Chapter 159: A Bicycle Kick! A New Premier League Record! He's the Most Complete Winger in My Eyes!
"Di María has always been an extremely outstanding player in my eyes."
"I've always believed he wouldn't let anyone down."
At the post-match press conference, Yang Cheng openly praised Di María's match-winning goal.
It was the Argentine's first Premier League goal of the season.
Before this, he'd been repeatedly criticized by media and fans alike for not scoring—especially with Gareth Bale and Walcott shining so brightly this season. Everyone seemed to agree that the two British wingers deserved to be undisputed starters and poster boys of the club.
But Yang Cheng never wavered in his trust in Di María, continuing to rotate the trio evenly.
That decision had already paid off in last season's Champions League final.
Now, it paid off again—at Stamford Bridge.
"Di María is a very special player. He brings something different to this team."
After the performance he gave in the battle at Stamford Bridge, Yang Cheng believed Di María had finally withstood the pressure and was entering a period of transformation.
It's a phase that every top-level player must go through.
Ironically, Bale and Walcott hadn't reached that stage yet.
As for the club's one win, one loss over the Christmas period, Yang Cheng said he was satisfied.
The away loss to Redknapp's Spurs was due to squad rotation, compounded by the team's disrupted rhythm after the Club World Cup.
And Spurs had played very well, especially defensively.
But winning against Chelsea at home once again proved Bayswater Chinese FC's strength.
Scolari's defensive organization had been impressive.
After beating Chelsea, Bayswater's league record stood at 16 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss from 20 games, sitting atop the Premier League with 49 points.
Arsenal were second with 45.
United and Liverpool both had 44 points, in third and fourth respectively.
Chelsea sat fifth with 39, and City were sixth with 37.
At this point, the Premier League power structure had taken shape.
The British media also analyzed Di María's winning goal, calling it crucial.
Without that goal, the match likely would've ended in a draw.
Bayswater would've been left with 47 points—only 2 ahead of Arsenal—and things would've looked much tighter.
Yang Cheng wasn't feeling much pressure, though.
After all, Bayswater still had two games in hand.
Ferguson, despite back-to-back 1–0 wins after Christmas, remained unhappy with the schedule.
After Round 20, he blasted the Premier League for making them play all of last season's top ten away from home in the first half of this season.
Well... the home game against Bayswater in Round 3 had been postponed.
So Ferguson conveniently pretended that didn't count.
"They told me it wasn't intentional. All I can say is—nonsense!"
The Premier League responded swiftly, admitting the fixture calendar was extremely complicated.
To promote transparency, they proposed allowing club representatives to attend future scheduling meetings.
...
January 2 – FA Cup Third Round
Bayswater Chinese FC away at Southampton
Traveling to St. Mary's, Yang Cheng again fielded a full rotation of backups and youth.
Southampton were in serious trouble, sitting 23rd in the Championship. Survival was still possible, but the situation was dire.
Bayswater seized the initiative right away.
In the 17th minute, Lewandowski flicked a brilliant backheel, sending Bale bursting into the box from the right. He skipped past the defender and fired home with his left.
1–0!
In the 26th minute, Aaron Ramsey broke into the box, found himself one-on-one, and calmly slotted it home.
2–0!
In the 81st minute, Hazard dribbled down the left, weaving past three defenders.
He could've taken the shot himself, but instead squared it to an unmarked Lewandowski, who tapped it in.
3–0!
Final score: Bayswater Chinese FC 3–0 Southampton, advancing to the FA Cup Fourth Round with ease.
...
January 6 – League Cup Semifinal, First Leg
Bayswater once again traveled to White Hart Lane, facing Tottenham.
Just 10 days after the Boxing Day loss, they returned for revenge.
With Leighton Baines still injured, Marcelo had played three straight matches, and fatigue was becoming an issue.
So Yang Cheng rotated again, placing Matuidi at left-back.
