"This is not a great start for Liverpool! For the majority of this season, they have been the ones leading their opponents. When have they ever been led by the other side? Such opportunities are few and far between! Not to mention being led by Manchester City! They have never been led by Manchester City!"

While Manchester City players were still celebrating the goal, the camera lens focused on Liverpool players.

Those Manchester City fans who couldn't watch the live broadcast and had to settle for watching it on TV at home or in bars, were stunned for a moment, and then collectively became displeased.

"We're the ones who scored! We're the ones in the lead! Why are they showing Liverpool?"

"Who exactly is the main character at this time?"

Actually, this is a minor thing. In any game, after any goal, it's impossible for the camera to only show one team. There will inevitably be shots of the other team as well.

But Manchester City fans couldn't stand it because the hatred between them and Liverpool ran deep. They were originally quite happy to have scored and taken the lead against their arch-rivals, but at this moment, the TV broadcast made them see the faces of the Liverpool players, especially Chen Hero's face, and they immediately felt as disgusted as if they had swallowed a thousand flies.

What was even more infuriating was that the TV station gave Chen Hero a huge close-up shot that lasted for ten seconds!

It seemed as if Chen Hero was the main character, while Agüero, who scored the goal, had become an insignificant supporting role!

Amidst the shouts and curses, they naturally couldn't hear what the commentators were saying.

※※※

"For Chen Hero, falling behind in a match against Manchester City is something he hasn't experienced for a long time. Ever since his first season with Liverpool, he has always been able to perform well in games against Manchester City, helping his team gain the upper hand. Now that his team is behind, can he tolerate being suppressed by Manchester City? What answer will he deliver?"

This is what the commentator said, but none of the Manchester City fans heard it.

Chen Hero wasn't actually worried about conceding a goal. In such an open, attacking match, even if they lost a goal, Liverpool would have a chance to pull it back.

Both sides actually had many scoring opportunities.

He felt that equalizing the score was only a matter of time, so he stood in the center circle with a blank expression on his face.

※※※

Chen Hero thought this was going to be an all-out attacking match, so he would have many chances to score.

But he obviously underestimated Mancini's ability and the professional standards of a coach.

If they were still engaging in an all-out attacking battle in this situation, Mancini would be an idiot, a pure, one hundred percent idiot.

The reason they were attacking before was because Manchester City had no better option besides attacking. Anyway, attacking was what Manchester City was best at, so they just went for it.

They didn't expect that it would actually produce a lead.

If they continued to attack, Mancini knew very well what the consequences would be—Manchester City had a strong attack, but Liverpool wasn't bad either. It was only a matter of time before they scored. If Liverpool equalized, their morale would soar, while Manchester City would plummet.

So continuing to attack was suicide.

While the TV cameras were focusing on the Liverpool players and Chen Hero, Mancini wasn't idle either. He was pulling aside the team captain, Kompany, giving him instructions.

He was the first to make adjustments—defense.

He demanded that Manchester City retreat across the board, defending their penalty area to the death. If there was a chance to counterattack, they would take it. If the opportunity was uncertain, they would rather give it up than attack easily.

They would hold onto their one-goal advantage, drag it out until halftime, and then make further adjustments.

So when the game restarted, everyone was surprised to find that the exciting, all-out attacking battle they were expecting... was gone!

Instead, Manchester City retreated to defend, and Liverpool pressed forward with their entire army.

The game became a one-sided positional battle.

"Mancini is smart, but also foolish! It's normal to retreat and defend after taking the lead, but does he really think that this will stop Chen Hero from scoring?" The commentator was very dissatisfied that a good-looking game had fallen into clichés again, so he simply criticized Manchester City and Mancini.

Liverpool were all stunned to see that Manchester City had actually taken the initiative to retreat and defend.

Chen Hero was also taken aback, but he didn't frown. After being surprised, a teasing smile appeared on his face.

Manchester City, Manchester City, so you're afraid! You're in such a hurry to retreat and defend after only leading by one goal, are you afraid that your defense will be broken? Aren't you just telling us that you're... scared?!

I thought you had really figured it out, that you suddenly had the courage to attack us Liverpool. It turns out that after a lucky goal, you immediately revealed your true colors... Did you have to be in such a hurry? Even if you held on for five more minutes, it would have been better!

The most unhappy person about the retreat to defend was Agüero. He had just scored a goal and felt that his form was great. But now, the coach waved his hand, and the whole team retreated to defend. Even he had to withdraw, so what was there to attack? Did Mancini think that he could defend this one-point advantage like this?

With the whole team retreating, Agüero lacked support from the team. Even if he wanted to attack, he could only fight alone.

