SWR: Chapter 828/830

Chapter 828: About Record-Breaking

Humans are truly a very special kind of animal.

Before Su Qing resigned and came to the UK, Gao Shen had imagined countless possibilities about what her arrival might change in his work and life.

But later, he realized that nothing really changed at all.

Isn't that funny?

Before getting married, the two of them would lie in bed, imagining what their married life would be like…

After deciding to have children, they would start wondering if they'd still be able to go out and have fun afterward.

Like, could they still travel to Northern Europe during the holidays?

But the most ridiculous thing about life is that it always manages to surprise you.

After Su Qing arrived in the UK, Gao Shen's work and life didn't change in the slightest. On the contrary, everything went even more smoothly.

He could focus on his work every day without distractions.

Even after getting married, their lives remained much the same. Even when Gao Shen took over Leeds United, Su Qing handled everything with ease. When problems arose, she usually only needed him to make the final decision.

They each kept busy with their own tasks and led fulfilling lives, but their relationship never became one where they were just two strangers sharing a roof. On the contrary, they often called each other to ask when the other would be home and whether they should go pick them up.

No matter how late it got, whenever Gao Shen came home, Su Qing was always waiting for him.

Even if he was returning from an away game in the middle of the night, she'd keep the lights on.

She never admitted she was waiting. She always said she was just afraid of burglars.

Even though Cheshire is a wealthy area, it's not exactly safe.

Especially for someone like Gao Shen, who's offended so many Manchester United fans. If he ran into a burglar who happened to be a United fan, that could get messy.

But maybe because Gao Shen did a good job with the house's security, they hadn't run into any problems yet.

Before deciding to have a child, they worried about whether it would bring changes to their lives.

But after making the decision, they found out the biggest change was realizing that you don't get what you want just because you say you want it.

It's been over a month, and there's still no sign of anything.

It wasn't easy to ask others about something like this, so Su Qing took it upon herself to study all kinds of obscure pregnancy-related medical knowledge.

Gao Shen even felt that she could probably pass the obstetrician and gynecologist licensing exam.

But that's just how life goes.

Especially during the most difficult period of Gao Shen's time coaching at Manchester City, coming home every day to hear her talk about those strange medical terms became one of the few joys in his life.

Only then did he finally understand something: no matter how smart a woman is, she can become a bit silly when preparing for pregnancy.

Some say that marriage is the grave of love.

From the outside, it looks like a sea of flowers, but inside it's falling apart.

But Gao Shen's experience wasn't like that. He felt that marriage was more like a treasure chest.

There were always unexpected surprises and gains waiting to be discovered.

Gao Shen always believed that a woman as smart and beautiful as Su Qing could live a good life no matter who she was with—even if she hadn't met him.

But Su Qing held his hand tightly, looked at him seriously, and said, "I never think about anyone else. I only think about us."

You and me. After marriage, we become us.

This was probably the most plain yet most touching love confession Gao Shen had ever heard.

That's just how Su Qing is.

Plain, like water.

Many people are drawn in by her looks and temperament, but what truly captivated Gao Shen was the person she was inside.

When he was with her, time always flew by.

No matter how much trouble or pressure he faced outside, no matter how chaotic the world was, being with her always brought peace.

He didn't need to think about anything. He didn't need to do anything. He could fully relax.

So much so that on the morning of the last day of their vacation, while Gao Shen was eating breakfast across from Su Qing, he suddenly froze, remembering something.

...

"What's wrong?" Su Qing saw the change in his expression and asked with concern.

Gao Shen put down his glass of milk, frowned, and thought hard for a while. "Did we break Capello's unbeaten record with AC Milan?"

The moment he asked, Su Qing went completely blank.

The air around them seemed to freeze.

A few seconds later, the beauty across from him suddenly burst into laughter, blooming like a flower.

"What are you laughing at?" Gao Shen was puzzled.

"Nothing." But Su Qing just laughed even harder.

Gao Shen was completely confused. The more he thought about it, the more something felt off—he couldn't remember the last time they lost a game.

"So the media really misunderstood you," Su Qing said with a teasing smile.

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't a reporter ask you this in January?"

"Did they?" Gao Shen really didn't remember.

"That's what you answered at the time too. You said, 'Did we? I didn't notice. I'll go back and check.'" Su Qing mimicked his serious tone and expression perfectly.

"Everyone thought you were just playing dumb, and the media reported it multiple times."

"So we broke it in early January?"

