setup with Hernández and Rooney.
In midfield, it was a quartet of Ashley Young, De Rossi, Fletcher, and Nani.
Judging from the performance throughout the match, United's midfield didn't show any particular tactical or technical superiority—except one thing: speed.
But that speed was enough to expose and exploit the aging Chelsea midfield, leaving them in shambles by halftime.
With goals from Ashley Young, Nani, and Rooney, United was already 3–0 up by halftime.
Though Eto'o managed to pull one back for Chelsea later, Rooney converted a penalty in the 56th minute.
In the end, Manchester United routed Chelsea 4–1 at home.
After his match against Queens Park Rangers, Yang Cheng made it a point to sit down with his coaching staff and watch the United vs Chelsea match live.
He even instructed the technical team to cut the match into highlights for post-game coaching and tactical review sessions.
Yang Cheng believed this game, in a way, reflected a shift in Ferguson's tactical mindset.
"Look, United's midfield had no real edge," he pointed out.
"Their best passers—Juan Mata, Carrick, and Giggs—were all benched."
Giggs, due to the summer scandal involving his sister-in-law, had been keeping a very low profile.
"Chelsea, on the other hand, had the edge in midfield. Plus, they had players like Sneijder, Anelka, and Eto'o in attack."
"That's what it looked like on the surface."
"But if we look at the stats, United—despite the apparent lack of midfield superiority—had 56.5% possession, which is a clear advantage."
"Yet Chelsea took 22 shots, while United only managed 14."
On the face of it, the data Yang Cheng laid out seemed contradictory.
How could a team lacking midfield dominance end up with 13% more possession?
And with that much more possession, how could they have 8 fewer shots?
Contradictory? Not necessarily.
Because Villas-Boas didn't even want possession—he deliberately gave the ball to United, planning to press and counter quickly.
Chelsea's game plan was all about pace.
Even Drogba didn't feature in this match.
But this was where the problem lay.
Chelsea was clearly slow.
Mikel in midfield was slow, and veterans like Lampard, Terry, and Ashley Cole weren't young anymore.
Ferguson's strategy was crystal clear—play fast.
Speed was the weapon.
He didn't care about other areas of weakness. As long as the counterattacks were quick enough, they posed a real threat to the opponent's goal.
Fewer shots?
No problem—efficiency was key!
Yang Cheng paused deliberately, giving players and coaches a chance to reflect on the logic.
"In my memory, Ferguson has always had an incredibly sharp tactical sense," Yang Cheng said.
"If he's building a new Manchester United, then it will definitely be in line with the current tactical trends."
"He's choosing fast-paced transitions, an all-out acceleration!"
"But we're not going to follow United's model."
"Because if their quick plays don't work, they have no Plan B."
"That's why we must continue to focus on midfield. As long as we keep the midfield advantage, we can play fast too."
"In fact, we've always been the fastest team in European football."
"If the fast plays don't work, we fall back on midfield control to reorganize."
Yang Cheng was talking about the tactical direction for the next few years.
He needed to build a shared understanding among everyone—players and coaches alike.
"But today, what I want to share even more is this: think about what kind of changes players will undergo under this new trend."
Yang Cheng threw this key question to the team.
It was his way of encouraging reflection among his players and staff.
Everyone in the room was familiar with this line of thought—and they really did begin to ponder.
"In the past, we often talked about classic midfield combinations. For example, at AC Milan, Pirlo handled organization and passing, while Gattuso did the ball-winning. At Liverpool, Xabi Alonso was the organizer and passer, while Mascherano was the ball-winner…"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
These were universally acknowledged combinations.
"But now, I can tell you: as mainstream tactics demand quicker and more efficient transitions, every player—regardless of whether they're in the front, middle, or back—must become more well-rounded."
"Extremely well-rounded!"
"Any individual strength must be built on a solid all-around foundation!"
"In the past, Pirlo didn't defend well? No problem—just pair him with Gattuso."
