Chapter 64: Welcome Back to the Title Race!

Chapter 64: Welcome Back to the Title Race!

Just after the start of the second half, Ferguson could no longer sit still.

He realized that Arsenal was not playing too conservatively in the second half; instead, they continued their attacking momentum from the first half!

This left Ferguson feeling both surprised and delighted.

An open attacking game?

Playing an open attacking game with Manchester United?

Ferguson smiled.

This was the exact scenario he hoped to see.

If Arsenal had dropped deep to defend, they might have truly managed to steal one or two goals on the counterattack. Back then, even Manchester United under Ferguson, renowned for legendary comebacks, would have been powerless to turn things around.

But engaging in an open exchange of blows like this—

Although Manchester United's defense was under immense risk, by the same token, Manchester United would also get a plethora of opportunities.

However, Ferguson's smile soon faded.

Arsenal's onslaught was simply too fierce.

This violent wave of attacks left Manchester United's players struggling to cope.

After the halftime break, United had intended to launch a fierce offensive against Arsenal.

To their surprise, not only did Arsenal refuse to sit back, but they also pressed forward aggressively.

They launched wave after wave of attacks, rolling in like the tide.

This forced Manchester United to temporarily avoid the brunt of the onslaught.

"Podolski cuts inside and shoots directly! Oh, oh, oh, just wide of the post!"

"Li Mo—Li Mo receives the ball in the penalty area... a cross! Giroud! Ah, ah, ah! Over the bar!!"

"Wilshere crosses... Li Mo surges for the ball! Ferdinand clears it off the line!!"

"Li Mo appears outside the penalty area! Turns around! A direct long-range shot! It's De Gea again!!!"

"De Gea has become the busiest player on the pitch during this period, and his close-up shots are probably the most frequent. This proves just how fierce Arsenal's attacks have been during this spell!"

Ferguson stood by the touchline with a very serious expression.

On the other side, Wenger continuously waved his arms, urging the Arsenal players to attack, keep attacking!

The Emirates Stadium was completely ignited.

This stadium was once considered one of the "quietest" grounds in the Premier League.

But right now, all the Arsenal fans had their passion ignited by the aggressive attacks of their players.

"This is Arsenal!"

"Attack! Attacking is in Arsenal's DNA!"

"The Gunners' artillery is thundering!!"

All the Arsenal fans could no longer sit still.

They rose from their seats—historically, the earliest stadium stands were essentially "standing terraces," but for safety reasons, football associations in various countries later mandated seated stands, with very few exceptions.

Even so, when fans wanted to sing, wave their arms, and shout slogans, standing was always much more convenient than sitting.

Therefore, on many occasions, the seats essentially became mere decorations.

Amidst the deafening cheers, Arsenal's players grew even more high-spirited and overflowing with confidence.

They fought tooth and nail for virtually every fifty-fifty ball, throwing themselves into challenges without hesitation!

And centre-forward Li Mo was also working extremely hard.

His opponents now were Ferdinand and Vidic.

However, because Giroud was also on the pitch, the two central defenders dared not abandon Giroud entirely.

Consequently, they could not fully double-team Li Mo together.

With two centre-forwards pressing into Manchester United's penalty area, United's defensive line did not dare push forward to participate in the attack, depriving Manchester United's offensive transitions of support from the backline.

Manchester United's right-back, Rafael, was a full-back with a strong desire to attack.

Prompted by the manager's instructions at halftime to encourage the offense, he practically treated himself as a winger, pushing forward to attack time and time again.

Manchester United's right winger, Valencia, was also a rapid and ferocious player.

With the two of them combining forces, Arsenal's left flank was一度 filled with tension and danger.

Arsenal attacked fiercely in the second half, and Manchester United did not show any weakness either.

Both sides engaged in a tit-for-tat open game.

Seeing that the defense on that side was under tightening pressure, Li Mo proactively drifted toward that flank.