"Of course. He only had 58 games. You've already passed 60," Su Qing replied.

"Didn't Capello congratulate you in the media? You forgot that too?"

"I really didn't notice," Gao Shen said with a bitter smile.

That stretch was incredibly hectic.

A match every three days, all against strong opponents—who had time to worry about something like a record?

Gao Shen's head was full of games, opponents, training… How could he even think about breaking records?

Besides, what's the point?

The media covered it for a bit, then it quieted down. They probably won't bring it up again until Manchester City loses.

That's all there is to it.

"I really didn't notice. I've been so blank lately. Just now while eating, I suddenly remembered. I calculated that we've played over 60 games. I'll need to check the exact number, but that's what I was wondering about."

Gao Shen smiled bitterly. If the media caught wind of this, they'd definitely think he was just pretending to be modest, but he genuinely forgot.

Since Christmas, he hadn't even kept up the habit of reading newspapers.

There were just too many things and too many problems every day. He simply didn't have the time.

"Forget it, it's not a big deal," Su Qing said with a smile. "Here, eat more. Don't leave anything behind."

She scooped up the remaining preserved egg and lean pork congee, emptied the bottom of the pot, and put it all into his big bowl.

"Oh, right. How have things been going recently?" Gao Shen asked with concern.

He really hadn't checked in with Leeds United in a while.

"We're playing our 31st match tonight, away to Coventry," Su Qing said lightly.

"After the winter break, our performance dipped a lot. Especially in January, we had five winless matches in a row, including two straight losses. We dropped quite a few points, but we're slowly getting back on track now and making adjustments."

Gao Shen nodded. "It's normal. He's inexperienced."

Sarri must've been mentally prepared. After all, he'd been Gao Shen's assistant for three years and had worked in the Premier League for two seasons. He should be familiar with the Christmas and winter schedule.

But being an assistant and being the head coach are two very different roles.

The most direct difference is that one has to bear the pressure directly, while the other doesn't.

Naturally, that changes how decisions are made.

"We're still at the top of the table, but we haven't been able to widen the gap, which is a bit of a shame."

Gao Shen understood very well that if they could've pulled ahead during this period, it would've crushed the competition.

But now, with the title race so close, their rivals would stay hungry.

"Our biggest challengers right now are West Ham United, Birmingham, and Cardiff. The gap between us and them isn't very large. With 16 rounds left, everything's still up in the air."

"Sarri's rotation policy earlier on wasn't very effective. That was a major reason why we struggled during the winter break. He's working hard to fix it now."

Back at the start of the season, Gao Shen had reminded Sarri that with 46 rounds in the Championship plus two cup competitions, the schedule was far too intense. It was impossible for everyone to play every match. Rotation was a must.

But once the league began, Sarri's main squad performed so smoothly that he didn't stick firmly to the rotation plan.

As a result, issues cropped up around Christmas and the winter break.

"What about Southampton?" Gao Shen asked with curiosity.

If he remembered right, Southampton were supposed to get promoted this season, but Su Qing hadn't mentioned them at all, which seemed odd.

"The Saints are currently fifth, nine points behind us. They're in a similar position to Blackpool, Reading, and Hull City. The team to really watch out for is Reading."

"They struggled early on, sitting in the lower-mid table, but they didn't change the head coach. After December, Brian McDermott made some adjustments, and the team entered a strong comeback phase. Now they've climbed to sixth."

Gao Shen nodded. If he remembered correctly, Reading went on to win the Championship and get promoted to the Premier League that season.

"Keep an eye on them. They should have a fairly mature squad by now and could be a real threat going forward," Gao Shen warned.

In lower-tier leagues like the Championship, competition between teams often comes down to the overall setup.

That's why an excellent head coach can be a real game-changer in these leagues.

Everyone knows that teams at this level don't have many standout stars, so the importance of team coordination is even greater.

In fact, this doesn't just apply to lower leagues. Mid- and lower-tier clubs in top leagues are the same.

That's why smaller teams often better showcase a head coach's tactical skills and coaching ability.

But once these coaches move to bigger clubs, especially top clubs, many start to struggle. Why?

Because what big clubs demand from their head coaches goes beyond tactics and training.

In fact, those skills often take a backseat.

With large coaching teams assisting in every area, the head coach doesn't need to do everything themselves.

Take Ferguson, for example. These days, he barely runs training sessions. He doesn't even handle tactics for many games, leaving it all to his assistants. He just oversees the big picture.