Midfield: Matić as holding mid, with Rakitić and Ramsey ahead of him.
The first half went well—Lewandowski scored in the 15th minute to give them the lead.
But right after the break, Spurs came back.
In the 47th minute, Kompany deflected a low cross into his own net, the ball having come from Matuidi's side.
It was the kind of ball that often leads to own goals—Kompany just drew the short straw.
Then, in the 51st minute, another corner—Kompany lost track of Michael Dawson, who headed in.
Two goals conceded in five minutes.
Though Bayswater settled down and Yang Cheng made several attacking changes, they couldn't turn the tide.
1–2 – another loss at White Hart Lane.
Their second straight defeat there.
Yang Cheng didn't have much to say afterward—but he did defend Kompany.
He praised the Belgian's bravery both publicly and privately.
Own goals like that happen, he said. The fact that Kompany went for the ball at all showed his courage.
In the other semifinal, Manchester United lost 0–1 away to Derby County.
...
January 10 – Premier League Round 21
Bayswater Chinese FC vs Blackburn – Wembley Stadium
Just 1 minute and 43 seconds after kickoff, Di María received a pass from Maicon on the right wing.
Surrounded by Givet and Andrews, he danced through them like they weren't there.
In the box's right corner, he tried a low cross for Džeko—but the Blackburn defense had dropped deep, and Nelson cut it out near the six-yard box.
The ball rebounded back to Di María.
Refreshed after a week's rest, the Argentine was in top form.
He took a quick touch with his right, cut past Givet with his left, then dragged the ball across Andrews.
Nelson stepped out to challenge—but Di María was faster.
He flicked the ball ahead and chased it, sliding past Nelson's reach.
Then, with no time to adjust, he chipped the ball with his left foot.
The shot curled gracefully, arching toward the far post, nestling into the side netting.
"GOAL!!!"
"Di María!"
"It's Di María again!!!"
"Just 1 minute and 50 seconds into the match, Bayswater Chinese FC strike first against Blackburn!"
"The Argentine Angel—Ángel Di María!"
Di María formed a heart shape with both hands over his chest, then sprinted to the sideline and dropped to his knees in front of the stands.
His teammates from Bayswater Chinese FC chased after him to celebrate.
He had just scored his first league goal of the season in the previous match.
And now, just like that—he scored again!
But that wasn't all.
At 4 minutes and 16 seconds, Di María passed to Modrić and sprinted into the penalty area.
Modrić then played it out wide to the right.
Maicon surged down the flank, blasting past Givet and sending in a cross near the byline aimed at Džeko.
Nelson rose near the right post and headed it clear, but the clearance wasn't far—it stayed inside the box.
Near the penalty spot on the right, Di María stopped his run, spun, and then—facing the falling ball—flicked it up with his left foot, lobbing it over Tugay Kerimoğlu.
Then, without turning fully, he twisted his body midair and launched a left-footed bicycle kick, sending the ball crashing back into Blackburn's net.
Wembley exploded.
"A bicycle kick!!"
"Di María again!"
"A brace!"
In less than 3 minutes, two goals.
This was the same Di María people had mocked for not being a goalscorer?
The Argentine flashed his heart celebration again, racing to the touchline.
While fans were still stunned by his opening brace, in the 16th minute, it happened again.
Another right-wing attack.
Modrić played it wide, Maicon burst past Andrews and whipped in a low cross to the right side of the box.
Di María took one touch with his left, shaped to cut in and curl for the far post.
Everyone knew he was left-footed—his right foot was considered almost useless.
So Tugay, Givet, and Nelson all closed in on his left foot.
Especially Tugay and Givet—they lunged in together, ready to block his shot.
But Di María baited them, and with a whip of the ball like a bull-tail, he pulled it back to his right, steadied his stance, created a gap, and blasted it into the net with his right foot.
Hat trick!
The stadium was stunned.
Even the Sky Sports commentators were left speechless.