This was not because Li Mo possessed exceptional defensive skills; his strategy was to fight violence with violence.

"Since you, Rafael, keep pushing forward frequently, there must be plenty of open space on your side."

By shifting toward that flank and utilizing his pace to exploit the space, Li Mo could force the opponent to track back and defend.

Sure enough, Li Mo's drift to the left yielded excellent results.

Initially, Rafael paid it no mind, thinking that Li Mo was a centre-forward and wondering what threat he could possibly pose on the left wing.

However, when Li Mo exploited the space left behind by Rafael's forward runs when he failed to track back in time, dribbling from the left flank into the half-space of the penalty area and drawing Manchester United's defense toward him, he played a cut-back pass to Cazorla's feet. Cazorla's subsequent shot forced De Gea into yet another desperate save...

Ferguson finally could not bear it any longer.

He shouted loudly toward the pitch, "Rafael! Get back!!"

When Ferguson spoke, Rafael naturally did not dare disobey, so he could only trudge back obediently.

The attacking threat Arsenal faced on the left flank was temporarily neutralized.

Subsequently, with neither Monreal nor Podolski burdened by defensive worries, the magnitude of their overlapping runs grew even larger.

The two of them practically deployed a dual-winger tactic!

On the other flank, Arsenal's right side featured the partnership of Wilshere and Sagna, an attacking system consisting of an inverted winger/midfielder and a full-back.

Coupled with Cazorla frequently drifting over to combine with them in tight group plays, Arsenal unleashed different modes of attacks down both flanks.

This made Arsenal's attacking methods richer and endowed with layered variations.

Yet the objective remained the same—pass the ball into the penalty area and create scoring opportunities for Li Mo!

However, Ferdinand and Vidic proved themselves to be truly world-class central defenders.

Though Li Mo was highly active inside the penalty area, he consistently struggled to find a comfortable shooting window.

In the sixty-ninth minute of the match, Monreal surged down the flank and crossed the ball.

The ball arrived at Li Mo's feet.

Although he secured possession, he lost the opportunity to shoot directly; Ferdinand clung closely to him from behind, locking down the crucial positioning to prevent him from shooting or turning toward the goal.

Ferdinand leaned his upper body forward with immense physical strength, causing Li Mo to stumble a few steps.

Yet he instantly regained his balance and shielded the ball.

This left Ferdinand somewhat surprised by Li Mo's physical resilience and ball-shielding capability.

Yet this was hardly the time for surprise.

With his right foot resting on the ball, Li Mo intended to drag it across and finish with his left foot.

All attention was focused on Li Mo, who practically held "unlimited firing rights" within the Arsenal squad.

Rafael and Vidic were both converging on Ferdinand, hoping to execute a double-team while Li Mo was entangled and snatch the ball right off his feet!

Li Mo fought hard against the pressure applied by Ferdinand, knowing he had to give his absolute all.

At that very moment, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted Arteta surging forward from the defensive midfield position.

Arteta was completely unmarked.

The surrounding Manchester United defenders had their attention entirely fixed on Arsenal's frontline attackers—Cazorla, Wilshere, Podolski, and Giroud.

As for the deep-lying central midfielder Arteta surging up from behind, not a single soul noticed him for the moment!

A golden opportunity!

Li Mo did not hesitate.

He swept the ball toward the edge of the D-area!

Arteta drove forward, genuinely looking to see if he could seize a chance for a sudden long-range shot—since the balance of power between attack and defense was currently equal, breaking that equilibrium required someone to shatter the deadlock.

Late runs from deep-lying midfielders were an excellent way to crack open a game.

However, this also required cooperation from the frontline players, particularly the centre-forward.

Opportunities were fleeting.

If Li Mo failed to deliver the pass in a timely manner, Arteta would be marked up instantly.

Just as Arteta sprinted upward, Li Mo's pass arrived with exquisite precision.

The ball traveled at a moderate speed, but its trajectory was utterly flawless.