"How's Sarri's mindset these days?" Gao Shen asked with concern.

"I just saw him the day before yesterday. He seems fine."

"That's good." Gao Shen felt reassured.

He trusted Sarri's professional ability. As long as his mindset remained stable, there shouldn't be any major issues.

A season is long, with countless matches. Ups and downs are perfectly normal. The most important thing is the head coach's mentality.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 829: Attacking Manchester City

After two days of rest, the team regrouped to immediately face the fifth round of the FA Cup.

Manchester City hosted Brighton at home.

This time, Gao Shen didn't field all his main players but rotated the squad and used several substitutes against Brighton.

At the Etihad Stadium, the team took a 3-0 lead in the first half with goals from Kompany, Yaya Touré, and Henderson.

In the second half, Giroud, Sturridge, Jerome Boateng, and Robinho all found the net.

In the end, Manchester City beat Brighton 7-0 at home.

This prompted widespread praise from the British media for Gao Shen's adjustments. He had given the team two days off beforehand, and now it seemed that Manchester City, after regrouping, had quickly exploded with tremendous energy. The squad's form clearly recovered and improved.

Gao Shen also mentioned this in the recovery training session the next morning.

The 7-0 win was certainly worth celebrating, but the team still faced major challenges ahead and couldn't afford to relax.

The FA Cup is a single-leg knockout tournament, the league title hasn't been secured yet, and most crucially, there's the Champions League.

Manchester City's first away game in the Champions League would be in Saint Petersburg, Russia, facing Zenit. However, the temperature in Saint Petersburg at the time was more than ten degrees below zero, which posed a major challenge for Manchester City.

Following Gao Shen's recommendation, they decided to take a conservative approach on the road. The goal was to hold out for a draw and then go all out in the return leg at home.

This plan carried risks, but there was no better alternative.

Saint Petersburg is in Northern Europe, and the temperatures were freezing. If Manchester City had to make a long trip and still push with full intensity, the risk of injury would be high and the payoff likely not worth it.

Rather than gamble everything, it made more sense to conserve strength.

Three days later, Manchester City traveled to Saint Petersburg with a slightly weakened squad.

Facing Zenit, who had sent out their full-strength lineup, Gao Shen made a rare choice to use a 4-4-2 formation, deploying two defensive midfielders and two forwards.

Giroud and Suárez started up front. In midfield, it was Javi Martínez and Rakitić in the center, with Gareth Bale on the left, Robben on the right, and De Bruyne starting as well.

This was also the Belgian teenager's first start in a Champions League knockout match.

As it turned out, Gao Shen's decision made sense.

On the night of the game, the temperature in Saint Petersburg dropped to minus 15 degrees Celsius. Manchester City's players were clearly uncomfortable. Javi Martínez developed a fever on the morning of the match, forcing Gao Shen to replace him with Fernandinho.

During the match, the pitch was extremely slippery, making it difficult for Manchester City to maintain their usual passing and possession game. Combined with the freezing temperatures, the players found it hard to move freely.

But in the 20th minute of the first half, Giroud's header created an opportunity for Zabaleta in the box, allowing Manchester City to score the opening goal.

Just seven minutes later, Zenit midfielder Roman Shirokov equalized with a long-range strike that broke through Manchester City's defense.

The first half ended 1-1. After the break, Zenit continued to apply pressure.

At one point, Manchester City were forced back deep into their own 30-meter area.

In the 63rd minute, Suárez asked to be subbed off after twisting his ankle.

As he left the pitch, the Uruguayan forward kept shaking his head, frustrated with the poor conditions at the away ground.

After Sturridge came on, he launched a few counterattacks but failed to create any real danger.

Overall, Manchester City were on the back foot and looked uncomfortable under Zenit's pressure.

But the match ended in a 1-1 draw, and both sides settled for a share of the points.

At the post-match press conference, Gao Shen admitted that his team struggled away from home and didn't perform well.

"Recently, temperatures in Manchester have been quite warm, even exceeding ten degrees during the day," Gao Shen said honestly. He and his players had a hard time adapting to the conditions, since it was minus eight during the day and minus fifteen at night in Saint Petersburg—bitterly cold and nearly unbearable.

Still, Gao Shen expressed satisfaction with his team's away performance and remained confident.

"When we're back at home, we'll deliver our best performance!"

By then, it would be Zenit who'd be under pressure.

Transitioning from a freezing minus fifteen degrees to Manchester's milder ten-degree weather wouldn't be easy for them either.