Sixteen minutes.
Just sixteen.
Di María had scored a hat trick.
Weren't people saying he couldn't finish?
Turns out, the quiet guy doesn't score often—but when he does, he goes off.
"Blackburn manager Mark Hughes must be devastated."
"He was confident before the match, saying Bayswater were in poor form and ripe for an upset."
"Now it's only 16 minutes in and they're already 3–0 down!"
"All three goals came from the right wing."
"Bayswater's first two attacks both resulted in goals—incredible efficiency."
"Ángel Di María!"
"The Angel of Wembley!"
"Everyone should remember this name—he's just made Premier League history!"
"A hat trick in 16 minutes—the fastest in Premier League history!"
"Unbelievable!"
"And here's the kicker—he just broke the record set by his former teammate, Andrey Arshavin."
"The Russian Tsar's four-goal haul against Chelsea during Christmas of 06/07 included what was then the fastest Premier League hat trick."
"Arshavin took 18 minutes."
"Di María has lowered it to 16!"
"Unthinkable!"
"Last match, Di María scored his first Premier League goal of the season."
"Who would've thought he'd score a hat trick in the very next match?"
...
"This kid's a walking angel!"
On the touchline, Brian Kidd couldn't contain his joy after watching Di María's hat trick.
He'd watched these young players grow with his own eyes.
Di María had made a name for himself last season, but he wouldn't turn 21 until February 14.
Still very young.
But with Bayswater's careful development and match-by-match sharpening, he was now showing frightening potential.
In Yang Cheng's eyes, this Di María was already different from the one he remembered in his previous life.
The Di María of old had the traits of a typical South American winger—but he wasn't a natural scorer.
That was due to how his career unfolded.
Anyone who played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, Neymar, or Mbappé was bound to be a sidekick.
A blessing—but also a curse.
The fact that Di María was called "Mr. Final" proved he could handle big moments and that his scoring ability should not be underestimated.
But his career shaped his habits and playing style.
Now, at Bayswater, in Yang Cheng's 4-3-3, both wingers were expected to score.
With no Ronaldo or Messi soaking up all the shots, the front three shared responsibility equally.
Which meant Di María got more and better chances to face goal directly.
So even though finishing hadn't been his strength before, here—it was a weakness he had to fix.
So he worked. He adapted. He evolved.
In Yang Cheng's view, this version of Di María was sharper, more aggressive, more dangerous than before.
You could say he was Di María 2.0—with goals added.
"This kid's completely different from Bale, Walcott, or Hazard," Brian Kidd said to Yang Cheng as the players returned to their positions.
"Bale's got power, physique, and elite pace. Walcott's lightweight but lightning fast, great at making off-ball runs. Hazard's a dribbler—fantastic on the ball."
"But out of the four, Di María has the best passing and link-up play, the best technical ability, and classic South American flair."
Then, Kidd sighed, "He's just a little too skinny."
Danny McGrane chuckled beside him. "But his dribbling is world-class."
"He looks awkward when he moves, but somehow—that twisting and turning always gets him through."
With a 3–0 lead, the entire bench relaxed, and laughter erupted all around.
Di María's dribbling really did have that unmistakable South American rhythm.
How to describe it?
It's unorthodox!
But that's not a criticism—when it comes to South American players, it's actually a compliment.
Why is it that European players, despite having strong technical ability, often lack one-on-one flair?
It's because their movements are too standardized.
To put it bluntly, the more advanced a nation's youth training is, the more rigid and structured its players become.
When every action on the pitch follows a textbook pattern, a seasoned defender can read it with ease—they already know what you're going to do before you do it.
But South American players are different.
Their movements are anything but conventional.
From a young age, they're raised with freedom. No rigid frameworks, no strict methodology. They do whatever feels natural—whatever works. And as a result, they develop techniques perfectly tailored to their own bodies and instincts.