"But what about in the future?"
"Sorry—even if you're Pirlo, you have to defend like Gattuso."
"Can't do it? Then you're off the team!"
Why?
Because when Pirlo and Gattuso are two separate people, they need coordination.
But if one player can do both jobs, efficiency shoots up.
Some might argue, "Isn't that unrealistic? Football is all about teamwork."
True—but if Pirlo can also do Gattuso's job, then you no longer need Gattuso.
You can replace Gattuso with Kaka. Now you've got two Kakas on the field!
This kind of logic can be applied elsewhere too.
Take Barcelona: Busquets often has to do the work of two players.
That's why Barca's defense heavily relies on high pressing from the forwards and midfielders.
Yang Cheng believed that Busquets wouldn't be as effective in the Premier League.
Players like Matić or Javi Martínez—who combine technique and physique, offense and defense—are better suited.
With that kind of player, you could pair both Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić in midfield.
From the vantage point of 2024, you can clearly see this midfield trend.
Everyone must believe in it.
With advances in modern science and sports theory, both player development and training methods are evolving rapidly.
As a result, players are becoming significantly stronger.
You can't train a Maradona or a Ronaldinho—they're born.
But for the vast majority of players, enhanced by modern science and systems, their overall ability improves dramatically.
That's why, in 2024, a wave of players around 20 years old are already performing with remarkable maturity.
Some even look absurdly mature at 17—playing with sharp decision-making and solid fundamentals.
Behind this lies the improvement in youth academies and training systems.
Yet, on the pitch, fans might still feel players seem... ordinary.
But they're not.
It's just that as players become more well-rounded, so do their opponents.
And a well-rounded defender will always have the edge over a well-rounded attacker.
But on the football pitch, advantages in technique, speed, and physicality are all relative.
It's like throwing a young player who's completely useless in the professional arena back into a school team—suddenly, he looks like Maradona.
Players are now required to become more well-rounded, but at the same time, they must amplify and refine their individual strengths to the fullest.
That presents a brand-new, and far more demanding, challenge for professional footballers.
But that's exactly the essence of elite competition!
As for Manchester United's situation, Yang Cheng didn't delve too deeply.
He simply raised questions that he wanted his players and coaches to think about.
Because he believed that the evolution of modern football demanded that everyone learn to think critically.
Take Eden Hazard, for example.
A pure natural talent who plays entirely by instinct. Ten years ago, he would've been a dazzling superstar, like Ronaldinho.
But players who rely solely on instinct often face a particular issue.
When they hit a turning point, when their instincts no longer work, it's like they suddenly forget how to play football. Their form can plummet from the clouds to the ground—or even crash straight through it.
That's a terrifying thing.
Of course, Yang Cheng could only guide.
As the saying goes: "A master can lead you through the door, but the path must be walked alone."
How much they learn and how deeply they understand—that's beyond Yang Cheng's control.
...
After completing Round 5 of the Premier League, the third round of the League Cup arrived midweek.
Bayswater Chinese FC traveled north to face Leeds United in an away game.
Yang Cheng fielded a squad entirely composed of young players.
Goalkeeper: Asmir Begović
Defense: Ryan Bertrand, José Fonte, Vincent Kompany, and Kyle Walker
Midfield: Paul Pogba, Aaron Ramsey, and Kevin De Bruyne
Attack: Eden Hazard, Harry Kane, and Raheem Sterling
Leeds United sent out their first team. Although Bayswater Chinese was playing with youngsters, not only did they avoid being at a disadvantage, they actually kicked off with a wave of high-paced attacks.
In the 15th minute, Hazard broke down the left wing with the ball, and Harry Kane got a shooting opportunity inside the box.
The English striker trapped the ball, shook off a defender, and fired a rocket into the net.
1–0!
In the 33rd minute, Pogba carried the ball forward and sent a lofted pass over the top. Kane met it with a powerful header.
2–0!
A brace for the English center forward!
