I'm 198cm tall. Are you giving me a Maradona template?

Chapter 297 Two Hit-and-Run
The atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium can only be described as 'crazy'.

When the referee blew the whistle to start the match.

Sunlight passed the ball to Salah.

at the same time.

The decibel level of boos throughout the stadium rose sharply.

The frenzied boos were so loud that it was impossible not to turn one's head to look.

Fans in North London are generally quite wealthy.

Arsenal, despite its nickname being "The Gunners".

However, their fans are mainly middle-class and upper-class people from North London.

This is why Arsenal's tickets are the most expensive in the Premier League but haven't caused much dissatisfaction among fans – in contrast, clubs like Liverpool and Manchester United have a fan base primarily composed of people with slightly less financial means.

Although Liverpool and Manchester United are England's top... well, top two powerhouses.

But if their ticket prices change by even a pound or two, fan groups start organizing protests.

Of course, because fans are relatively wealthy.

Therefore, the atmosphere at the Emirates Stadium is not as "devilish" as that at Anfield or Old Trafford.

But today.

Many English journalists couldn't help but turn their heads in surprise.

"This may be the craziest scene I've ever seen at the Emirates Stadium!"

An English journalist couldn't help but say this to his colleague.

Arsenal are going all out!

His companion nodded, a hint of anticipation on his face.

In this atmosphere.

Can Arsenal successfully defend their home ground and their honor?
It's not just Arsenal fans.

Arsenal players.

It also demonstrated their fighting spirit.

Salah received the ball, turned, and passed it to the wing.

Arnold received the ball on the wing and made a through pass.

Salah didn't stay put after passing the ball; he quickly moved forward and received a pass from Arnold.

Salah receives the ball, slows down, draws the defense, and cuts into the middle.

They successfully opened up space on the flanks.

At this moment.

The attacking full-back, Arnold, couldn't wait to rush forward, moving along the sideline like a winger, his eyes already fixed on the sunlight in the middle.

Salah drew the defense and then played a through ball to Arnold.

Arnold is on the move, ready to cross the ball.

But just before he received the ball.

Arsenal's left wing-back Kolasinac rammed into him, knocking him to the ground.

The entire stadium erupted in cheers.

"Good job!"

"nice shot!"

"That's it! That's it!!"

The home fans were very satisfied with Kolasinac's defense.

The referee blew the whistle.

Call a foul on Kolasinac.

The referee, Atkinson, hesitated.

Considering the high level of attention this match has garnered, and the fact that the competition has only just begun.

His decision not to issue a yellow card to Kolasinac, who was making a rather aggressive move, seemed suspiciously like a tactical foul.

This decision has angered Liverpool's players.

Arnold, who was thrown from the side and rear, slammed on the brakes in his face, almost making him feel like he was going to be disfigured.

Klopp, who was not far away, roared angrily, "They're not giving us cards?!"

Liverpool's players also rushed over.

They questioned the referee's decision.

Opinions differed among the commentators.

"Kolasinac's foul deserved a yellow card."

"Considering that it was a foul from the side and behind, if the referee is strict, a red card is possible."

"Kolasinac escaped unharmed."

Inside the CCTV studio.

He Wei said, "This is the kind of game Arsenal will likely play; they will fight tooth and nail to defend their home ground. Liverpool will face tough resistance away from home! Liverpool's players need to be mentally prepared for this."

A knowledgeable commenter:
"Aren't you going to give them cards?"

"Holy crap. I feel like Liverpool is in trouble."

"This is, after all, Arsenal's home ground."

"Atkinson, the famous Lee Sin, who knows how he might go crazy during a match?"

Liverpool fans are starting to have some concerns.

The home Arsenal fans cheered.

Applause for Kolasinac's actions.

Liverpool's players didn't dwell on it too much.

This is, after all, Arsenal's home ground.

The fact that the opponent had a home-field advantage didn't surprise them.

The home advantage, aside from the noise and activity created by the fans at the stadium.

The referee, more or less, showed a slight bias towards the home team when making decisions, which was also a factor in his confidence.

The entire stadium erupted in cheers.

Arnold got up from the ground, helplessly shrugged at the referee, and then could only put the football away.

He and Salah stood in front of the ball.

Meanwhile, Liverpool's tall players had already entered the penalty area.