But Zenit's head coach didn't see it that way. He even accused Gao Shen of making excuses.

"Yes, he does that all the time. He always finds a good reason for his team," said Zenit head coach Spalletti, an old friend of Gao Shen's.

The bald Italian tactician stated that his team had performed better at home and had nearly broken through Manchester City's defense multiple times.

"I think, in the past two or three seasons, no other team has been able to put Manchester City in such a mess, right?"

Spalletti was proud of his team's performance.

As for the away match, he admitted that there would be some difficulties, but none that couldn't be overcome.

"We'll arrive at the away ground three days in advance," Spalletti declared confidently.

Some might wonder—why?

The answer is simple. Because there were no matches in the Russian Premier League during that period.

It had to do with the league's competition format.

Previously, the Russian Premier League, like many leagues in Northern Europe, followed a spring-to-autumn schedule, running from March to November.

This system avoided the coldest months of the year.

As everyone knows, winters in Northern Europe are brutally cold.

But starting this year, the Russian Premier League changed its format, shifting to align with Europe's major leagues and adopting a standard cross-year calendar from July to May, with a three-month winter break.

This created a transition gap. Since the switch from the spring-autumn format to the cross-year schedule, there was a six-month break before the new season began.

As a result, there were no Russian Premier League matches in the first half of 2012.

If Zenit wanted, they could have even taken the same flight as Manchester City back to prepare for the second leg, eliminating any issues with adapting to the weather.

Gao Shen couldn't help but feel envious.

But all he could do was let Spalletti enjoy the advantage.

After returning to Manchester from Saint Petersburg, Manchester City didn't get much rest. After a short preparation, they headed south to London.

While other teams were preparing for the 26th round of the Premier League, Manchester City would be playing in the League Cup final at Wembley Stadium—against Leeds United.

The match attracted global attention.

Leeds United were the dark horses of this year's League Cup and also the leaders of the Championship. Their head coach Sarri had been Gao Shen's assistant coach, and the club's chairwoman was Gao Shen's wife, Su Qing, adding even more intrigue to the matchup.

Before departing for London, Sarri was interviewed at the Thorp Arch training base and publicly declared that he would not show mercy to Manchester City.

"We will stick to our tactics."

"Facing Manchester City is a special match for me and Leeds United."

"We won't think about any other relationships. Our only focus is this battle on the pitch."

Sarri said he didn't have much to say about his relationship with Manchester City head coach Gao Shen.

"I just want to say that this relationship will only make both teams fight harder and give their all."

Sarri explained his view of the final—it was a learning opportunity.

"To be honest, reaching the League Cup final was already a surprise. I'm proud of Leeds United's players, but I'm also fully aware of the huge gap between us and Manchester City."

He admitted that, given the difference in quality, no matter what tactics Leeds United used, they'd struggle.

"But we won't despair. That's not our style. As the documentary said, we give everything in every match and treat every game with full commitment. We'll show our football fearlessly against Manchester City."

Sarri also didn't believe that his coaching style was identical to Gao Shen's. He felt he had his own ideas and philosophy.

"Coach Gao often says I'm even more stubborn than he is. I take that as a compliment. Everyone has something they insist on, and that's just who I am."

Sarri emphasized again that Leeds United were ready.

"No matter what the final score is, we'll fight to the end against Manchester City!" Sarri stated firmly.

The club's CEO, Fernando Lucas, also voiced his support for Sarri's decision in a media interview.

"He's the head coach, and we trust his professional judgment."

Technical director Borrell revealed that he'd discussed the final with Sarri. "He's confident he can make things difficult for Manchester City, and we're looking forward to seeing this young team do just that."

One thing was certain: Leeds United would go all out.

What about Manchester City?

During an interview with the media at Carrington, Gao Shen read out the 18-man squad heading south. Everyone noticed that all the expected names were included.

Gao Shen said that anyone worrying about Manchester City taking it easy or giving up the match could stop now.

"I've said that our only goal this season is to win the quadruple. Any opponent who stands in our way will only meet one result—defeat!"

Gao Shen praised Sarri's work at Leeds United, calling it an excellent start. He firmly believed Sarri would succeed—but wasn't sure about this League Cup final.

"I think it's a little early for him to win a title!" Gao Shen said jokingly.

A reporter playfully asked if facing Leeds United would create any pressure at home, given that his wife was their chairwoman.

Gao Shen smiled and said no.