This player had been doing well in both the youth and reserve teams, scoring plenty of goals.
In his years at Bayswater Chinese, he had soaked up Yang Cheng's tactical philosophies, trained under a modern system, and though he might seem unremarkable at first glance, he played with great intelligence.
More importantly—he was confident!
English players in the Premier League are generally very confident—sometimes excessively so.
Players like Bertrand, Kyle Walker, or even Phil Jones at Manchester United.
They're all confident, but they often lack tactical discipline, playing with a kind of stiff, brute-force style—bold but not smart.
But in recent years, Bayswater Chinese's youth academy had always kept pace with—or even led—the cutting edge of football development.
As a result, the players they produced typically possessed strong technical and tactical foundations.
Especially in the last two years, as the first generation of fully academy-developed players emerged, many were snapped up by Championship and League One clubs—even some Premier League sides.
Today, the Brent Training Centre is considered a holy ground for youth development by countless young players and their families.
Bayswater Chinese's youth teams now start as early as U6—six years old.
Most of the kids are from the Brent area.
Each player is selected from the best of the best, and their youth teams' achievements are dazzling.
Outstanding results and top-tier resources have made young players and parents flock to them.
Harry Kane is without a doubt one of the most elite, homegrown products of the Bayswater Chinese youth system!
Just before halftime, Hazard once again cut inside from the left and assisted De Bruyne, who burst into the box and fired a shot.
3–0!
Bayswater Chinese cruised to a dominant 3–0 away win over Leeds United!
The young squad put on an excellent performance.
Even the 17-year-old Sterling made several impressive dribbles.
Blistering pace and exquisite footwork—Sterling's every touch stood out, leaving a lasting impression.
By the way, in this season's League Cup Round 3, all of the top teams advanced safely.
Clearly, they all understood that with Bayswater Chinese being so dominant now, even the "mosquito meat" that is the League Cup had to be taken seriously!
...
September 24th, afternoon, Anfield Stadium, Liverpool.
Premier League Round 6, Bayswater Chinese on the road against Liverpool.
In the 11th minute, a mid-to-long pass from Rakitić flew over the heads of Bayswater Chinese's two center backs, landing near the left edge of the penalty arc.
Luis Suárez darted between the two defenders, reaching the ball first and taking it into the box.
Thiago Silva chased him down quickly, catching up just outside the left corner of the six-yard box.
But the Uruguayan striker looked like he was waiting for him.
As soon as Thiago Silva arrived, Suárez didn't give him time to react and faked a cut inside.
Pepe had also recovered and was just behind Thiago Silva on the right.
But the two center backs clearly failed to communicate.
Thiago Silva didn't let Suárez go, and got completely sold by the fake.
Suárez's first move to cut inside almost completely shook off Thiago Silva.
But the Brazilian was no slouch.
When Suárez brought the ball back with his right foot, Thiago Silva adjusted immediately, again positioning himself between the Uruguayan and the goal.
But then Suárez did something completely unexpected.
He made a slight movement with his body, feinting as if he were about to cut inside again.
For that brief instant, Thiago Silva was deceived.
But in reality, Suárez pushed the ball one step toward the byline with his left foot and then caught up to it, striking it with a powerful shot.
Thiago Silva was standing right on the left edge of the six-yard box, with Courtois behind him.
From there, Suárez had almost no angle to shoot.
But that's exactly what he did—blasting the ball forward after pushing it past the defender.
Courtois's vision was blocked by Thiago Silva. By the time he reacted and dove, it was too late.
The ball squeezed through the tiny gap between Courtois and the post, sneaking into the goal.
1–0!
Anfield erupted with a deafening roar from the Liverpool supporters!
All the fans were chanting Suárez's name at the top of their lungs.
The Uruguayan striker sprinted to the sidelines to celebrate, just as fired up.
"What a beautiful goal!"
"A stunning finish from Luis Suárez!"