Sunlight was certainly among them.

Standing at 1.98 meters tall, he is very conspicuous in a crowd.

around him.

Papastathopoulos, Mustafi, and Hawkinson looked like dwarfs next to him.
Everybody knows.

Who is Liverpool's most threatening player from set pieces in the attacking third?

at this time.

Mustafi was already pulling his sun-kissed jersey.

He didn't do it too openly, but rather in a place where the referee couldn't see him.

Now that there's no VAR, these hidden fouls are exposed.

As long as the referee didn't see it.

Then it won't be judged.

not to mention.

Based on this match.

Judging from referee Atkinson's ruling on Kolasinac's foul.

Even if you see it.

As long as it's not too excessive.

That's unlikely to be ruled out—after all, that's the case with the vast majority of referees.

The standards and criteria for judging the same action are completely different inside and outside the penalty area.

Outside the restricted area.

Once the verdict is handed down, that's that.

But inside the restricted area.

If awarded, it would be a penalty kick.

It's almost the same as conceding a goal.

and so.

The decision made inside the penalty area.

It's normal to be more cautious.

Just now.

Atkinson blew the whistle.

Arnold took a run-up and passed the ball into the penalty area.

The football took flight, arcing sharply towards the penalty area.

Within the restricted area.

At the very moment the ball is passed up.

Liverpool's players suddenly surged towards the goal.

Arsenal's players, on the other hand, held their positions and tried their best to mark every Liverpool player who participated in the attack.

Of course.

The most important thing.

It's sunlight.

The sunlight was now sandwiched between Papastathopoulos and Mustafi.

When he started preparing to grab the point.

Mustafi was already openly grabbing his jersey: he was trying to pull it stealthily, but it was obvious he couldn't hold on.

But Yang Guang was already used to this kind of defense.

He stared at the incoming ball, constantly pushing his body backward, forcing Mustafi's legs back repeatedly. Then, he slightly bent his knees, and his legs, like springs, propelled his body into the air.

Mustafi grabbed Sunshine's jersey, but couldn't stop Sunshine from jumping upwards.

His jersey was taut.

It looks like a bodysuit.

But the sunlight still swayed as the football fell.
The football changed direction slightly.

Then it darted off into the distance, into a blind spot.

Leno made a diving save, but it was too late; he could only watch as the ball grazed the inside of the post and crashed into the side netting.

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!"

In the commentary box.

Commentator Kolo had already started shouting.

At that moment, the sharp boos from the entire stadium seemed to have been suddenly paused.

until.

Sunlight falls to the ground from the sky.

He turned and lunged towards the corner flag area, celebrating with a knee slide.

The boos from the stadium only reappeared.

But even the loudest boos couldn't change the fact that Arsenal conceded a goal.

Some Arsenal fans stared blankly at the big screen.

At this moment.

The game has only been going on for four minutes.
"Zero to one!! Liverpool have gotten off to a dream start away from home! Look at that header! Yang! Still Yang!"

"Who could have imagined that this crucial match would start like this? Liverpool scored on their very first attack!"

The commentary booth erupted in cheers.

Liverpool's players rushed towards the corner flag.

They were so excited.

The media hype surrounding this match certainly put immense pressure on them.

But
Now, all that pressure has been released.

Because they realized it.

No matter how much pressure there is, it's nothing.

Because they have sunshine.

They are not afraid of any team.

Especially Arsenal!
Liverpool's players basked in the sunshine.

"Good job!"

"Brilliant!"

"Hahahaha!"

Everyone celebrated excitedly.

Not far from them.

The Arsenal players were stunned.

Mustafi stared blankly at the sunlight.

He wondered if his pulling was too gentle.
But... he had clearly done his best.

Even if it means being called for a foul, they are already willing to do it.

Kolasinac's expression was very stiff.

When he received cheers from the entire stadium.

Kolasinac was really enjoying himself at that moment.

He didn't think there was anything wrong with his foul.

On the flanks, away from the goal.

Such a situation poses less of a threat than a corner kick.

A foul is used to intimidate the opposing team and test the referee's standards.

Killing three birds with one stone, achieving two goals at once, why not do it?
but.
If he knew.

Liverpool scored from such a free kick so far from the goal.

He will definitely restrain his actions.

