NOVEL NEXT Chapter 270: Public opinion reversal! He became Manchester's King Arthur again!
Tang Long's stunning performance in the fourth round of the Premier League temporarily reversed public opinion.
Many British media outlets have shown a tendency to sway with the wind, using their journalistic spirit to the fullest.
Der Spiegel, which mocked Tang Long just a week ago, has completely changed its tone and praised him to the skies!
"Before facing Manchester City, Arsenal has already achieved three consecutive league wins, marking their best start in five seasons. People universally agree that in the struggle for the Premier League title among Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Liverpool, we cannot overlook this team that dominated the English football scene over a decade ago!"
"Every Arsenal fan is eagerly waiting, hoping to stand atop England again 11 years later."
"The last time we won the title, I was still in high school, and now my child can run errands for me. This is the bittersweet remark of an Arsenal season ticket holder outside Emirates Stadium, facing our interview before the match."
"We've waited too long for the next league title—this is the heartfelt voice of his companion."
"But looking at it now, they'll have to wait a few more years; at the very least, Manchester City won't agree to let Arsenal win the title!"
"With Tang Long's thunderous shot and Ranocchia's header rebound after his free-kick was blocked, dark clouds once again gathered over Emirates Stadium. It seems that in the past ten years, Arsenal hasn't changed much—they are still the best candidates for fourth place."
Daily Express jumped on the bandwagon, likening Tang Long to the legendary King Arthur, who pulled out the sword that no one else could from the stone.
"After the passing of King Uther, the situation in Camelot Kingdom began to shake. The clergy, following Merlin's advice, summoned all noble knights to choose the new king with a sword inserted into a church cemetery stone. The sword had this engraving: [Whoever draws this sword from the stone shall be king]."
"When Manchester City was still trailing 0-1 at the 80th minute, the Blue Moon supporters were calling for the man who would draw the sword. Fact proved that only one person pulled out the sword and defeated Arsenal—that person is number 9, Tang!"
Usually supporting Manchester City and favoring Tang Long, The Guardian took a unique angle to analyze the match.
"Wenger, the renowned manager from France, was the first to bring possession football to the British Isles. And with Mancini's legacy, Pellegrini's Manchester City is similarly famous for their possession play throughout the Premier League."
"It was supposed to be a clash of possession-based beautiful football, but it turned into a full-fledged, hard-hitting battle due to a rainstorm that the London Meteorological Office hadn't anticipated!"
"Two women were bewildered over their knitting skills, pondering how they could compete when their needles broke and their stitched patterns unraveled?"
"Then Tang stood out, swinging his fists like massive sandbags, landing two punches and deciding the battle."
"This echoed the saying of Sky Sports commentator and Manchester United legend Keane: Football is a man's fight—whoever has tougher fists wins!"
However, aside from these praises, even if Tang Long helped Manchester City reverse the game against Arsenal, amidst the accolades, there were still dissenting voices.
They adhered to the spirit of nitpicking, researching persistently until they found a flaw in Tang Long with a magnifying glass, treating it as a treasure and assuming readers are fools.
The right-wing newspaper Media Telegraph didn't report on Manchester City's match, or rather, it was reported only in a small 200-word piece at the bottom left corner of the final page. It gave the feeling of expressing their discomfort without making a big show lest people laugh at them.
"Tang Long was absent in the last round, and Manchester City easily won 4-0 against Newcastle. This round, Tang Long returned, but Manchester City only barely won against Arsenal with a last-minute goal. It seems that Tang Long's return isn't necessarily a good omen for Manchester City. Pellegrini is a superstitious person—who knows what he might be thinking?"
Putting aside these various reports.
After Manchester City defeated Arsenal, they also secured a fourth consecutive victory in the league, making them one of only two undefeated teams.
Premier League live standings:
1. Manchester United 12 points
2. Manchester City 12 points
3. Chelsea 10 points
4. Arsenal 9 points
5. Liverpool 8 points
6. Leicester City 7 points
Top scorers:
1. Icardi 5 goals
4. Harry Kane 4 goals
2. Agüero 3 goals
3. Vardy 3 goals
With both Manchester Giants achieving four victories, Manchester United currently ranks first due to their goal difference advantage.
Behind the Manchester Giants, last season's defending champion Chelsea closely follows.
These three teams are the only ones unbeaten after the first four rounds of the Premier League.
The ranking of the top five makes it clear that this season's Premier League scramble remains a contest among traditional powerhouses, as lower-middle-ranked teams have already been left behind from the start.
However, Leicester City, ranked sixth, is quite a surprise!
Last season, they were just six points above the relegation zone, narrowly avoiding relegation with 41 points.
In the first four rounds of this season, they have achieved 2 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss, defeating mid-table teams Everton and Southampton, narrowly losing at home to Liverpool by one goal, and even drawing away with the formidable Chelsea.
Given their challenging schedule in the first few rounds, analysts believe that after enduring these matches, facing slightly weaker teams should give Leicester City promising prospects!