"Liverpool's very first shot of the match, their first real counterattack—and it's the opening goal!"
"Bayswater Chinese created a string of chances right from kickoff, nearly breaking Liverpool's defense."
"But after weathering the early pressure, Liverpool responded with one swift counter and took the lead."
"This is football!"
Yang Cheng could only shake his head on the sideline.
There was really no way to blame Thiago Silva for that one.
There's really nothing you can do against a player like Suárez.
The Uruguayan's desire to win was incredibly intense, and his stamina just as impressive. He thrived on physical confrontations.
Yang Cheng noticed that when Suárez first controlled the ball, he actually waited for Thiago Silva to approach before making his move.
That wasn't arrogance, nor an attempt to provoke—it was a tactical mind game that professional players often employ.
Timing your move the very moment the defender gets into position, luring them into shifting their weight the wrong way—this kind of feint is a nightmare for defenders.
Truth be told, Thiago Silva had already done very well.
"It's okay, it's okay, keep pushing!"
"Stick to our strategy, let's go!"
Yang Cheng walked up to the touchline, clapping his hands hard and shouting loudly.
Even amidst the thunderous cheers at Anfield, many players could still hear his voice.
And even if they couldn't, they could see him applauding.
That alone was the greatest form of encouragement—and motivation—for them.
...
The game resumed.
Despite conceding a goal, Bayswater Chinese wasn't rattled. On the contrary, they pressed forward with even greater determination.
Yang Cheng's teams never get intimidated by defensive pressure.
Liverpool was using a 4-2-3-1 formation in this match and had rotated quite a few players.
Gerrard, recently recovering from an injury, had been a substitute for two straight games and was on the bench again today.
Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Buffon
Defense: Kolarov, Carragher, Škrtel, and Martin Kelly
Midfield: Mascherano and Aquilani as double pivots; Balotelli, Rakitić, and Kuyt ahead
Forward: Luis Suárez
Fernando Torres also missed the match due to injury.
From the flow of the game, it was clear the Reds were focusing on a defensive counterattack approach.
Yang Cheng, on the other hand, had gone with his strongest lineup.
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois
Defense: Marcelo, Thiago Silva, Pepe, and Łukasz Piszczek
Midfield: Matić as holding midfielder; Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić in central roles
Attack: Gareth Bale, Robert Lewandowski, and Ángel Di María
This was Bayswater Chinese's most in-form starting XI to date.
Yang Cheng knew very well that a head-to-head clash like this could be decisive for the title race, so every point had to be fought for.
But he hadn't expected that after their initial attacking push, they would be caught by a Liverpool counter and concede.
Suárez's goal put Bayswater Chinese in a tough spot.
Now, with the arrow already drawn, they had no choice but to let it fly.
The team had to keep pushing forward.
Whether it was the pre-match game plan or the adjustment after falling behind, Yang Cheng remained firm on attacking down both wings.
Especially the left side.
Liverpool's 21-year-old right-back Martin Kelly was a product of their own academy.
Due to a thigh injury to Glen Johnson, Kelly had stepped in during the early matches of the season.
But the 1.91m-tall defender wasn't exactly solid.
Gareth Bale had launched several dangerous attacks from that side right from the opening whistle.
Even Di María occasionally drifted over to the left to link up, building significant momentum there.
But after taking the lead, Liverpool fell back decisively.
Their entire backline stayed deep, and their defensive counterattacks became even more committed.
In front, it was left to Balotelli and Suárez to fend for themselves.
That made things very difficult for Bayswater Chinese.
Not only were the players on the field struggling, but Yang Cheng could feel the same from the sidelines.
Any away team playing at Anfield knows it's never an easy task.
But the harder it gets, the more determined you have to be.
Yang Cheng kept encouraging his players from the sideline, constantly making tweaks and adjustments.
Seeing Kuyt tirelessly tracking back, almost acting like a full-back, Yang Cheng told Marcelo to be more aggressive going forward.
