Chapter 431: The Manchester City Dynasty

Chapter 431: The Manchester City Dynasty

Every year, after the national team matches, many players' form is affected due to the games they played for their countries. This is especially true for those who travel far, such as to South America.

In the fifth round of the Premier League, which started on September 12, Sergio Agüero, who had just returned from playing for Argentina, was injured in the 20th minute of the first half, casting a shadow over the game.

Agüero wasn't the only one affected by the "FIFA virus"; many Manchester City players were also not in good form. Adding to the challenge, their opponent was Crystal Palace, ranked second in the league. Crystal Palace continued their excellent form since the start of the season, playing very boldly at home.

By the end of the first half, Crystal Palace had 45% possession and six shots. For a team like Manchester City, which focuses on controlling the ball, letting the opponent have over 40% possession meant they hadn't fully suppressed them. Hence, at the end of the first half, Manchester City surprisingly hadn't scored.

This situation remained unchanged in the second half. As the match time ticked away, Manchester City fans who had come to support their team started to worry. Could their team's winning streak end here?

Crystal Palace fans hoped their team could upset Manchester City at home, but they also knew it was unlikely. Even when Manchester City wasn't at their best, they were tough to beat. If Crystal Palace were up against a fully fit Manchester City, they would likely struggle, even at home. Thus, Crystal Palace fans could accept a draw, as holding Manchester City to a draw would be something to boast about.

With 90 minutes almost up and the score still 0-0, it seemed Crystal Palace fans might get their wish. Despite Manchester City's increased possession to 58% in the second half and their siege on the Crystal Palace goal, they couldn't score from their 20 shots.

Crystal Palace's goalkeeper, McCarthy, whom they bought for £4.9 million from Queens Park Rangers this summer, had an outstanding performance, making six crucial saves and repeatedly saving his team. Without his godlike performance, Crystal Palace's goal would have been breached long ago.

On the sidelines, Guardiola couldn't sit still. He glanced at his team's bench, seemingly ready for a final substitution. The main reason Manchester City couldn't score was that after Agüero's injury, Lin Quan faced heavy marking. Without another forward to support him, Lin Quan often found himself isolated. Additionally, the poor form of his teammates meant no one could relieve the pressure on him. As a result, the opponents' strategy worked well, causing Manchester City's attack to falter.

To change this, Guardiola needed to bring on a forward to help Lin Quan. Unfortunately, no one expected Agüero to get injured before the match, so instead of bringing on Jovetić, Guardiola had the 19-year-old Kelechi Iheanacho from the academy on the bench. Could such a young player really make a difference in such a crucial moment?

With the match nearing its end and the score still 0-0, Guardiola decided to take a chance and put Iheanacho on the field. Iheanacho leaped from the bench and ran to Guardiola, ready to receive instructions.

"Coach, what do you want me to do?" Iheanacho asked.

"Listen, Kelechi, when you get on, run into the box and help create space for Lin Quan. If he passes to you, shoot boldly and put that damn ball in the net!" Guardiola instructed.

Hearing that Guardiola entrusted him with such an important task, Iheanacho felt dizzy with joy. The coach valued him so much, giving him the chance to be the savior?

"Did you hear me, Kelechi?" Guardiola raised his voice when he noticed Iheanacho seemed distracted.

"No problem, leave it to me!" Iheanacho, now filled with confidence, felt like he had been injected with adrenaline. He couldn't wait to get on the field and score in any way possible.

"Good, go now!" Guardiola patted his shoulder and sent him on.

Manchester City's late substitution caught Crystal Palace's attention. However, seeing only an unknown young player coming on, they felt less threatened.

"Ha, Guardiola is desperate now, isn't he? Does he think a young player can do what Lin Quan couldn't?" a Palace fan scoffed.

"I think he's given up and is just throwing on forwards in the hope of a miracle. It's too naive," another added.

"Guardiola's reputation is overrated. Look at him now," another fan remarked.

Crystal Palace fans were now overflowing with confidence. What was the big deal about Manchester City, the Premier League champions, and the Champions League winners? They hadn't managed to score against Crystal Palace.

Yet, Iheanacho's first touch after coming on was a mistake. He miscontrolled the ball, allowing Crystal Palace to intercept and nearly counterattack. Fortunately, Kanté quickly intervened, regaining possession and averting the danger.

