Soccer: I have the attributes of Messi in his Prime

Chapter 472: Harry Kane on the Rise, Spurs Turning the Tables!

After entering January, it seemed that Manchester City's substantial lead caused their form to waver a bit. In the four matches they played in January, they recorded 2 wins and 2 draws. For most teams, this would be a very satisfying result, but for reigning champions Manchester City, it seemed a bit lacking. The most surprising match was the 0-0 draw at home against Everton. Manchester City started slowly, missing several opportunities, while Everton played exceptionally well. Their forward, Lukaku, created several chances with his individual brilliance, but his teammates failed to capitalize.

Lukaku had already performed outstandingly the previous year and continued his excellent form, attracting interest from many top clubs, especially Chelsea and Manchester United. Lukaku, a former Chelsea player, was seen by Chelsea as someone they wanted to bring back to Stamford Bridge. Manchester United, lacking a powerful center forward, saw Lukaku as a valuable addition, given their close relationship with Everton.

Guardiola wasn't bothered by the outside criticism. With the Champions League knockout stage approaching, he needed to manage his players' fitness carefully, reducing unnecessary exertion to prepare for the grueling European matches. Moreover, the 2-win, 2-draw record did not affect Manchester City's top spot. Leicester City, their main competitors, also had 2 wins and 2 draws in the same period, maintaining the 12-point gap between them. With 15 league matches remaining and a 12-point lead, Manchester City could afford to play more conservatively.

In February, Guardiola became even bolder with squad rotations. In the FA Cup fourth round, he fielded almost an entirely reserve team. Surprisingly, these reserves secured a 5-0 away victory against Aston Villa. The standout performer was City's youth academy product, Iheanacho, who scored a hat-trick, bringing his season total to 14 goals. With his current scoring rate, he could reach 20 goals by season's end—a remarkable achievement for a substitute.

Iheanacho's name gained widespread recognition after this match. During the winter break, some clubs had already inquired about him, but their offers did not meet Guardiola's expectations, and Iheanacho wasn't keen on leaving Manchester City. With such a stellar performance, his market value was bound to increase. By summer, any club wanting to sign him would need to offer at least 30 million euros for City to consider.

Guardiola's stance on Iheanacho was clear. If Iheanacho wished to stay, he was welcome, but he would not be guaranteed a starting position and would need to compete from the bench. Given Agüero's form and the arrivals of Sané and Jesus, his playing time would likely decrease further. Hence, Guardiola leaned towards selling or loaning him out. After discussing with Guardiola, Iheanacho, though reluctant to leave, decided it was best for his career. Respecting his current club, he declined offers from Premier League teams, preferring to explore opportunities in other leagues like La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, or even Ligue 1. Once City hinted at his availability, many clubs expressed interest, including scouts from two Chinese Super League teams.

On February 6, after a narrow 1-0 away win against Sunderland, Manchester City faced Leicester City again. This was their second encounter in 40 days. Since their last match, both teams had identical records of 3 wins and 2 draws in their last five league games. However, Manchester City's opponents were generally weaker, whereas Leicester City faced strong teams like Tottenham and Liverpool and still managed to win. This boosted Leicester City's morale significantly, allowing them to fully recover from their previous defeat to City.

Ranieri remained humble, praising Manchester City and Guardiola as the best team and coach in the Premier League. He modestly claimed that Leicester's goal at the Etihad was to earn a point. Despite their low-key stance, once the match started, Leicester showed no intention of conceding easily. Learning from their previous defeat, Ranieri chose a solid defensive counter-attack strategy. Leicester's defensive formation was extremely compact, rarely advancing past the halfway line, even staying within the 30-meter zone unless counter-attacking.

This stringent defense posed a significant challenge for Manchester City's offense. During the winter break, Leicester strengthened their squad by signing a fast forward, using him to challenge City's defenders on counter-attacks. Although the success rate was low, the threat was real. In the first half, Leicester's counter-attacks matched City's offensive plays.

In the second half, Guardiola changed the formation to a 3-2-4-1, with numerous playmakers behind the forward, feeding him opportunities. These playmakers were also excellent attackers themselves, particularly Lin Quan. This formation maximized the field's width, stretching Leicester's defense and creating excellent opportunities for attackers, especially those making late runs from the flanks.

Thanks to this strategy, Manchester City scored first in the second half. However, the opponents got lucky with a long shot that deflected off a defender's leg, equalizing the score. City scored again on a counterattack, but it was ruled offside. The match ended 1-1, keeping City's 12-point lead intact. Leicester City also secured a point, making the result acceptable for both sides.

After the match against Leicester City, Manchester City faced a hectic schedule, with four matches in the next two weeks: two Premier League games, one Champions League match, and one each in the League Cup and FA Cup. Three of these matches were clustered in the last week of February, leaving City stretched thin.

Last season, Guardiola strategically sacrificed the FA Cup and League Cup to focus on the Premier League and Champions League. This season, with a deeper bench and effective rotations, City hadn't faced major fitness issues despite competing on multiple fronts. After consulting the players, Guardiola decided not to abandon the domestic cups this season, aiming for another treble.

The League Cup was nearly complete, with only the final left. However, the final was against Liverpool, a team also desperate for a trophy after a long drought. Liverpool would likely field their strongest lineup, meaning City couldn't rely solely on their reserves and youth players. They needed to send out their main squad, but the League Cup final was close to a league match. If City went all out against Liverpool, they might have to strategically forfeit the 27th league match.

"We can afford to lose the 27th league match. Our lead is substantial, and the 27th match is close to the Champions League round of 16. The players will still be recovering from the away game. If we play another league match, we won't be in good shape to fight Liverpool for the cup, so I support forfeiting the league match," one of the coaching staff said during discussions. Most of the coaching team agreed, noting that even if they lost, City's lead would still be significant.

Given this plan, City aimed for a decisive win in the 26th round against Tottenham. With Kane's rising prowess, Tottenham had improved significantly this season. Losing Son Heung-min to City had hurt them, but Kane's emergence had compensated, making him the Premier League's new star, dubbed the next English superstar by the media. Unlike previous overhyped stars, Kane had the skills to back it up, drawing interest from top clubs, including rumors of Real Madrid eyeing him as Ronaldo's successor. Although this wasn't baseless, considering Kane's age and potential compared to Ronaldo's, buying him from Tottenham wouldn't be cheap.

Despite Kane's impressive form, few expected Tottenham to win, given City's historical dominance over them. City often scored four or five goals against Tottenham, leading many to bet on another easy City victory. However, Kane had a breakout performance, scoring twice and assisting Eriksen for a third goal, leading Tottenham to a shocking 3-2 away victory over City.

This unexpected loss meant City had already dropped three points before the crucial 27th match. Should they still forfeit the next game?

"Coach, should we reconsider our plan?"

"Yes, if we lose the next match, our lead might shrink to six points!" With 12 matches left, a six-point lead wasn't small, but losing six points in two rounds was concerning, even if one loss was strategic. If City showed signs of faltering and the title race reopened, other teams would play even harder against them, as almost the entire Premier League would prefer to prevent City from monopolizing the title.

Hearing his coaches' concerns, Guardiola fell silent, knowing the gravity of the situation and how his decision could have significant repercussions. "Let me think about it carefully," he finally said, considering consulting Lin Quan or waiting until after the Champions League match to decide. If needed, they might have to abandon the domestic cups, as the treble didn't necessarily include the League Cup.

(End of Chapter)

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