The match turned into a grueling, knife-edge battle for the next 20 minutes.
Both sides were burning through their energy reserves.
But Liverpool's defense left Bayswater Chinese with virtually no openings.
Every time they got close to the penalty area, two tight lines of defense were already waiting, organized and unyielding.
One had to admit—when it came to defensive tactics, Italian managers were top-notch!
After the painful lesson of last season's Champions League semifinal defeat to Arsenal, Bayswater Chinese's players had clearly matured and grown more patient.
They knew exactly how they lost last season.
So now, in similar high-stakes matches, they knew how to win.
Especially Kroos and Modrić.
The two midfielders calmly controlled the tempo, maintained possession, and guided the direction of the team's attacks.
In the 31st minute, Modrić combined with Piszczek on the right to steal the ball from Balotelli, then passed to Di María.
Pressed immediately by Kolarov, the Argentine played it back to Toni Kroos.
The German glanced down the right flank, then quickly peeked left, and without hesitation, pointed forward and shouted "Marcelo!" as he sent a diagonal pass.
The ball was played into the left side of Liverpool's 30-meter area.
Marcelo made an aggressive run to the touchline to receive it.
At that moment, Gareth Bale made a read and started drifting across the edge of the box toward the top of the arc.
Lewandowski, already near the arc, made a diagonal run into the left side of the box, crisscrossing with Bale.
Just like Suárez earlier, Marcelo held onto the ball on the left and waited.
Martin Kelly, towering but a bit clumsy, rushed over—before he could even plant his feet, Marcelo moved.
One feint was enough to throw Kelly off balance. Marcelo cut into the box and sent a sharp diagonal pass to the left side of the area.
Lewandowski met the ball with his back to goal, held off the defender, and laid it off to the left edge of the arc.
Bale was already there, in space.
There were no defenders around him.
The two seemed to have swapped roles, but in doing so, they had pushed the entire attack line right up to the edge of Liverpool's box.
That small window of open space might have only lasted one second—two at most.
But it was enough.
Bale instantly returned the ball to Lewandowski.
As he passed, the Welshman slipped past Mascherano and darted forward.
Lewandowski, after making his pass, drifted a step to the side and used his body to shield off Škrtel.
As the ball came, the Polish striker didn't take a touch—instead, he tapped it sideways.
The ball rolled back to Gareth Bale.
By this time, the Welshman had cut in a straight line from the left side of the arc into the penalty box.
As the ball rolled toward him, Bale planted his right foot, drew back his left, and unleashed a thunderous strike.
You could hear the boom of the shot echo across Anfield—it was as if the ball would explode in mid-air.
The ball rocketed off his foot, arcing through the air and smashing into the top-left corner of the net.
By the time Buffon reacted and dove to his side, it was already too late.
The buildup might sound complex when described, but on the pitch, it was a seamless flow of passes, movement, and positioning—a surgical dismantling of Liverpool's iron defense.
And Gareth Bale took full advantage of that tiny opening, slamming the ball into the top corner!
"1–1!!"
"Goal by Gareth Bale!!"
"A brilliant attacking sequence in the final third!"
"A stunning piece of play from Bayswater Chinese!"
"With their continuous short passes and particularly the players' off-the-ball runs, they made it extremely difficult for Liverpool's defenders to track their marks, causing gaps to open up in the back line."
"And in the end, Gareth Bale delivered the final blow!"
"1–1!"
"That goal is incredibly important."
"In the 31st minute of the first half, Bayswater Chinese successfully equalized."
...
The first half ended in a 1–1 draw.
During halftime, Yang Cheng specifically praised a few players by name—especially Robert Lewandowski and Gareth Bale.
That first-half goal was absolutely critical.
But the second half would require even more effort.
Both sides were playing intensely, even raising the physicality against each other.
There were some heavy challenges, but none with malicious intent.
In one clash over a 50-50 ball, Modrić and Mascherano slammed shoulder to shoulder. Both went down hard.