Adjusting his stride in acres of space, Arteta unleashed a ferocious shot with his laces!!

The ball skimmed the turf and hurtled toward the goal.

Along its path, the ball struck the foot of the retreating Cleverley, deflecting sharply—rendering De Gea, who had already committed to a dive, entirely helpless.

The ball flew into the net from the far corner.

"Li lays it back! Arteta shoots... gooooooooooooooal!!!!!!!!"

The commentator for Arsenal Radio roared at the top of his lungs, his voice cracking.

The cheers that had refused to cease since the start of the second half reached their absolute crescendo at this very moment.

Cheering.

Roaring.

The tremors generated by thousands jumping simultaneously.

The entire stand. The entire stadium.

It was shaking.

Stirring everything to its core!!

Such thunderous momentum shocked everyone present.

"I feel like I've returned to the frantic Highbury..."

In the press box, a journalist murmured softly.

Yes.

This was passion suppressed for nearly eight years.

At this very moment, it was thoroughly ignited!

The Emirates Stadium could no longer be associated with the word "quiet."

You could not blame Arsenal fans for being so ecstatic.

Because this second goal virtually sealed the victory!!

Facing league leaders Manchester United, suppressing them for the majority of the match, and leading by two goals!

Seeing the hope of fighting for the title before Christmas arrived...

All of this made Arsenal fans reminisce about the era of Highbury Stadium.

Back then, Arsenal was an absolute title contender.

Back then, Arsenal never struggled this desperately just to finish fourth.

Back then, Arsenal fans could endlessly recount the pride belonging to the Gunners.

Such joy was something Arsenal fans had not experienced for a long time.

At the start of the season, the departure of the team's talismanic star, Robin van Persie—especially his public declaration that he joined Manchester United specifically to chase the Premier League title—left Arsenal fans utterly disheartened.

Arsenal had plummeted from being Manchester United's challenger to serving as their "feeder club."

Stars who made names for themselves would run over eagerly at the slightest beck and call from Old Trafford.

Such a predicament left Arsenal supporters deeply depressed.

Coupled with anti-Wenger fan channels like AFTV, anxiety mounted among the faithful.

Yet, Van Persie left, and Li Mo arrived.

Li Mo's goalscoring efficiency surpassed even Van Persie's!

Moreover, he was younger!

In the top scorers' chart, Li Mo firmly held the upper hand over Van Persie.

Under these circumstances, though Van Persie had departed, Arsenal's overall strength this season not only avoided regression but actually strengthened significantly: new additions like Giroud and Podolski played pivotal roles.

As for Li Mo, he was practically equivalent to a signing worth fifty million, or even seventy to eighty million pounds!

Combined with the development of Wilshere, Walcott, Jenkinson, Gibbs, and Oxlade-Chamberlain, all these factors made Arsenal fans realize...

This season, the team genuinely possessed high hopes!!

"Hey, Robin, we don't need you at all!!"

"We have an even better Li!!"

The chant erupted in the South Stand, then rapidly spread to the other stands.

Finally, the entire Emirates Stadium was echoing with those two lines.

The synchronized chanting was broadcast across the globe via television feeds.

At that exact moment, the television broadcast cameras locked onto Robin van Persie.

Clearly, Van Persie heard the chant as well.

His expression turned grim.

Although he convinced himself that leaving Arsenal for Manchester United was about pursuing titles and chasing his dreams, hearing the stadium mock him in unison would provoke anger in anyone.

Under the influence of those jeers, Van Persie's performance for the remainder of the match was undoubtedly affected.

He lost his composure.

The most direct manifestation was his tendency to unleash wild shots from positions that were by no means scoring opportunities.

The goalkeeper standing in Arsenal's goal wasn't Joe Hart; blindly blasting shots from distance was never going to find the back of the net.

