Chapter 453
As the game entered the later stages, Manchester City's young striker Iheanacho's desire to attack did not diminish.
In the 74th minute, he once again demonstrated his shooting skills and keen sense of opportunity, taking advantage of the negligence of Stoke City's defense and scoring again.
This attack began with Manchester City's quick counterattack. Stoke City lost the ball when trying to attack, and Manchester City's midfield quickly passed the ball to the front court.
Fernandinho quickly passed the ball to Li Lei after stealing in the midfield, who dribbled the ball on the right side.
After attracting two defensive players, Li Lei cleverly passed the ball to Iheanacho in the middle.
After receiving Li Lei's pass, Iheanacho quickly adjusted his steps at the front of the penalty area, took advantage of the omission of the opponent's defense, and calmly chose the shooting angle.
His shot was accurate and powerful, and the ball went over the goalkeeper's hand and went straight into the net.
Manchester City 4:0
In the Sky Sports live broadcast room, as the game came to an end, host Keane and analyst Jones enthusiastically discussed Manchester City's outstanding performance and Iheanacho's two goals.
"Dear viewers, Iheanacho was everywhere tonight, and two accurate shots helped Manchester City consolidate this victory."
"The score is now 4:0, and Manchester City's victory has been basically locked."
"Jones, what do you think of Iheanacho's performance today?"
"Kean, Iheanacho's performance is not only outstanding, but also star-studded."
"The young striker showed his excellent sense of smell and shooting skills in front of the goal."
"Especially his second goal, which perfectly took advantage of the looseness and lack of compactness of Stoke City's back line. He was extremely calm in receiving the ball and adjusting the shot."
"Indeed, Manchester City's offense tonight was very smooth, and the players cooperated well with each other, and through a quick one The foot passes and flexible running positions constantly tear apart the opponent's defense. "
"Also De Bruyne, although there was no direct assist tonight, his passes undoubtedly created multiple scoring opportunities. "
"His vision and passing accuracy are undoubtedly important weapons for Manchester City's offense. "
"Yes, De Bruyne's performance is always so critical, and every ball of his may be transformed into a scoring opportunity. "
"Tonight's game showed the overall strength and depth of Manchester City. From defense to offense, they have shown a very high level. "
"Iheanacho and De Bruyne's performance is only part of it. The performance of the whole team deserves praise. "
On April 23, Manchester City ended the game against Stoke City in the league with a hearty victory.
The score of 4:0 highlights the strength of Manchester City's forward line, but the best player of this game is the young Iheanacho.
In the second half, he completed his personal league double with his super sharpness in front of the goal.
The victory of this game not only brought valuable league points to Manchester City, but also greatly boosted the morale of the whole team.
This puts them just one step away from the league championship. Li Lei and his teammates cheered in the locker room, and the coaching staff also showed a long-lost smile.
The joy of victory bloomed on everyone's face, as if injecting a shot of adrenaline into the upcoming Champions League semi-final.
However, Guardiola knew that this was just the beginning.
The upcoming Champions League semi-final is the real test.
After the game, he quickly summoned the coaching staff and players to start preparing for the semi-final.
"Monaco is a very strong team, especially the young player named Mbappe, whose speed and skills make people unable to defend." Guardiola said straight to the point at the tactical meeting.
Facing the players, he analyzed Monaco's game videos in detail, especially Mbappe's performance on the field.
Guardiola pointed out Monaco's offensive characteristics and put forward targeted response strategies.
He asked the players to pay close attention to Mbappe's running when defending, and to adopt high-pressure pressing in the midfield to try to cut off his connection with his teammates.
"We need to establish an advantage in the midfield and control the tempo of the game," Guardiola stressed.
"De Bruyne, you need to use your vision and passing to tear open the opponent's defense."
"Li Lei, you need to make more breakthroughs on the wing and use your speed to contain the opponent's defense."
At the same time, Guardiola did not ignore the preparations on the offensive end.
He arranged for Aguero and Sterling to cooperate more in the frontcourt and disrupt the opponent's defensive formation through quick counterattacks.
"Remember, we not only have to defend, but also attack! Only offense can win the game." Guardiola said firmly.
As the game approached, the Monaco team also landed in Manchester.
They seemed very calm, as if they were not frightened by Manchester City's momentum..
Mbappe was smiling and showed no sign of nervousness.
The young talent's performance in this Champions League was impressive, and every touch of the ball was threatening.
Monaco's coach and players also showed confidence in the pre-match press conference.
They said that although Manchester City is a strong team, they are confident of achieving good results away from home.
Especially Mbappe, he admitted that he was looking forward to the match with Manchester City and would do his best to win for the team.
On the eve of the game, drizzle fell in the sky of Manchester.
Monaco's players made the final tactical arrangements in the hotel, while Manchester City's players made the final adjustments under the leadership of Guardiola.
The lights of the Etihad Stadium were still bright, as if preparing for the upcoming peak showdown.
The lawn in the stadium was neatly trimmed, and every leaf was shining with green, waiting for the arrival of this big battle.
On the 27th, Manchester City finally welcomed the match against Monaco at the home stadium, Etihad Stadium.
The stadium was crowded with people inside and outside, and the atmosphere was warm.
The fans waved blue flags, shouted Manchester City slogans, and cheered for the team.
In the locker room before the game, Manchester City's players were making final preparations. Although
they had undergone sufficient tactical training and psychological construction, facing Mbappe's silent provocation, everyone's mood was still a bit complicated.
Li Lei stood in a corner of the locker room, holding a bottle of water in his hand, drinking absent-mindedly.
He looked at De Bruyne and asked, "What do you think of Mbappe? Is he really as good as the legend says?"
De Bruyne chuckled and replied, "He is indeed very talented, young and energetic."
"But we are not vegetarians! He is still young, and we have an advantage in experience."
While sorting out his shoes, Sterling interrupted and said, "I have seen his game videos, and his speed and skills are indeed excellent."
"However, his defensive awareness and physical distribution need to be improved, and we can use this."
Aguero leaned back in his chair and said leisurely, "Young people always like to show themselves."
"Although Mbappe is powerful, we have overall strength. As long as we are united, he can't change anything alone."
De Bruyne nodded in agreement: "Yes, this game is not just Mbappe's performance."
"We must believe in our abilities and play according to Guardiola's deployment."
Silva came over and patted Li Lei on the shoulder: "Li Lei, today you have to pay more attention to the breakthroughs on the wing and create trouble for them."
"We have to put pressure on them in offense and not let them counterattack easily."
Li Lei nodded firmly: "Don't worry, I will go all out! In today's game, we must not only win, but also win beautifully."
Sterling showed a confident smile: "Yes, we must let them know who is the real genius."
Aguero stood up and clenched his fists: "Come on, everyone, for the honor of Manchester City, we must go all out!"