Mascherano was quick to get back up, but Modrić stayed down and had to be stretchered off.
This happened in the 49th minute of the second half.
Yang Cheng was forced into an early substitution: Aaron Ramsey came on for Modrić, and the captain's armband was passed to Pepe.
The Portuguese center-back adjusted the band on his arm as he jogged back into position, occasionally glancing toward the technical area at the familiar figure of his coach.
In elite clubs, the criteria for choosing a captain often follow a certain pattern.
At Real Madrid, it's typically the longest-serving player.
At Barcelona, captains are usually elected from within the dressing room.
If it were based on seniority, Modrić, who joined in 2003 under Yang Cheng's tenure, would be the most senior.
Next would be Piszczek.
That's right—the Polish full-back had also been with the team a long time.
Then there's José Fonte, who joined in 2004 and had long served as vice-captain.
Pepe, in contrast, came relatively late. He only transferred from Porto in 2006.
Even players like Gareth Bale, Walcott, and Marcelo joined earlier.
Yet Yang Cheng handpicked Pepe.
"Why me?"
When Pepe once asked Yang Cheng that question, the coach's answer left a deep impression.
"Because we need someone like you—disciplined, hardworking, diligent, driven, and absolutely passionate about football. Someone who is starving for victory. A role model!"
When he first arrived in London, Pepe didn't like it at all.
It rained constantly, and you could go weeks without seeing the sun. Everything felt gloomy.
Both he and his family had a tough time adjusting to life in the English capital.
At the time, Bayswater Chinese was only just making a name for themselves in the Premier League.
Pepe's mindset was simple—play well enough here to earn a move to La Liga or Serie A.
He preferred the climate in Spain and Italy, and his family did too.
But he never expected to stay in London for five years.
In that time, he met his wife, had a daughter, and built a happy family.
They bought a home in London and began looking forward to a future here.
That was something Pepe had never imagined when he first joined Bayswater Chinese.
Now, he truly felt at ease, and he didn't want to give that up.
That's why he gave everything in training and matches—fighting harder than anyone else.
Because he wanted to keep up with Bayswater Chinese's meteoric rise.
Now, he was one of the most renowned center-backs in European football.
At 28, he was no longer young.
But he still played with the same intensity as always—fighting for every ball, never backing down from any opponent.
In the dressing room, he wasn't the flashiest.
But on the field—especially in defense—he was always the first to step up.
His comfortable environment hadn't dulled his fighting spirit. Instead, it had tempered his once fiery temper into maturity.
Just like at this very moment, as he received the captain's armband from the stretchered-off Modrić, it felt like he was being entrusted with a heavy responsibility.
Once he adjusted the band and returned to the backline, Pepe looked around at his teammates.
The Portuguese defender clapped his hands with force.
"Let's win this, boys!"
"Come on! Come on! Let's go!!"
The Bayswater Chinese players echoed his cry in unison.
...
The match continued.
Both sides were going all out.
Bayswater Chinese ramped up their attacking efforts.
But Liverpool had completely locked down both flanks.
Mancini's defensive setup was airtight, barely giving Bayswater Chinese any space to work with.
The Anfield crowd was constantly roaring, cheering on the players with relentless energy.
To further boost team morale, Mancini made a bold move in the 72nd minute as Bayswater Chinese began gaining the upper hand again.
Gerrard replaced Aquilani.
Rakitić dropped deeper to partner Mascherano in midfield, while Gerrard slotted in as the attacking midfielder.
The captain's entrance was a huge morale boost for Liverpool.
The most immediate effect was visible—just moments ago, Liverpool looked like they were being completely overrun by Bayswater Chinese, teetering on the edge of conceding.
But suddenly, they came alive again.
That's what a captain does!
Especially at a club like Liverpool—Gerrard had that kind of presence.
A decade-long captain, the soul of the team!
With Gerrard on the pitch, just a few shouts and gestures were enough to rally those around him to give everything they had.