Scissor feints, rainbow flicks, seal dribbles... anything goes.
It may look awkward—but on the pitch? It works.
And over time, fans even come to appreciate the unique rhythm and aesthetic that it brings.
Take Di María, for example.
Skinny as a pole, nicknamed "Noodle Man," he twists and squirms through defenses like he's made of rubber. It looks clumsy—until you realize his movements are lightning quick, and defenders can't figure out how to stop him.
And somehow, despite how awkward it looks, his moves are fluid. He passes, dribbles, controls, and shoots—all in one seamless flow, rarely making a mistake.
Because that whole style is something he's built over a lifetime of playing football.
It's uniquely his.
No one else can replicate it.
That's what defines South American players.
And that's why, when Bayswater Chinese FC's youth academy was launched, Yang Cheng said something from day one:
"We have to give more decision-making power to the players."
Training sessions should prioritize creativity and imagination—not repetition and rigidity.
That's what Yang Cheng had come to understand after decades in coaching.
Maybe they couldn't recreate the entire South American football environment, but at least they could compensate for some of the flaws in European training.
"We've actually been playing well lately," Yang Cheng assessed, "with a fairly stable tactical structure. But player form has fluctuated, and that's disrupted our execution."
Even the best tactics are meaningless if players can't execute them.
And the Christmas fixture congestion? It's notorious for disrupting rhythm.
"Our passing and movement have slowed," Brian Kidd agreed.
That slowdown had multiple causes: fatigue, injuries, a heavy schedule, and loss of sharpness.
For a team like Bayswater, if passing and movement slowed, the problems compounded.
Wingers couldn't receive through balls in stride.
Why not? Because the slower the build-up, the faster the opposition's recovery, and the smaller the space for midfielders to pass and wingers to run into.
Smaller windows = static receptions = slower attacking rhythm.
That's why players like Bale, Walcott, Di María—and before them, Michael Owen—became stars at such young ages.
Because they didn't need to battle for space or shield the ball with strength.
All they needed was to run.
To get the most out of them, someone had to feed them balls with the right timing and weight—so they could accelerate into space.
But once the pace drops, now you need physicality, hold-up play, and back-to-goal technique.
"The first half of the season went well," Yang Cheng continued, "but now teams are adapting. They're defending deeper and tighter against us."
"Good guys like Mark Hughes? You don't get many of those," he joked.
The staff laughed.
Mark Hughes really was a "nice guy"—he played open in the first half, and Bayswater blew Blackburn apart.
But after conceding three, he quickly adjusted and pulled his team back.
Now it became a siege.
Fortunately, Bayswater had their siege-breakers too: Džeko's aerial dominance, Di María and Modrić's dribbling, set-piece threats...
Even Hazard could come on to provoke fouls.
As Yang Cheng had said before, this system gave opponents headaches.
Press high? Bayswater's quick passing carved through you.
Sit deep? Their possession and midfield control kept you on edge.
Either way, it was a nightmare.
But even for them, deep blocks were a problem.
That was the biggest difference between Bayswater Chinese FC and Guardiola's Barcelona.
Barça lacked real pace.
Yes, they squeezed opponents, stretched their shape—but that's because they lacked directness.
Their first instinct on the ball was always to stabilize possession.
With slower build-up and no explosive wingers, they struggled most against ultra-defensive setups.
What truly scared them were teams that pressed high, recovered quickly, and countered hard.
Hiddink's "bunker Chelsea" from Yang Cheng's past life? That caused everyone problems.
But when Mourinho's Inter hosted Barça—they didn't park the bus.
Neither did Arsenal or AC Milan in their most effective matches against them.
They took a page from Mourinho's Inter—not Hiddink's Chelsea.
So in Yang Cheng's eyes, tactically speaking, his Bayswater side was more complete than Barcelona.
To beat them, you either park the bus—or pray they mess up.
Or hope you can go toe-to-toe and outgun them.
