FA Cup

"I've seen many young players with extraordinary skills or incredible pace, but there's no one like Kenneth Lee," Nigel Clough remarked during the post-match press conference. "The way he plays is mature beyond his years. He knows when to dribble, when to pass, which position to cover, how to score, and so on. I regret not marking him more tightly."

Kenneth, who recorded two goals and two assists in the match, once again earned high praise. Many considered his performance almost unnatural for someone his age.

Fortunately, Kenneth was already used to such accolades. He preferred to focus on his future rather than bask in the praises of the English media.

Now, Kenneth sat in a car with Steven driving in the front seat.

"Manchester City has reopened contract negotiations with you. Is there anything specific you'd like to include?" Steven asked.

Kenneth shook his head. "You can handle it like before. Just increase my salary, add plenty of bonuses, and try to include a release clause."

Steven nodded. "Alright, I'll take care of the negotiations. No need to rush; they're the ones who are nervous."

"Some Chinese media outlets have reached out for interviews. Do you want to accept them?" Steven continued.

"Only arrange interviews with the popular ones. No need to accept all of them," Kenneth replied.

Kenneth understood that his growing fame in England had caught the attention of Premier League fans in China. Even though Kenneth wasn't a Chinese citizen, his grandfather had been a citizen of the People's Republic of China.

If they wanted, China could attempt to naturalize Kenneth, but he knew he would decline any such offer.

"We're at your house. You can get out now," Steven said, pulling up.

Kenneth stepped out of the car. "Good night," he said before closing the door.

Dragging his tired body into the house, Kenneth headed straight to his room. He opened his bag and pulled out the Player of the Month award he had received for his stellar performances in December.

He placed the award in a large cabinet where he kept his individual trophies and replicas of team trophies he had won—and hoped to win in the future.

While Kenneth was in his room, the FA Cup was underway. In the fifth round, Manchester City would face Middlesbrough at the Etihad Stadium on January 24.

For reasons unknown, Pellegrini once again excluded Kenneth from the squad, not even placing him on the bench. Kenneth watched the match from the stands alongside other Manchester City U21 players.

City created numerous chances during the game but failed to convert any. Middlesbrough punished their wastefulness when Patrick Bamford scored in the 55th minute.

"We beat him when he played for Chelsea U21, didn't we?" Maffeo, seated next to Kenneth, asked.

"Yeah. And now he's scoring against us in the FA Cup. You know, watching you debut at such a young age has made me think about starting my senior career too," Adarabioyo added.

Pablo Maffeo and Adarabioyo, both born in 1997, were now 17 years old, soon to turn 18.

"If you're okay playing in the second or third tier, you could easily find clubs willing to give you game time," Kenneth suggested.

The two fell silent.

Playing in the lower leagues meant smaller salaries, less exposure, and the risk of getting stuck there if performances didn't stand out.

"Don't compare yourselves to Lee. Haven't you learned that lesson yet?" Bersant Celina chimed in, addressing Adarabioyo and Maffeo.

"Let it be. It's better to stay here for a few more years. By the way, Lee, do you feel like Pellegrini is isolating you? He should have included you in the starting lineup or at least on the bench," Maffeo said, changing the topic.

"Yeah, honestly, I think you're already better than some of the players out there," Adarabioyo added in agreement.

"I don't know. I can't read his mind," Kenneth replied.

Meanwhile, after Patrick Bamford's goal, City continued to push forward in search of their first goal, but it never came. Deep into stoppage time, substitute Kike Garcia found himself in an excellent position after a swift Middlesbrough counter-attack. Exploiting City's aggressive forward play, Kike calmly slotted the ball past Willy Caballero.

This goal sealed the game, ensuring Middlesbrough's progression to the next round.

The goal left City fans silent, staring at the pitch with despair, disappointment, and sadness. Years earlier, Middlesbrough had humiliated City with an 8-1 thrashing before Sheikh Mansour's takeover. Despite the passage of time and the acquisition of numerous stars, City were once again defeated by the same team, this time at home, with a 2-0 scoreline.

Sky Sports cameras focused on Kenneth's face as the goal was scored.

Noticing this, Kenneth immediately stood up. "Let's go," he said to his teammates.

"What's the rush? It's not like you to leave this quickly," Maffeo asked, surprised.

"The reporters will swarm me and ask about this match if I stay any longer," Kenneth explained.

Kenneth understood that journalists were always eager to fabricate conflicts between him and City's manager, Pellegrini. The more news they could gather, the happier they'd be.

However, Kenneth had no intention of giving them what they wanted. Regardless of Pellegrini's decisions, he remained the manager of City, and Kenneth had no plans to protest as long as he held that position.

Luckily, Kenneth and his teammates managed to return to the CFA without encountering any journalists.

This round of the FA Cup proved challenging for most big teams. Chelsea suffered a shocking 4-2 defeat to Bradford City at Stamford Bridge despite taking an early 2-0 lead.

Manchester United struggled against League Two's Cambridge United, ending in a frustrating 0-0 draw at Cambridge. Under Louis van Gaal, United failed to break down their determined lower-league opponents, forcing a replay at Old Trafford.

Tottenham Hotspur's run came to an end as they faced Leicester City, losing 2-1 at White Hart Lane. Spurs had taken the lead through an Andros Townsend penalty, but late goals from Leonardo Ulloa and Jeff Schlupp secured a dramatic win for Leicester.

Liverpool also faced difficulties, drawing 0-0 at Anfield against Bolton Wanderers. Despite dominating possession, Liverpool couldn't find a way past Bolton's resilient defense, adding a replay to their already congested fixture schedule.

Arsenal, however, stood out as the exception. They triumphed over Brighton with a 3-2 victory, thanks to goals from Theo Walcott, Mesut Özil, and Tomáš Rosický.

Arsenal fans wasted no time celebrating on social media, mocking other clubs after their team's victory.