Chapter 43: Lukaku's fighting spirit

Manchester United's next league opponent is away to Everton.

Everton's team is a team that is more than enough in the Premier League. Everton tend to struggle to climb into the Champions League places, but they are also a Premier League side who can play regularly in European competitions – and they still have the ability to secure a Europa League place.

Manchester United went to Goodison Park to challenge this Merseyside team, and Carlo Ancelotti did not dare to be careless.

After the international break, Manchester United's internationals returned to their Carrington training base. Central defender Rojo was injured during the Argentine national team game, Rooney and Carrick also had injuries of varying degrees after returning from the England team, and Ancelotti was relieved that Rooney and Carrick were both substitutes, and in Rojo's position, Manchester United still had plenty of personnel available.

When it comes to the Everton team, their relationship with Manchester United is not good. After all, Everton is also a Liverpool City team, how good can the relationship between Liverpudlian and Manchester be?

But we all know that Manchester United's sworn enemies in England are Liverpool, and Everton and Liverpool are also irreconcilable rivals. The enemy of your enemy may not be a friend, but it is natural to cooperate with your enemy's enemy.

Manchester United have a number of former Everton players in their squad, and Everton can be called a recycle bin for Manchester United's players.

Cleverley, Saha, Gibson, Howard, Phil Neville and others all moved to Everton from Manchester United.

And the current Manchester United captain Wayne Rooney, and midfielder Marouane Fellaini, which Manchester United poached from Everton.

The exchange of players between two teams that don't have a very good relationship is indeed so frequent. The reason for this is said to be that the former Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson admired the former Everton manager David Moyes, so after Ferguson's retirement, many media reported that Moyes was Ferguson's personally appointed successor.

Of course, after David Moyes became the manager of Manchester United, he also wanted to poach a few descendants from Everton to Manchester United.

The Everton player Moyes actually wanted the most that season was actually Baines, but he was in front of his old club, not only did Baines not get it, but even the Milaras he wanted to buy was turned away, and finally just poached a puffy Fellaini from Everton...........

.............

October 17, Goodison Park.

The match between Everton and Manchester United is on the verge of breaking out.

Goodison Park is the oldest stadium in England, built in 1892 at a cost of £3,000, it was the first stadium in the UK to have double-deckers on all four sides, and the first stadium in the league to use an underground heating system. Due to the architectural constraints of the course's location, Goodison Park was unable to expand its capacity to accommodate 40,000 people.

The Liverpool City Council had persuaded the Toffees and Reds to share Stanley Park, but unsurprisingly, the offer was rejected by both clubs.

The turf at Goodison Park is laid out on a large stone slab, and there are a few steps to walk up from the players' tunnel.

When Li Qingshan walked out of the player queue with Manchester United, he also deliberately slowed down and glanced at the names engraved on the cross-section of the stone slab.

On the cross-section of this stone slab, the names of countless people are densely engraved. Only the names of traditional veteran fans are eligible to be engraved on the cross-section of the lawn. For example, a fan family has rented a box in the stadium stands for generations, and a fan has to book a certain spot in the stands for every game...... Like a Hall of Fame, Goodison Park is a history of their loyal fans.

There have been sponsors who have offered to replace the turf for Everton, and there have also been sponsors who have offered to rebuild the stadium for them just to buy the naming rights of the stadium. But these immediate benefits were rejected by the Evertonians. Because there is an amazing secret hidden beneath the pitch – the ashes of many die-hard fans who have passed away are sprinkled under the lawn of Goodison Park. It can be said that this is the cemetery of the older generation of Everton fans, and once the stadium site, according to the Chinese, is to dig people's ancestral graves, then who will be the descendants of the older generation of fans? If there is no one to cheer the stadium, what is the use of the stadium no matter how grandiose, spectacular and advanced?

In England, the connection between fans and teams is so deep. For many fans, the team is a belief that has been passed down from generation to generation.

...........

When Li Qingshan turned his head to look at the names engraved on the stone slabs at Goodison Park, he didn't know that in the queue on Everton's side, there was a player looking at him with mixed eyes full of fighting spirit.

Romelu Lukaku, the Belgian striker, made a real move from Chelsea to Everton last season for £28 million. But in fact, this is the third season of the little monster at Everton.

The 22-year-old, who is less than a month older than Li Qingshan, officially joined Chelsea from Anderlecht in August 2011 and is hailed as the heir to legendary Blues striker Didier Drogba, but has made just nine appearances in his first season and has had few opportunities to perform. Lukaku then went on loan to West Bromwich Albion in 2012 and scored 17 goals in 38 appearances, contributing to West Bromwich Albion's eighth-place finish last season. He was later recalled by Chelsea, but with Samuel Eto'o joining the Blues, the young Romelu Lukaku was unable to get a regular playing opportunity at Chelsea, and Mourinho decided to send him out on loan. Romelu Lukaku was loaned to Everton on 3 September 2013 by Chelsea. A season later, Everton spent £28 million to bring Romelu Lukaku from Stamford Bridge to Goodison Park.

If Li Qingshan is excluded, among the players of the same age, Lukaku is undoubtedly the top player. He's quite physically strong - that's why he's going to be the successor to Drogba. He's very good at using his body, and he also has a lot of speed and explosiveness. However, due to his height of one hundred and ninety-two centimeters, his agility and agility were still much inferior to those of the old monster, and he was still immature in seizing opportunities; Bounce and height are at the same time, but heading is not his strong suit.

It can be said that Li Qingshan and Lukaku have too many similarities, and without Li Qingshan, Lukaku is undoubtedly the most competitive candidate for center forward in the future. But when Li Qingshan came out, Lukaku found that all his advantages were almost difficult to take advantage of Li Qingshan.

Li Qingshan's body looks stronger than him, and he is also one hundred and ninety-two centimeters tall, Li Qingshan is much more agile and flexible than Lukaku, and most importantly, Li Qingshan's header is much better than Lukaku.

That's all, now Li Qingshan has to beat Lukaku in almost all technical abilities. And in terms of honors, the championship trophies won by Li Qingshan also dazzled Lukaku.

Lukaku has mixed feelings for Li Qingshan.

On the one hand, Li Qingshan is undoubtedly the object of his study, and to a certain extent, he still has some elements of admiration for Li Qingshan.

But on the other hand, Lukaku and Li Qingshan are the same age, and the face of stronger peers is stronger, and Lukaku is naturally holding back his strength.

He is ready to have a good fight with the opponent he admires in such a game!