Otherwise, like Mark Hughes and Blackburn—you just get steamrolled.
...
59th minute.
Bayswater struck again—another clinical, lightning-fast attack.
They won the ball back near midfield and quickly strung together one-touch passes into the final third.
Di María sprinted toward the right corner of the box, received the ball, and faced Givet and Tugay.
With feints and shifts, he beat Givet, then cut inside.
Threading the needle between two defenders, he slotted a pass into the box.
Džeko, near the right side of the penalty spot, received it with his back to goal.
Two center-backs marked him tightly.
He didn't turn. Didn't trap.
He laid it off.
Straight to the top of the box.
Di María, who had kept running after his pass, burst through the gap—right to the edge of the D.
At that moment, Blackburn's Dutch right-back André Ooijer had just broken free of Gareth Bale and was charging toward Di María.
The Argentine caught the moment and sent a diagonal pass slicing between Ooijer and center-back Samba, rolling into the empty left side of the penalty area.
Gareth Bale sprinted in, struck it first time with his left foot, and smashed the ball into the back of the Blackburn net.
The entire move flowed like water—clean, crisp, unstoppable.
4–0!
In the end, Bayswater Chinese FC crushed Blackburn at home, powered by Di María's hat trick.
The match sent shockwaves through the British press.
Every outlet ran in-depth coverage on Bayswater's demolition—and Di María's hat trick stole the headlines.
His performance even overshadowed Manchester United's 3–0 victory over Chelsea in the same round.
Virtually every major outlet praised Di María's spectacular display.
After all—this was the fastest hat trick in Premier League history.
No one had expected it.
Di María had gone from goalless to unplayable in a flash.
Four goals in two matches—for a winger? That was madness.
At the post-match press conference, Yang Cheng once again showered Di María with praise.
"He's one of the most complete wingers I've ever seen."
Yang went on to explain that in Bayswater's 4-3-3, the winger-to-striker connection was a vital part of the attacking structure.
And Di María excelled in that role—without a single flaw.
Of course, the British media weren't about to let him off easily.
With Di María in red-hot form, they pressed Yang:
What about Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott?
Who's really the most important in Yang Cheng's eyes?
Yang tried to dodge with vague answers, but the press pushed.
Finally, he came up with a clever response:
"They're like our arms and legs. You tell me—what's more important, your left leg or your right? Your left hand or your right?"
"So my answer is: they're all important. All indispensable."
The reporters burst out laughing and applauded his wit.
But with four goals in two games—especially the world-class performance against Blackburn—Di María had silenced all doubters.
Meanwhile, in other Premier League action that round:
– Manchester United demolished Chelsea 3–0
– Liverpool drew 0–0 away at Stoke City, showing signs of fatigue after the holiday rush
– Arsenal edged Bolton 1–0 at home
– Manchester City won 2–0 away at Portsmouth
...
By mid-January, a brutal cold snap hit the UK.
On the day of Premier League Round 21, many professional matches were postponed due to snow and ice—mostly in the lower leagues.
The main issue was that lower-tier stadiums lacked proper facilities, like under-soil heating.
With no drainage or heating, matches couldn't go ahead in bad weather.
Midweek, both Bayswater and Middlesbrough advanced to the FA Cup Fourth Round, which didn't impact the rescheduled fixture.
Still, the weather had everyone on edge.
There were even rumors of a postponement.
But Bayswater insisted on playing as scheduled.
They'd already had two matches postponed. If they didn't catch up now, it would be a nightmare once the schedule tightened further.
But Yang Cheng wasn't going to risk his players' safety either.
The club invested heavily in maintaining Wembley's pitch, ensuring it was safe to play.
Thanks to the new stadium's modern heating and drainage systems, the game went ahead.
Middlesbrough, led by "Mr. Southgate," lined up with their usual 4-4-2 double pivot, focused on defense and counterattack.
But in the 40th minute, Bayswater won the ball in midfield.