"Focus, don't get distracted!" Lin Quan advised Iheanacho as he passed him on the pitch.

"Got it, boss!" Iheanacho nodded vigorously. Though embarrassed by his mistake, he quickly put it behind him, determined to play the hero. He ran tirelessly upfront, trying to create space.

Although Crystal Palace's players underestimated him, they didn't dare leave him unmarked. So, his seemingly random movements did create some effect. When Lin Quan had the ball again, fewer defenders were marking him.

An excellent opportunity arose.

The reduced double-teaming gave Lin Quan a chance to break through. When De Bruyne moved closer, Lin Quan pretended to pass to him but, when the defender relaxed, he quickly turned and dribbled past the first defender. The second defender, seeing his teammate beaten, hastily tried to intercept, but Lin Quan's quick footwork allowed him to evade with a skillful move.

As the third defender rushed in, he found himself one-on-one with Lin Quan. Defenders who had faced Lin Quan before had learned a crucial lesson: never go one-on-one with him. The outcome would be disastrous. The Crystal Palace defender had no choice but to try to delay Lin Quan, hoping for backup. However, Lin Quan swiftly maneuvered past him with two quick moves, leaving the defender behind.

Despite the defender's efforts, Lin Quan ended up near the goal line with a very tight shooting angle. Crystal Palace's goalkeeper, McCarthy, had also closed in, blocking most of the angle. Lin Quan would have to execute a near-impossible shot to score from this position. But football is a team sport.

Iheanacho, remembering Guardiola's instructions, moved strategically to create space. With so many defenders focused on Lin Quan, Iheanacho found himself unmarked. Realizing this, Lin Quan passed the ball back to Iheanacho.

Iheanacho, who had been admiring Lin Quan's dribbling, suddenly saw the ball at his feet. Acting on instinct, he took a powerful shot. The ball flew high and fast into Crystal Palace's goal. The shot wasn't perfect, but due to his proximity to the goal, it went in.

On the sidelines, Guardiola's heart nearly stopped seeing Iheanacho's shot. It was a simple, close-range shot, and he chose to blast it instead of a simple push. Luckily, the ball went in. If it hadn't, Guardiola would have given Iheanacho a long lecture.

When Iheanacho scored, the stadium fell silent. Crystal Palace fans were stunned. The player they underestimated had scored the decisive goal.

Iheanacho, not expecting such an easy goal, celebrated by cupping his ear towards the stands, asking for applause. However, he ran to the wrong section, where Crystal Palace fans were gathered. Instead of cheers, he was met with boos and flying objects. Realizing his mistake, he quickly returned to his teammates to celebrate.

"Well done, but you almost missed that shot!" Captain Kompany said, playfully ruffling Iheanacho's hair. As one of the team's veterans, Kompany was pleased to see a young talent emerge from the club's academy.

Kompany, who joined Manchester City at 22, had been with the club for eight years and witnessed its transformation from a mid-table team to one of Europe's best. With three Premier League titles and two Champions League trophies in recent years, City had become a dominant force, a new dynasty in the making. However, Kompany, nearing 30, knew his time was limited and hoped to see young players like Iheanacho step up.

Not understanding Kompany's deeper thoughts, Iheanacho smiled and explained, "I didn't think. My body just reacted."

"You need to practice more to make sure your instincts are always right, like Lin Quan," veteran David Silva added.

Iheanacho nodded eagerly. Lin Quan was his idol, and learning from him was his goal.

Iheanacho's goal came in the second minute of stoppage time. By the time the celebrations ended, the extra time was almost up. When the game resumed, the referee soon blew the final whistle.

Manchester City secured a 1-0 away win against Crystal Palace, marking a perfect start with five consecutive league victories.

The highlight of the fifth round was the match between Manchester United and Liverpool. Mourinho's United performed brilliantly, winning 3-1 at home, stopping their slump and gaining favor with their fans. For United supporters, beating Liverpool was even sweeter than defeating Manchester City.

Arsenal won 2-0 at home against Stoke City, while Chelsea lost 1-3 away to Everton. Ranieri's Leicester City pulled off an incredible comeback, winning 3-2 against Aston Villa after being 0-2 down. This victory put Leicester second in the league, just four points behind City and one point ahead of United, earning them significant attention as the season's dark horse.

(End of Chapter)