"She told me the outcome of a match depends on each team's strength. She'll accept whoever wins or loses."

As for which Leeds United player posed the biggest threat to Manchester City, Gao Shen didn't name anyone specifically.

"All of them!"

"This is an attacking team. We have to be cautious!"

(To be continued.)

Chapter 830: Goal Shootout

February 26th, 16:00 p.m.

Wembley Stadium in northwest London welcomed 89,044 spectators.

Manchester City and Leeds United fans were divided into separate sections of the stands, and both teams looked evenly matched from the atmosphere alone.

This high-profile match, which drew global attention, was officiated by renowned Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg.

From the moment the opening whistle blew, all speculation about a potentially suspicious connection between the two clubs vanished.

Leeds United launched an almost frantic high-press against Manchester City right from the kickoff.

Both teams fielded their strongest lineups.

Gao Shen used his signature 4-3-3 formation.

Goalkeeper: Neuer.
Defenders: Felipe, David Luiz, Kompany, and Lichtsteiner.

This backline had proven itself in last season's Champions League and remained Manchester City's go-to defensive setup this season in the absence of injuries.

Midfielders: Javi Martínez sitting deep, with David Silva and Yaya Touré in central midfield.

Rakitic caught a cold after the trip to Saint Petersburg, but having Yaya Touré replace him posed no problem. Manchester City's overall strength remained unchanged.

Touré had already proven himself to be a world-class midfielder during his time at the club.

Forwards: Hazard, Van Persie, and Robben.

Gareth Bale and Suárez had both featured in Saint Petersburg, so it made sense that Gao Shen rested them for this match. The trio of Hazard, Van Persie, and Robben still formed a formidable attacking line.

On paper alone, this front three was among the most dangerous in Europe.

It was clear that Manchester City's bench strength was considerable.

Leeds United also played a 4-3-3.

Goalkeeper: Courtois.
Defenders: Kurzawa, Koulibaly, Woodgate, and Klein.
Midfielders: Schneiderlin sitting deep, with Pogba and Paulinho in the middle.
Forwards: Adam Lallana, Benteke, and Bolasie.

This was currently Leeds United's strongest lineup and Sarri's greatest advantage.

Among them, Woodgate had just returned from injury.

Whenever this "glass man" played this season, Leeds United remained unbeaten, and his performances were outstanding.

Unfortunately, he was often sidelined by injuries.

As soon as the match began, Leeds United pressed aggressively and won possession near the halfway line.

Schneiderlin intercepted the ball and quickly initiated a counterattack, passing to the left.

Kurzawa sprinted forward and sent the ball to Adam Lallana, who looked set to carry it down the wing, drawing Lichtsteiner's attention. But then Lallana suddenly cut the ball inward with a horizontal pass.

Pogba received it, tried to shake off Yaya Touré, and then took a shot.

But the French midfielder's shot was blocked by Touré.

David Silva brought the ball down and quickly passed forward to Hazard.

The Belgian advanced with the ball at a steady pace. Though not especially fast, he was controlled and composed. Schneiderlin chased closely but couldn't find an opportunity to tackle.

As Hazard approached Leeds United's 30-meter zone, drifting centrally, he slotted a diagonal ball into space on the right flank.

Robben chased it down and controlled it, finding himself one-on-one with Koulibaly on the edge of the penalty area.

The Leeds United center back rushed forward, lunging in.

But Robben showed his class. He stopped suddenly, shook off Koulibaly, and cut in from the right. Reaching the top right corner of the penalty area, he fired a curling left-footed shot.

It was a sudden strike, but Leeds United keeper Courtois was alert. He moved swiftly, diving and palming the shot over the bar with one hand.

As Courtois landed, thunderous applause echoed around Wembley.

> "Leeds United goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with a brilliant save!"

> "This Belgian shot-stopper is actually on Manchester City's books but has never played a minute for them. He was loaned to the Belgian league before Leeds United brought him in. He's been phenomenal in the Championship and is arguably the best goalkeeper in the league this season."

> "Rumor has it that several Premier League clubs including Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Manchester United are keeping tabs on him. His performances have been consistently solid."

> "Robben's shot had a gorgeous arc, but Courtois' save was top-class."

> "The game has gone into full throttle right from the kickoff. Neither side is holding back."

As a former teammate, Neuer was well aware of Courtois' ability.

When Courtois made that outstanding save, even Neuer couldn't sit still on his line.