Yaya Touré sparked a counter, sending Di María flying down the left.
He crossed to Lewandowski, who turned and shot—only for goalkeeper Turnbull to make a brilliant save.
But the ball fell to Yaya again, who struck a rocket from 20+ yards, blowing it into the net.
1–0!
In the 53rd minute, newly returned Leighton Baines set up Di María, who drilled a left-footed low shot through Turnbull's legs and into the net.
2–0!
Just six minutes later, Di María delivered a cross from the left edge of the box.
Walcott, unmarked on the right, volleyed it home.
3–0!
With one goal and one assist, Di María delivered another world-class performance—his third straight!
Final score: Bayswater Chinese FC 3–0 Middlesbrough.
After 21 rounds:
– Bayswater: 18 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss — 55 points, still leading the Premier League
– Arsenal: 48 points
– Manchester United: 47 points
– Liverpool: 45 points
– Manchester City: 40 points (overtook Chelsea)
– Chelsea: 39 points
After United hammered them, rumors swirled that Scolari could be sacked soon.
...
Weekend – Premier League Round 22
Bayswater Chinese FC away at West Ham United
The cold spell across the UK continued.
The terrible pitch gave Bayswater big problems early on.
Just 4 minutes in, Kompany miscontrolled a pass and West Ham's Italian forward Di Michele pounced, rounded Neuer, and scored.
Dream start for the Hammers.
But in the 22nd minute, Gareth Bale smashed a long-range strike from 25 yards, leveling the score.
1–1!
After the break, Modrić drove into the box and was taken down by Upson.
Penalty. Yellow card.
Modrić converted it with ease.
2–1!
Then in the 76th minute, Walcott slipped a through ball to Džeko, who finished coolly.
3–1!
Bayswater completed the comeback and left Upton Park with all three points.
Elsewhere:
– Manchester City, down to ten men after Richard Dunne was sent off early, still beat Wigan 1–0 thanks to Kaká's goal
– Manchester United struggled but snatched a 1–0 win at Bolton through a last-minute goal by Berbatov
– Chelsea came from behind to beat Stoke 2–1 at home
– Arsenal eased past Hull 3–1, with goals from Benzema, Nasri, and Bendtner
– Liverpool were the only top team to drop points—1–1 at home to Everton.
In this Merseyside derby, Benítez's team failed to take all three points.
After repeatedly dropping points since Christmas, Liverpool's situation had become quite concerning.
At this rate, the Reds were no longer seen as serious title contenders to challenge Bayswater Chinese FC.
Benítez now had to worry more about whether they could even hold onto a Champions League spot for next season.
After the match, the British media turned their fire on Benítez.
To put it bluntly—he was digging his own grave.
One match per week, no pressure, already out of the League Cup, only the FA Cup left—and even that he played with a rotated squad.
And yet Benítez still insisted on chopping and changing.
In doing so, he cut through the team's rhythm like a surgeon with shaky hands.
In Yang Cheng's eyes, the biggest issue was breaking up the established midfield trio.
Gerrard started every match, but either Alonso or Mascherano was always missing.
Even more bizarre: in this match against Everton, Alonso started, partnered with Gerrard.
Benítez abandoned the 4-2-3-1 that had brought success and switched to a 4-4-2, trying to emulate Guardiola.
The result?
Liverpool had only 9 shots all game, Everton had 7.
The match was dull and directionless—and they still dropped points.
With Torres out of form, Robbie Keane had once again proven he was not up to the task.
Gerrard pushed forward to shoulder the attacking load and scored Liverpool's only goal.
That left Alonso with all the defensive burden in midfield.
The team was a mess.
And this wasn't Benítez's first time sabotaging himself.
Yang Cheng had the sneaking suspicion that Benítez was trying to prove a point—to everyone.
What point?
Everyone knew Alonso was key. Everyone knew Benítez made a mistake last season.