On the Bayswater Chinese side, Pepe, now wearing the armband, was no slouch either.
He kept shouting encouragement to his teammates, urging them forward.
Every time he got the ball, he signaled for the others to push up.
Goal!
We need a goal!
"Today's match has shown us just how well both captains are performing."
"Modrić in the first half, Pepe in the second—both have done a fantastic job motivating their teammates."
"And Gerrard's entrance has massively lifted Liverpool's spirits."
"At this stage of a match like this, morale is more important than tactics."
Yang Cheng soon made another change.
In the 75th minute, Olivier Giroud came on for Matić.
Yang Cheng's intention was clear: use Giroud to pin down the opposing defenders and free up Lewandowski to focus purely on attacking, hoping to create a breakthrough.
One very noticeable pattern in this match was that Liverpool rarely committed fouls outside their own penalty area.
So Bayswater Chinese had few set-piece opportunities—be it corners or free kicks—and none had led to any real danger.
The stalemate between the two teams was agonizing for both sides.
As the clock ticked past 80 minutes, both teams started to look a bit desperate.
But with their energy nearly spent, it was difficult for either to create anything meaningful.
The game remained tightly contested.
Minute by minute, the time kept slipping away.
In the 82nd minute, Yang Cheng used his final substitution—Eden Hazard replaced Di María.
But Liverpool immediately countered with a change of their own.
Lucas Leiva came on for Dirk Kuyt.
Mancini was going all in, switching to a 4-3-1-2 formation, pushing Balotelli up alongside Suárez.
They were going to stick to the defensive counterattack to the very end!
Up against such a deep, stubborn defense, Bayswater Chinese kept probing—shifting the ball side to side, trying to stretch the defense. Hazard, Lewandowski, Gareth Bale—all of them tried dribbling breakthroughs.
But none of it really worked.
Crosses from the wings weren't effective either.
Liverpool's players were taller, stronger.
Short passing combinations and cut-ins?
Liverpool had turned their penalty box into a fortress.
Although Gerrard was technically playing the No.10 role, when defending, he dropped deeper than anyone and fought harder than anyone.
You'd never guess this was someone who had just returned from injury.
But truth be told, his performance lit a fire under the rest of the Liverpool squad.
As the match approached its final moments, time ticking away, a mixture of relief and regret washed over the stadium when the fourth official raised the board—4 minutes of added time.
Everyone instinctively felt that a draw seemed fair.
Even though Liverpool had played passively, the fact that they were able to freeze out Bayswater Chinese with a defensive counterattack setup was something to be proud of.
"There isn't much time left—still 1–1 between the two sides."
"Both teams have used up all their substitutions. Now, it's all down to the players on the pitch."
"We can see some fans in the stands are getting restless."
"Even though it's Liverpool's home ground, holding Bayswater Chinese to a 1–1 draw at Anfield is still an impressive result in the eyes of many Reds supporters."
"But over at the Bayswater Chinese bench, Yang Cheng is still gesturing for his players to push forward."
"Toni Kroos remains steady as ever with his passing and switching of play."
"Clearly, they don't want to settle for a draw!"
"And honestly, with the level they're playing at, a draw would feel like a loss for Bayswater Chinese."
"But this is Anfield!"
"92 minutes in!"
"Only 2 minutes left to play."
"We're watching Bayswater Chinese, who started the season with five consecutive wins and zero goals conceded, give up their first league goal here at Anfield, and they may be about to record their first draw of the season."
"These two teams have given us a match that, while low on goals, has been incredibly intense and entertaining."
"Only a minute and a half remains."
...
At 92:38 on the clock, Aaron Ramsey got impatient.
The young Welsh midfielder was desperate to help his team get the win.
But he couldn't find a passing lane.
Frustrated, he played a horizontal ball across the pitch, assuming Toni Kroos would be there.
