Chapter 64: Enter the Dragon (Fourth Update)
Over the years, Manchester United and Arsenal have played more games than Manchester United and Liverpool.
Arsenal dominated the Premier League last season and Manchester United had a season of slump.
The encounter between the new king and the old king is destined to be a dragon and tiger fight, and it is not known who will kill the deer.
It's impossible to look at this game in a normal light, with Arsenal sitting on a 49-game unbeaten run in the league and perhaps only Manchester United would be more appropriate to finish them.
Arsene Wenger was even a little flustered before the game, leading the team here and even thinking that Manchester United was in decline and had nothing to fear.
No wonder they think so, after all, for more than a year, there is no team that can beat them, they are almost in a state of invincibility, there is no opponent in the whole Premier League.
However, because of this, it has inspired the fighting spirit of the Manchester United players and the fans in the stands.
Their appearance drew immediate boos from Manchester United fans, especially when the names of Vieira and Keown were read, and the shrill boos could literally shake through the stands.
"Hey, kill those bastards!"
"Eradicate them!"
The crowd of United's fans lay at the entrance of the players' tunnel and shouted at the United players.
For every Manchester United fan, last year's game against Arsenal is still fresh in their minds.
Arsenal's starting line-up was terrifying:
Goalkeepers: Lehmann;
Defenders: Lauren, Campbell, Toure, Ashley Cole;
Midfielders: Ljungberg, Vieira, Gilberto, Pire.
Forwards: Bergkamp, Thierry Henry;
Also on the bench were Keown, Edu, Reyes, Wiltord......
That's how they were beaten in the Premier League last season.
And Manchester United's side is actually not bad, except for the captain Keane who can't play, the other main players are on the field.
Goalkeeper: Howard;
Defenders: Heinze, Silvestre, Rio Ferdinand and Neville;
Midfielders: Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes, Fletcher and Cristiano Ronaldo;
Forwards: Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney.
On the bench sat Dong Fangzhuo, Saha, Smith, Brown and many more.
But compared to Arsenal, it always feels like Manchester United is still a little worse. Many players are still inexperienced, such as Rooney, Ronaldo, and Fletcher, although they have made a small name, but they still lack experience in big battles.
However, this season has been baptized by Chelsea and Liverpool, and I believe that their performance should not be bad.
Rio Ferdinand became Manchester United's captain, and without Keane on the side, could they hold down the Arsenal men? Especially the bandits led by Vieira.
Can a young Fletcher replace Keane?
Can the combination of Vanney and Rooney go on a killing spree?
Old Trafford fans have a lot of questions.
Arsenal don't have that much in mind.
Because they have Thierry Henry, the king of guns, it means that the goal is not too far away.
They have Piret and Ljungberg, and two wings can take off.
And with Vieira, there is a guarantee of defense.
These are all tempered after a 49-game unbeaten run.
What about Manchester United?
Hit them like that!
Therefore, as soon as the game started, Arsenal's attack was like a rainbow! It doesn't matter if it's against Manchester United or not!
The mercury attack came to Manchester United's penalty area, quickly suppressing United's two wings, and Ronaldo and Ryan Giggs had to retreat to defend and have no chance to attack.
Scholes wanted to control the tempo, but he was not enough alone, and Fletcher completely exposed the disadvantages of being young and inexperienced.
This Arsenal is not something that anyone can afford to mess with, even Manchester United has to weigh it.
Ljungberg and Piret blew Neville and Heinze on the flanks.
Neville was a little better, but Heinze was on the run for his life.
Pire's speed was not very fast, but the superb foot technique made Heinze dizzy and completely at a loss.
Fortunately, he has been abused by Cristiano Ronaldo in training, and he has been able to grit his teeth and persist without being completely dumped by Pire.
There was silence at Old Trafford, and cold sweat ran down the forehead of every Manchester United fan.
Arsenal are terrible!
Compared to last season, they seem to be even more terrifying this season.
Thankfully, even after such a horrific back-to-back attack, Rio Ferdinand's backline has yet to allow Arsenal to score.
But how long will this line of defense hold? No one knows the answer.
During this time, no one was thinking about when United would be able to score, but when Manchester United's goal would be broken by Arsenal.
Thierry Henry, the king of the guns, was dazzling with Bergkamp in front of Manchester United's penalty area, and his presence was like a silver gun straight into Manchester United's throat.
It is like a fish in the throat, which makes the entire Manchester United defense quite passive and uncomfortable.
With Bergkamp roaming left and right, it seems that the slightest carelessness will cause United's defence to collapse.
As a last resort, Manchester United's defensive action gradually became bigger, and referee Riley's blow was very lenient.
Rio Ferdinand was fortunate to have a foul set aside by referee Riley to avoid the embarrassment of returning to the tunnel after 19 minutes.
On the Gunners' side, Gilberto's precise pass found the sprinting Ljungberg and the Swede got his hands on the ball before the United goalkeeper, but the ball was cleared. Behind him, Riley turned a blind eye and did not blow for a foul on Manchester United.
Gary Neville made a terrible tackle at Bergkamp shortly afterward, but Riley still didn't pull out the yellow card in his pocket.
Wenger shook his head on the sidelines to express his incomprehension at the poor penalty on the field, and even his steps became anxious.
Before the game, he also praised the FA for choosing a smart referee, but that was not the case after the game started.
Manchester United TMD are clearly enjoying the treatment of the home whistle! That's what he thought.
Immediately afterwards, Ronaldo made a breakthrough in the middle and was tackled by Vieira. Clashes immediately erupted between Cristiano Ronaldo and Patrick Vieira, with both men immediately heading up in midfield, but neither side made a move.
Riley was finally surrounded by players from both sides. But he is obviously very experienced, and he easily resolved the contradictions between the two sides.
But this is only on the surface, in fact, the two teams have an undercurrent and can break out at any time.
Neville then threw a throw-in from the right, but Ruud van Nistelrooy was too powerful to stop the ball and Ashley Cole stepped up and the Dutchman accidentally kicked Cole's knee.
Grass!
On Arsenal's side, almost all the Arsenal players were scolded.
The smell of gunpowder between the two sides has escalated again!
As soon as Vieira shouted, he pulled his teammates and surrounded Ruud van Nistelrooy......
Finally found a chance to give Fanny some color!
The United players were a little slow to react, and by the time they could react, Ruud van Nistelrooy was already surrounded by Vieira!
"Get up there!"
Dong Fangzhuo couldn't stand it anymore, he really wanted to rush up from the bench, and his teammates' performance was a bit pig at this time!
Bullied by the Arsenal people!
I definitely can't go up, only for the sake of being in a hurry......
Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney are clearly not used to this kind of teamfight, and they were the last to go up when Ruud van Nistelrooy was surrounded.
If it's Dong Fangzhuo?