But he refused to admit it.
Not only that, he doubled down.
He was trying to prove that he alone was indispensable, not Alonso.
To him, Alonso was just a pawn in his tactical chessboard.
From a certain perspective, that wasn't wrong.
If he'd won, it would have re-established his authority.
But reality proved—he lost.
Keane, Benayoun, Riera… none could shoulder the attacking load.
This Liverpool team still desperately needed Alonso.
...
January 21 – League Cup Semifinal, Second Leg
Yang Cheng again fielded a full rotation of backups and youth.
At home, Bayswater Chinese FC were held 0–0 by Tottenham.
Redknapp's team parked the bus and completely neutralized Bayswater's attack.
Spurs advanced to the final 2–1 on aggregate.
In the other semifinal, Manchester United overcame a 0–1 first-leg loss to Derby County.
Back at Old Trafford, thanks to goals from Ronaldo, Nani, and Tevez, they won 4–2, booking their spot in the final.
But with the same squad that lost in the League Cup, Bayswater rebounded on the weekend, beating Everton 2–1 in the FA Cup Fourth Round.
– 7th minute: Maicon crossed from the right, and Lewandowski headed home from close range.
– 27th minute: Pienaar won a penalty after a burst into the box—converted to make it 1–1.
– Second half: Lewandowski backheeled a brilliant pass to Di María, who finished low from the left.
2–1! Bayswater advanced to the Fifth Round.
...
Midweek – Premier League Round 23
Bayswater Chinese FC away to Sunderland
With matches every three days, the players were exhausted.
But in the 55th minute, Bale's left-footed shot was parried, and Džeko slammed in the rebound.
The only goal of the game.
Elsewhere:
– Manchester United thrashed West Brom 5–0, helped by an early red card for goalkeeper Paul Robinson. Ronaldo scored twice.
– Chelsea beat Middlesbrough 2–0 at home, with Kalou bagging a brace.
– Manchester City edged Newcastle 2–1 with goals from Wright-Phillips and Kaká.
Young striker Andy Carroll scored his second Premier League goal of the season for Newcastle.
– Arsenal drew 1–1 away at Everton, struggling without Fabregas.
Gourcuff, his replacement, continued to underwhelm, unable to adapt to the Premier League's pace.
– Liverpool's collapse continued.
Once again, Benítez left Alonso on the bench, opting for Lucas Leiva to replace him—and it backfired.
Alonso wasn't injured—he sat on the bench the full 90 minutes.
Final score: 1–1 away at Wigan.
The media and Liverpool fans slammed Benítez.
Why?
This draw left Liverpool on 47 points, still fourth.
But Manchester City had closed the gap to just one point, with Chelsea right behind them.
Who would've thought?
Before Christmas, Liverpool looked like Bayswater's main title rival.
Now? They were slipping fast.
...
Perhaps rattled by the backlash, Benítez finally relented.
Premier League Round 24
He reverted to the 4-2-3-1.
Alonso, Mascherano, and Gerrard all started.
Liverpool responded with a 2–0 win over Chelsea, thanks to a brace from Torres.
Elsewhere:
– Manchester United beat Everton 1–0 at Old Trafford (Ronaldo again)
– Arsenal drew 0–0 with West Ham at the Emirates
– Manchester City won 1–0 away at Stoke
Bayswater Chinese FC hosted Portsmouth at Wembley.
Džeko opened the scoring in the 14th minute, assisted by Di María.
But in the 27th minute, he pulled up injured after a sudden stop—muscle strain.
He was subbed off.
Lewandowski, coming on, scored twice in the second half:
– 71st and 82nd minutes, both goals assisted by Walcott.
Pompey got a consolation late on.
Final score: 3–1 Bayswater.
Good news—team doctors confirmed Džeko's injury was mild.
Two weeks of rest, and he'd be back in time for the Champions League at the end of the month.
Yang Cheng breathed a sigh of relief.
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