But he couldn't disobey the coach's orders.

As he retreated, he clearly saw the mocking look on Chen Hero's face.

His fists clenched instantly.

He saw deep mockery and disdain in Chen Hero's eyes.

And it shouldn't have been like this. Manchester City was the one in the lead, and Liverpool was the one behind. What right did the team behind have to mock and look down on the team in the lead?

All of this was caused by Mancini's damned defensive decision!

Agüero suddenly had a flash of inspiration, and he thought of many things.

Why was it that in these past few seasons, Manchester City was clearly strong and well-equipped, but they couldn't win a championship, not even one?

Why?

Was it a problem with the players?

Agüero absolutely wouldn't agree.

So, it must be a problem with the coach. When the general is incompetent, the army suffers.

If Mancini wasn't good enough, it didn't matter how good the players were.

Take this League Cup final, for example. Agüero had heard that the team was going to attack, and he was secretly delighted, thinking that he could finally compete with Chen Hero to his heart's content.

Who would have thought that after scoring a goal, Mancini would pull him back? This was simply dragging him down!

He suddenly had a plan in mind.

※※※

Despite being criticized and questioned by many commentators, none of this could change the reality of Manchester City's retreat to defend.

After the retreat, Liverpool gained a lot of space to press forward and attack.

And Liverpool was not polite at all. If the other side offered it with both hands, they would accept it completely, and they wouldn't worry about whether they would be caught in a counterattack behind them.

Because Liverpool had confidence. Before the other side could seize the opportunity to counterattack, they would score first.

Chen Hero, Sánchez, Bale, Götze, and others had already sharpened their knives.

Liverpool had rarely conceded the first goal this season.

So what was the result of leading Liverpool?

Manchester United could provide some reference.

※※※

After the game restarted, Liverpool didn't probe at all, and they launched a fierce offensive without any reservations.

It started with a barrage of heavy artillery.

Chen Hero and Gerrard took two long-range shots in a row. One of Gerrard's shots almost went in, and Chen Hero's long shot was also impressive.

Then Bale also tried a long-range shot, but he blasted it into the sky.

After plowing through Manchester City's defense with heavy artillery, it was time for aerial strikes.

The two wings frequently crossed the ball, and Chen Hero kept jumping up to head the ball in the air.

From heavy artillery to aerial bombardment, Manchester City's defense was indeed under tremendous pressure, and that pressure was still increasing.

"Let's make a bet." The commentator and the guest commentator simply made a bet on this matter while commentating on the game. "Let's bet on when Manchester City will be unable to withstand Liverpool's attack. I think it will be before the end of the first half."

"I think it will be within five minutes!"

The two laughed heartily.

But it made the Manchester City fans in front of the TV grit their teeth in hatred.

"Bastards! Damn it! Aren't you supposed to remain objective and neutral!"

"Is this the attitude that a commentator should have?"

"Liverpool's dog bastards!!"

But what these Manchester City fans were most unhappy about at this time was Mancini. They were clearly in a great situation with the lead, how did it suddenly turn into a desperate defense? Wasn't this destroying their own prestige and boosting the morale of the other side?

What kind of coach would do this?

※※※

The guest who guessed that Liverpool could equalize the score within five minutes did underestimate Manchester City a bit. Faced with Liverpool's attack, they did hold on for five minutes.

But that was all.

In the seventh minute, Liverpool equalized the score.

Mancini overestimated his own defense and also overestimated Liverpool's attack.

In Liverpool's continuous combination of side and center attacks, and three-dimensional strikes with air and ground coordination, Manchester City's defense finally couldn't hold on any longer.

Bale made a cross from the side, and Kompany jumped high, but Chen Hero snatched the ball in front of him and executed a beautiful lion's head shake!

The football flew into the goal in response.

Manchester City was only in the lead for seven minutes before Liverpool equalized the score!

This time, it was the Liverpool fans' turn to cheer in the stands.

"Liverpool!!!"

"Hero!!!"

In the midst of the huge cheers, Chen Hero landed, pushed aside the Manchester City players blocking his way, and ran all the way to the Manchester City coaching bench, then he spread his hands and made a face at Mancini.

Did you think that retreating to defend would stop me?

Naive!

Seeing Chen Hero's celebration, Mancini's face immediately turned extremely ugly. Of course, he knew what Chen Hero meant by doing this.

This was a blatant slap in the face!

Agüero, who was next to him, didn't feel angry when he saw this scene. He even hoped that Chen Hero would make more gestures against Mancini.

It would be best if everyone knew that the current situation of this game was all caused by Mancini alone!