But a pity.

There's no going back in this world.

Kolasinac looked dejected.

Courtside.

Emery hadn't even warmed his seat yet.

The Spaniard jumped up from his seat, went to the sidelines, opened his mouth, and then didn't know what to say.
We conceded a set piece.

This is very frustrating.

Even worse.

The competition has only just begun.
Emery actually had some expectations for this match.

If he can lead Arsenal to stop Liverpool's winning streak.

What a huge boost that would be to Arsenal's morale!

under these circumstances.

maybe.

He could lead Arsenal to a winning streak.

This will allow them to break into the top four and solidify their position in the top four.

Premier League title race?

Given Arsenal's current strength...

Emery dared not think about it.

But he not only had the idea of ​​competing for fourth place, he had a strong desire to do so.

Although they are currently fifth in the standings, the season is still quite long. If they can get points from Liverpool, it will boost the confidence of their players.

According to Emery.

The match was hyped up so much before it even started.

In addition, Liverpool have achieved a fourteen-game winning streak.

They really deserved to lose.
Therefore, there is a chance to calm the nerves.

But the result...
The competition has only just begun.

Arsenal were dealt a heavy blow.

Emery frowned.

We conceded a goal so early.

The competition became a bit difficult.
Liverpool's players' celebration lasted only a short time.

The game resumes.

For Arsenal players, conceding a goal just four minutes into the game was a significant blow to their morale.

But the competition has only just begun, and they need to adjust their mindset and get fully engaged in the game.

Arsenal attempted a counter-attack after conceding the goal.

But they were quickly pushed back by Liverpool's offensive.

Having conceded a goal, Arsenal, trailing behind, were pinned back in their own half.

This greatly disappointed their fans.

Liverpool dominated the game.

They simply couldn't see any hope of scoring a goal.

Fortunately.

Leno played very steadily.

Liverpool's relentless attack failed to break down Arsenal's defense in a short time.

Ten minutes into the game.

Liverpool's formation has shifted back slightly.

They deliberately slowed down their pace.

It seems that after ten minutes of intense attack, they intend to adjust the pace slightly to allow the players to rest and recover.

This gave Arsenal's players a glimmer of hope, and they recovered from the disappointment of conceding a goal, with their morale somewhat restored. As a result, Liverpool retreated and Arsenal pressed forward.

The Emirates Stadium became lively again.

Eleventh minute of the match.

Aubameyang dropped back to receive the ball, dribbled past Henderson, and unleashed a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, forcing Alisson to make a brilliant save.

The ball was flicked by Alisson's fingertips and then hit the post before bouncing out of bounds.

That shot ignited the entire Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal fans inside the stadium were chanting Aubameyang's name wildly.

Aubameyang also excitedly raised both arms, encouraging the atmosphere.

The commentators in the media section also became excited.

"After being dominated by Liverpool for ten minutes, Arsenal finally launched their first threatening attack of the game!"

"That was Arsenal's first shot, and it was very dangerous!"

"If Alisson hadn't reacted quickly enough, Aubameyang's shot would have already been a goal!"

The camera locked onto Aubameyang.

Then they started replaying his shot.

Then came Arsenal's corner kick.

Torreira took the corner kick.

Alisson punched the ball out of the penalty area.

Mane turned and added a shot just outside the penalty area.

The ball was cleared with a long kick to the vicinity of the center circle.

The camera pans away.

After seeing the situation of their own defensive line.

Arsenal fans gasped.

"Liverpool's counter-attack is on."

Amid the commentators' exclamations.

The sunlight pressed down on Mustafi, stopping the ball, then he suddenly turned and made a diagonal pass.

“Salah!!”

Amid the commentators' exclamations.

Salah started from near the center line, quickly leaving Kolasinac behind as he moved forward.

The pass from Yangguang arrived perfectly in front of him, and Salah didn't need to slow down; he simply dribbled forward.
Then, the defenders could only watch in his dust.

Salah one-on-one

Amidst a chorus of boos.

The Egyptian football legend received the ball and charged into the penalty area, calmly slotting a right-footed shot past the onrushing Leno.

The football went into the net smoothly.

Boos from the Emirates Stadium.

It came to an abrupt end once again.

And at this time.

The match had only been going on for eleven minutes.
(End of this chapter)