I am the king of football

Chapter 296: The First Battle of the New Year

While people were discussing the format of the Champions League round of 2012, the last day of quietly arrived. Since Manchester United would face the last round of league matches before the winter transfer window on New Year's Day, the players did not get any New Year's Eve holiday.

They will challenge Wigan Athletic away in the 12st round of the league. On the last day of years, the team still gathered in the team meeting room to listen to Ferguson's starting lineup arrangements.

"Rooney and Hernandez will form a double striker partnership."

Ferguson used the 4132 formation again and continued to adopt a rotation strategy. In addition to the forward line of Ronaldo and Crouch, the three midfielders behind them also appeared a trio of Anderson, Shinji Kagawa and Fletcher, with Carrick sitting in the defensive midfielder position.

Among the four defenders, Rafael, Vidic, Ferdinand and Evra, which were once Manchester United's strongest defense, are now a rotation combination that has reappeared, and the goalkeeper has also been replaced by Lindegaard from De Gea.

Although it was the first game of the new year, considering the team's consumption in the previous battle, Ferguson did not hesitate to continue to attack the main players.

However, both Qin Hu and De Gea appeared on the team's substitute list. If there are any difficulties that cannot be solved in tomorrow's match against Wigan Athletic, they will be substituted according to the situation.

After all the names of the players were announced, Ferguson only gave the players an hour and a half to pack up. Taking advantage of the night, the entire Manchester United team took a bus to Wigan in Manchester, where Wigan Athletic is located.

That's right, they are all teams from the same county. Although they are not in the same city, they are not far away. If the game is not held in the morning of the match day, Manchester United does not have to arrive at the venue the night before.

The players who were finally selected for the squad could only spend New Year's Eve with their relatives and friends in the hotel through video. When the sun shone into the hotel room the next morning, the first day of 2013 arrived...

"CCTV, CCTV, dear viewers, welcome to watch the match between Wigan Athletic and Manchester United at home in the 2012st round of the 2013- Premier League. I am the commentator Zhan Jun."

At Wigan Athletic's home ground, DW Stadium, Zhan Jun's voice once again appeared in front of many domestic fans through the broadcast signal.

"Today is the first day of 2013 and the last Premier League match before the winter break. The Premier League's long-renowned Double Christmas battle will be over after this round of the league~"

From December 12 last year to January 20 this year, in just ten days, each Premier League team played at least four rounds of the league, which is definitely a test for all teams.

When the players of the two teams appeared on the field, people could clearly see that Manchester United, with a large rotation, was much more energetic than Wigan Athletic.

This is the gap between the top clubs with deep benches and the mid- and lower-tier teams with thin lineups.

After both sides finished warming up, the game officially started.

Then, in the seventh minute of the game, Rooney, the core striker of Manchester United, created an opportunity from the left side of the penalty area with his excellent speed and impact.

"Rooney broke into the penalty area and shot directly! The ball was lifted by the goalkeeper and returned to the penalty area. Hernandez dived and headed the ball~, and the ball went in!!!"

Perhaps influenced by Qin Hu and Van Persie, Manchester United's forwards have made considerable progress in their heading abilities. Little Pea, who was originally too late to rush to the ball, caught up with the falling ball with a diving header.

"1-0. Less than ten minutes into the game, the Red Devils took the lead with a goal from Kante. It looks like their first match of the new year won't be too difficult."

As Zhan Jun said, after having experienced three rounds of league games in a short period of time, the players of Manchester United are much better than their opponents. In the 32nd minute of the game, Wigan Athletic, who wanted to attack and equalize the score but could not defend at all, were once again penetrated by the opponent's defense line.

This time, Shinji Kagawa and the two forwards made consecutive two-on-one passes.

"First, he successfully made a one-two pass with Hernandez at the top of the penalty area, and then he made the same one-two pass with Rooney after reaching the penalty area line. My goodness, Shinji Kagawa really didn't take Wigan Athletic's defense seriously."

"Oh!"

The continuous passing and cutting had already made the home team's defense lose its rhythm. Shinji Kagawa, who received the ball again, easily seized the opportunity to shoot.

There was no suspense. The shot with the outside of the foot made an arc and flew into the goal from the upper right corner.

2-0, this was the final score of the first half. Manchester United suppressed the opponent in all aspects and did not even give Wigan Athletic a chance to shoot. When the whistle sounded at the end of the half, Wigan Athletic's morale had already hit rock bottom.

When the second half started, perhaps considering that this was the team's first game of the new year at their home ground, it would be too embarrassing to admit defeat, Wigan Athletic pressed forward in the first ten minutes of the game and used fierce attacks to try to save the situation.

Unfortunately, their opponents, Manchester United players, had no intention of giving them any chance at all.

Since there are many players in the team who are rotating in, everyone is eager to show themselves through this opportunity, so everyone is trying their best.

In the 59th minute of the game, during a corner kick, Vidic, who had gradually become a substitute, headed the ball into the goal over the player defending him.

With this reverse goal, Manchester United completely killed the suspense of the game and the score came to 3-0.

Ferguson slowly started making substitutions after the game reached the 70th minute. The players on the field performed very well, so the main players he placed on the bench did not need to appear on the field too early.

In the 75th minute of the game, Qin Hu, whose butt was almost numb from sitting on the bench, got up and started warming up. Three minutes later, he came on the field to replace Rooney.

Then, three minutes later, in the 81st minute of the game, Qin Hu received a cross from Hernandez on the left side of the penalty area and shot directly.

"Qin Hu, a super world wave shot! The ball went in! Beautiful~"

Meteors and flying fire reappeared. Although everyone knew that Qin Hu had a super explosive shot, no matter how many times they saw this wonderful goal, they still couldn't help but cheer and shout "Awesome!"

4-0, in the end, the score of this league match on New Year's Day 2013 was frozen here.

Manchester United easily defeated their opponents Wigan Athletic away from home and won the team's last league match before the winter window.

The first chapter is here! Thank you all for your support!!!



(End of this chapter)