Football: Starting from being abandoned by Barcelona

In the first game after Christmas, Guardiola did not choose to make a major rotation against opponents like Sunderland.

He knew clearly that any game during the Christmas war should not be taken lightly.

As soon as the starting list was announced, the fans understood Guardiola's determination.

De Bruyne, Li Lei, and Sterling, the three core forces of the team, all appeared on the field. Their appearance undoubtedly injected a shot of confidence into the team.

It was a little surprising that Guardiola chose Bony as the starting center forward.

The young Italian striker performed well in the first half of the season, but it has been difficult to get a stable chance to play in the fiercely competitive Manchester City front line.

And this start undoubtedly shows Guardiola's trust and expectations for him.

"Boni is ready. He performed well in training. I believe he can seize this opportunity and prove himself." Guardiola said in an interview before the game.

In the midfield, the double defensive midfielders composed of Toure and Fernandinho provide a solid defensive barrier for the team.

Their presence makes Manchester City's midfield more stable and also provides a guarantee for the performance of the front players.

On the back line, Kolarov, Otamendi, Mangala and Segna are all regulars in Manchester City. Their tacit understanding and stability are the cornerstone of Manchester City's defense.

The goalkeeper position is naturally held by Hart.

As Manchester City's first goalkeeper, Hart's position has always been unshakable. His outstanding performance has won the team countless victories.

Overall, Guardiola's starting lineup is foolproof.

Although the opponent Sunderland is not a top team, Guardiola still arranged a lineup close to the strongest.

This fully shows how much he values ​​this game.

"We must go all out and not relax at all. Every game is important and every three points are precious." In the locker room before the game, Guardiola encouraged the players like this.

Li Lei and his teammates nodded in agreement.

The whistle blew, the game started, and Manchester City players rushed out of the locker room and walked towards the green field.

The joy of Christmas has not yet faded, but the responsibility of professional players has called them.

Just 4 minutes into the game, a shocking penalty set off the whole stadium.

When Sterling had a slight physical contact with the opponent's player, the referee did not hesitate to take out the yellow card and wrote Sterling's name in the notebook.

This decision instantly caused strong dissatisfaction among Manchester City players and fans.

On the court, De Bruyne and Gundogan immediately surrounded the referee and tried to defend Sterling. They waved their arms excitedly, and their voices were full of disbelief.

"Hey, referee, how can you make such a penalty? This is obviously just an ordinary fight for the ball!" De Bruyne asked loudly.

"That's right, Sterling didn't commit a foul at all, what are you doing?" Li Lei also joined the protest.

And off the court, Manchester City fans were even more furious.

They shouted Sterling's name and booed the referee's decision.

Some fans even stood up and waved their fists into the field.

"Is the referee blind? Where is the yellow card?"

"Sterling is wronged, referee, you are unfair!"

"We want fairness, we want fair judgment!"

The roar of the fans echoed over the Etihad Stadium.

Faced with the strong dissatisfaction of the players and fans, the referee seemed to realize the problem of his own judgment.

After the game continued, his whistle became more cautious. He chose to turn a blind eye to some actions that could have been whistled, and Manchester City's players soon discovered this.

So, their actions became bolder and more fierce.

Tackle, physical confrontation, they no longer worried about being severely punished.

"It seems that the referee also knows that he made a wrong judgment, which is a disguised way to make up for us." De Bruyne said to his teammates during a throw-in.

"Then we will seize this opportunity, strengthen the offense and win the game!" Li Lei said, his eyes full of fighting spirit.

As the game progressed, Manchester City's offensive became more and more fierce. They began to take advantage of the referee's leniency and began to attack Sunderland's goal.

Such changes undoubtedly gave Manchester City a greater advantage.

Although they were dissatisfied with the misjudgment at the beginning of the game, the change in the referee's attitude gave them more opportunities.

The football field is changing rapidly. A penalty may change the direction of a game; a detail may determine the success or failure of a season.

The change in the referee's attitude undoubtedly gave Manchester City players great encouragement.

This is a great opportunity to show themselves, so their movements became more sharp and their attacks became more fierce.

In the 12th minute, Li Lei received a pass from Gundogan. Facing Sunderland's defense, he chose a long shot without hesitation.

Everyone on the court held their breath and followed the rapidly spinning ball closely.

"Bang!" With a loud bang, the ball flew into the upper corner of the goal at an incredible angle.

Sunderland's goalkeeper was caught off guard. Although he judged the direction correctly, facing such a world wave, he could only sigh at the ball.

"Oh my God, Li Lei! What kind of ball is this! It's amazing!" The commentator's voice was trembling.

The Etihad Stadium was boiling instantly.

Manchester City fans cheered, waving the blue moon flag and singing the team song.

Li Lei was surrounded by his teammates, and everyone was celebrating this magical goal.

But Manchester City's performance was not over yet.

Just five minutes later, in the 17th minute, De Bruyne organized an attack in the midfield.

He cleverly transferred the ball to the right. After Li Lei got the ball, facing the defensive player, he did not choose to shoot, but made a precise cross pass. Bony shot the ball and the ball went into the net!

2:0! Manchester City took a two-goal lead in a short time, which brought the atmosphere to a climax. Li

Lei and Bony hugged each other tightly, their faces filled with the joy of victory.

But the real surprise is still to come.

In the 22nd minute, after Sterling received the ball, he seemed to have turned on a switch.

Facing Sunderland's defense, he was like a man in a deserted place, riding alone to break through the barriers, playing "one-stop".

Sterling's speed was too fast, he was like a blue lightning, shuttling freely on the green field.

Sunderland's defensive players tried to stop him, but he cleverly dodged them.

Finally, facing the goalkeeper, Sterling calmly pushed the ball into the goal.

3:0! This score turned the Etihad Stadium into a sea of ​​joy.

Manchester City fans were already in a frenzy. They were so high. Sterling faced the fans and opened his arms, as if embracing this wonderful moment.

"This is Manchester City! This is our Manchester City!" The fans shouted excitedly.

On the sidelines, Guardiola also showed a relieved smile.