But he hadn't noticed Gerrard, who had been lurking nearby, suddenly sprinting forward to intercept the pass before it reached Kroos.
The moment Ramsey kicked the ball, Kroos realized something was wrong and shouted—but it was too late.
As he watched Gerrard cut in and intercept, Kroos's first instinct was to foul.
The German closed in at top speed, reaching out to grab Gerrard's arm.
Because just ahead were two Liverpool attackers.
And Bayswater Chinese had only their two center-backs left.
Everyone else had pushed up.
But Gerrard reacted faster, brushing off Kroos's hand before he could be fouled.
Aaron Ramsey felt like he had fallen into an ice bath. He turned and sprinted back with all his might.
He swore he'd never run faster in his life.
But he still couldn't catch that damn Gerrard.
Under pressure from Kroos, Gerrard managed to play a through pass intended for Suárez.
Time seemed to freeze in that moment.
Suárez had already surveyed the field.
Balotelli was nearby, poised to make a run.
Thiago Silva had already started to retreat.
If Suárez could receive the ball and slip it through, Balotelli would be in on goal.
They could smash Bayswater Chinese's net and take all three points.
Victory was within reach!
But just before Suárez could take the ball, a massive force slammed into him.
It felt like an entire mountain had collapsed on top of him.
Pepe came charging in from the side, muscling him off the ball before he could control it.
This damn Brazilian was ridiculously strong!
In Suárez's mind: I just can't beat this guy!
After bumping Suárez off, Pepe stormed forward and took the ball under control.
But he didn't stop there—he immediately launched it forward.
At that moment, Pepe looked like the reincarnation of Lúcio, storming out from his own 30-meter area, surging forward, speeding past Gerrard and crossing the halfway line.
Liverpool players instinctively fell back to reassemble their defense.
Bayswater Chinese attackers spread out, ready for what could be the final attack.
But Pepe just kept going.
No one stepped up to stop him.
So he kept going.
And going.
When he reached Liverpool's 30-meter area, the Reds midfield finally realized the danger and rushed to close him down.
But by then, Pepe had already seen a passing lane and fired a precise low ball forward.
In his years with Bayswater Chinese, Pepe had clearly improved his passing. Don't forget—he's Brazilian. And Brazilians know how to handle the ball.
This pass sliced through Liverpool's midfield, aimed for Giroud at the top-right edge of the box, threading between the two center-backs.
If the Frenchman could control it smoothly, he'd be in on goal.
Sensing the danger, Buffon also charged out.
If Giroud got the ball and broke into the box, it would be a one-on-one.
Just as tension hit its peak, Carragher slid in at the edge of the box and intercepted the ball with a desperate tackle.
Everyone held their breath for a moment—relieved the danger was averted.
But before they could exhale, the ball deflected straight to Lewandowski at the top of the arc.
Pepe's run had thrown Liverpool's entire defense into disarray. Now, there wasn't a single defender around Lewandowski.
The Polish striker took one touch, looked up, and unleashed a thunderous strike.
The ball rocketed off the grass, skimming past the penalty spot, and flew into the bottom-left corner of the Liverpool goal.
Buffon, who had charged toward the right side of the six-yard box, dove with everything he had.
But he couldn't reach it.
Even if he had six arms, it wouldn't have mattered.
Unless he was made of rubber and could stretch at will, there was no saving it.
The ball slammed into the back of Liverpool's net.
The entire stadium was stunned into silence.
Even the Liverpool fans who had been on their feet, ready to celebrate a draw, were left speechless.
A last-second goal!
Everyone thought it would end in a draw.
But then Liverpool intercepted at midfield and launched a counterattack.
Only to lose possession midway through...
Then Pepe charged forward like a freight train for dozens of meters...
And finally, Lewandowski capped it off with a long-range rocket.
That wasn't just the final attack of the game—it was the end of the match.
The scoreboard flipped to a cold, brutal 1–2.
Liverpool's players and fans stood frozen.
They couldn't believe it.
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