Less than two minutes later, Leeds United attacked from the left. Adam Lallana crossed with his left foot toward the center of the box. Benteke outjumped David Luiz and aimed a header toward the top right corner. Neuer flew to his right and tipped it away, also earning applause.

This back-and-forth offensive battle between the two teams had nearly 90,000 fans at Wembley on their feet.

And this was just the beginning.

As the match progressed, it became clear that neither team was holding anything back. They kept up the frantic pace, with shots flying in nearly every minute, drawing gasps from the crowd.

Manchester City's overall strength gave them the upper hand, and they quickly gained control of possession and tempo.

But Courtois was like a wall between the posts, denying several dangerous attempts.

The Belgian keeper appeared to be in peak form, as if determined to prove his worth to his parent club. But Manchester City would soon pay for failing to capitalize.

In the 13th minute, Leeds United won the ball and launched a swift counterattack.

Kurzawa passed from the left to Lallana on the wing, who then found Pogba in the middle.

Pogba played a quick ball to Paulinho, made a diagonal run, received the return pass, and then lobbed the ball into the box for Benteke. He himself darted into the area.

But Benteke's return pass didn't find Pogba. Javi Martínez intercepted it.

Klein, rushing in from the right, regained possession on the flank and whipped in a cross. Benteke met it with his head, but Kompany cleared it away.

The ball fell back to the right side where Klein picked it up again. Without hesitating, he cut inside and passed horizontally.

Pogba, standing near the top-right arc of the box, had his back to goal. Without trapping the ball, he flicked it backward with the outside of his foot.

The ball curved past Javi Martínez and fell perfectly into Paulinho's stride. The Brazilian drove into the box, right between Manchester City's two center backs, into the space behind Martínez.

From close range, Paulinho slotted past Neuer to give Leeds United the lead.

The goal set Wembley alight.

Leeds United took the lead—something few had expected.

Could Manchester City actually be letting Leeds United take the title?

Before anyone could make sense of it, Manchester City equalized.

In the 17th minute, David Luiz fired from distance and beat Courtois to bring the score to 1-1.

Then, in the 21st minute, Yaya Touré's goal turned the match around, 2-1 to Manchester City.

Scoring two quick goals, City shifted into overdrive, launching wave after wave of attacks.

But Leeds United didn't retreat. Despite being the weaker side, they never backed down, choosing instead to go toe-to-toe with Manchester City.

Both sides played a high press and pushed forward aggressively, turning the game into a thrilling spectacle.

The match was filled with intensity, and both the fans in the stands and viewers at home were glued to the action. Even Sky Sports commentator Andy Gray couldn't stop praising the final.

Defenders and goalkeepers on both teams held firm under pressure.

Despite the high volume of shots, it wasn't until the 39th minute that Yaya Touré scored again with a long-range effort from the top of the arc.

Three minutes later, David Silva delivered a sharp pass, and Van Persie feinted past Koulibaly before scoring from close range, beating Courtois again.

4-1!

It looked like the outcome had been decided.

By halftime, the two teams had combined for 28 shots—an astonishing number.

In the second half, Leeds United came out firing.

Klein dribbled at pace down the right and won a free kick.

Adam Lallana's delivery was cleared by Javi Martínez, but Pogba chested it down outside the box and volleyed it. The ball hit the underside of the bar and bounced into Neuer's net.

2-4!

Leeds United's young squad launched an all-out attack. Their suffocating high press left many in the stadium stunned.

In the 49th minute, Lallana delivered a brilliant pass, but Benteke's shot from the left side of the box struck the post. Three minutes later, Lallana again found Benteke, who headed home from close range.

3-4!

Suddenly, Manchester City looked to be in trouble.

But in the 57th minute, Van Persie broke into the left side of the box, backheeled a pass, and Hazard followed up to bury a shot into the far corner.

5-3!

This goal helped Manchester City regain control and dampen Leeds United's momentum.

Leeds tried to hit back, but as their energy waned and possession slipped, they struggled to threaten again. Their intense pressing exposed cracks in the second half.

In the 76th minute, Hazard cut back from the left and Van Persie finished clinically, making it 6-3.

Still, Leeds kept searching for one last goal.

In the 88th minute, Bolasie broke down the right and slid a through ball to substitute Icardi. He shot from eight meters out, but Neuer saved it again.

That was the final dangerous moment of the match.

Manchester City defeated Leeds United 6-3 to win the League Cup!

This nine-goal thriller set the record for the highest-scoring final in English League Cup history!

(To be continued.)