With their star striker's mentality shattered, the team trailing by two goals, only a dozen minutes remaining, and playing in such a crazed away stadium—

Under these conditions, no matter how strong Manchester United's squad was, they had no choice but to accept the bitter pill of defeat in a thoroughly raucous Emirates Stadium.

After the final whistle, Robin van Persie, who failed to get on the scoresheet, walked off the pitch with a glum expression, only to be promptly surrounded by journalists.

"Robin, what are your thoughts on Li Mo, who scored in this match and has already netted eleven goals in the Premier League this season?"

As the reporters' words fell, Van Persie furrowed his brow deeply.

"That young man is very impolite, didn't you see? His goal celebration sparked a confrontation, and he also lacks basic respect for Sir Alex Ferguson, he..."

Van Persie rattled off a long complaint in one breath.

Initially, he actually felt indifferent toward Li Mo, even viewing him with a hint of pity—after he left Arsenal, the club turned around and bought Giroud; when Giroud appeared underwhelming, they bought Li Mo for two million.

He arrived carrying the heavy burden of being the "Van Persie replacement."

To shoulder such pressure at such a young age—how tragic.

Yet, the outcome...

Li Mo's performances completely exceeded Van Persie's expectations, even surpassing him on the scoring charts.

In their direct head-to-head clash, Li Mo had also become the "tool" used by Arsenal fans to mock Van Persie.

All of this made it practically impossible for Van Persie to hold any fond feelings toward Li Mo.

The journalists understood this reaction well, and furthermore, they relished manufacturing conflicts between the two star strikers.

The reporters then turned their attention to interview Li Mo, who had been named Man of the Match.

"I don't need anyone to like me, especially Van Persie," Li Mo said with a smirk. "Who does he think he is? He's no Emma Watson..."

"Hahahahaha..."

The reporters burst into raucous laughter.

Emma Watson, the actress who played Hermione in Harry Potter, was a female celebrity whom the British public watched grow up, enjoying massive popularity in the UK as a quintessential national sweetheart.

Therefore, Li Mo's remark made the British reporters instantly get the joke.

During the post-match press conference, Ferguson was similarly swarmed by journalists.

"Li is currently ahead of Van Persie in the scoring charts. Li scored in this match while Van Persie didn't. Does this indicate that Li is a superior player to Van Persie?"

"Is that how you make comparisons? I've seen plenty of seventeen-year-olds hit a good patch of form for a spell. But Robin is a mature player; he played for Arsenal for nine years previously!" Ferguson retorted. "He's also an absolute cornerstone of the Dutch national team. Over the years, he has proven himself to be a world-class forward!"

"As for Li, he still needs to prove himself."

"Doesn't leading the scoring charts prove it yet?" a reporter stood up to challenge.

"Is the season over?" Ferguson fired back.

"Arsenal defeated Manchester United and are now only three points behind them..."

Before the reporter could finish, Ferguson cut him off.

"Yes, yes, Manchester United is leading, Manchester United is the one in front! You lot almost made me think Arsenal was leading the table!"

With that, Ferguson stood up, turned around, and walked out, leaving no further room for the journalists.

Although Ferguson insisted firmly that Manchester United were still ahead, they were no longer sitting at the top of the table.

Following Manchester City's victory in this round, City leapfrogged Manchester United by 1 point to claim first place.

Meanwhile, Chelsea surprisingly lost away to Newcastle United!

This left Chelsea's lead over Arsenal narrowed to a mere 1 point.

The current standings at the top of the Premier League were as follows:

Manchester City in first place with 27 points.

Manchester United in second place with 26 points.

Chelsea in third place with 24 points.

Arsenal in fourth place with 23 points.

Consequently, the gap between fourth-placed Arsenal and league leaders Manchester City was a mere four points.

Arsenal stood fully capable of overtaking Chelsea to claim third place at any moment.

The day after the match, the front-page headline of *Sky Sports* perfectly captured the significance of this victory for Arsenal—

[Welcome Back to the Title Race—Arsenal!]