Chapter 417
Three days later, a crucial match of the 28th round of the Premier League was held at Anfield.
Manchester City, with the warmth of the League Cup championship they had just won, faced Liverpool, who were looking for revenge.
Due to the physical exhaustion brought to the players by the fierce competition in the League Cup, coupled with the upcoming Champions League knockout rounds, Guardiola had to make a difficult decision - rotating the main lineup and sending out a number of substitutes.
This decision made Manchester City's performance in the game particularly passive.
In a devil's home field like Anfield, facing Liverpool, who were eager for revenge, Manchester City's substitute lineup was obviously unable to cope.
At the beginning of the game, Liverpool showed a strong desire to attack. Their offensive surged like a tide, causing Manchester City's defense to retreat continuously.
In the first half, Liverpool's attack paid off.
In the 34th minute, Lallana received a pass from his teammate at the edge of the penalty area, made a beautiful turn to get rid of the defense, and accurately shot the ball into the bottom of the net, opening the score for Liverpool.
Soon after, in the 41st minute, Milner made a header in a corner kick, expanding the score to 2:0.
Liverpool fans in the audience cheered, they could feel the pleasure of revenge coming.
In the second half, Manchester City still failed to regain their form, while Liverpool continued to maintain a high-pressure situation.
In the 69th minute, Origi received a precise long pass from his teammate in a quick counterattack. Facing the attacking Manchester City goalkeeper, he calmly pushed the ball into the far corner, setting the score at 3:0.
This goal almost announced the end of the game and completely dispelled any possible counterattack hopes of Manchester City.
When the final whistle sounded, thunderous applause and cheers broke out in the audience at Anfield.
Liverpool players hugged and celebrated on the field. They were proud of their performance and also regained dignity for the previous final defeat.
In the fierce competition of the Premier League, Manchester City's unexpected defeat suddenly made the atmosphere of the whole season tense.
Although the defeat did not change their leading position in the standings, the gap with second-placed Tottenham Hotspur has narrowed from a comfortable ten points to just five points.
So far, Manchester City has a very impressive record of 20 wins, 4 draws and 4 losses, with 64 points.
Tottenham Hotspur is closely behind with 17 wins, 8 draws and 3 losses, with 59 points.
Recently, Tottenham Hotspur has been full of surprises, especially in recent rounds of games, where they have shown strong competitiveness and teamwork.
In the office of the training base, Manchester City coach Guardiola frowned at the standings, which made him feel the pressure from other teams to catch up.
Although his team is still in the lead, the result of each game is enough to change the fate of the season.
In the training on the second day, Li Lei clearly felt the sharp eyes from Guardiola.
"Listen, everyone knows that we didn't do our best today." The voice of head coach Guardiola was serious and firm.
"But this is football. We have to learn quickly from failure and bounce back immediately."
"Our goal has not changed - to win the league championship."
"Tottenham is catching up with us, which means we can't relax at all."
The serious Guardiola also doubled the pressure on these Manchester City main players. Everyone knows that the bald man in front of them is not easy to mess with.
At the same time, Manchester City's physical coach brought some good news.
After a period of adjustment and recovery, Li Lei and several other main players have greatly improved their physical condition.
This is crucial for the upcoming intensive schedule and the competition for the Champions League.
On March 5, in the 29th round of the Premier League, Manchester City faced Aston Villa, who was ranked in the relegation zone, at home in a turbulent sea.
Although Villa's ranking is far lower than Manchester City, such opponents often become not to be underestimated because of their strong desire to survive.
Guardiola knows this well, coupled with the pressure of catching up from Tottenham, so he sent out the strongest lineup without mercy.
Goalkeeper: Joe Hart
Defenders: Bacary Sagna (right back), Alexandr Kolarov (left back), Vincent Kompany (centre back, captain), Nicolas Otamendi (centre back)
Midfielders: Fernandinho (midfielder), Yaya Toure (midfielder), David Silva (attack midfielder)
Forwards: Raheem Sterling (winger), Sergio Aguero (center forward), Li Lei (winger)
After the game started, Manchester City quickly took the initiative on the field.
Despite this, Villa players relied on their survival instincts to launch a fierce and rough confrontation.
Li Lei repeatedly scored on the wingTrying to break through, every time he faced the opponent's defender's tight clamping and serious fouls.
However, this situation is not uncommon in the Premier League, especially when facing those teams fighting for relegation, they often do everything they can.
Guardiola, standing on the sidelines, had a sharp gaze and directed adjustments from time to time.
In this kind of game, it is equally important to keep the players healthy.
He was even more dissatisfied with the referee's many decisions, especially when Li Lei was fouled and failed to get the protection he deserved, and roared angrily at the fourth official on the sidelines.
Faced with his attitude, the fourth official did not dare to refute too much, after all, this is the reality.
As the game progressed, Manchester City began to gradually find a way to crack Villa's defense.
Silva and Yaya Toure's clever cooperation tore through the opponent's defense, while Sterling and Li Lei continued to use their speed and technology to create threats.
When Manchester City's game against Aston Villa entered the crucial 45th minute, with Alan Hutton's rough foul on Sergio Aguero, the tension reached its peak.
The dispute and physical conflict on the field forced the referee to intervene, and he showed Hutton a yellow card.
Although this decision was a little hesitant, it also curbed the rough style of the game to a certain extent.
In this way, the first half ended with a score of 0:0 in Manchester City's cautious attack.
During the halftime break, Guardiola made targeted tactical adjustments in the locker room.
His eyes revealed unquestionable determination. He asked the players to increase the speed of passing and use breakthroughs on the wing to create more opportunities.
Li Lei and his teammates could hear the coach's words with unusual firmness and urgency.
