Benitez did not shy away from the fact that reporters only cared about the record, and he answered the question head-on.

'Yes, I knew that if we could win this game, we would be able to equalle Arsenal's record. But I would say that this race was not the last race before the finish line. Because our goal is to set a new record, not to tie the old one. ”

Benitez's answer came as a surprise to many, including George Allen, who had expected Benitez to avoid the question as a way to decompress his players, but in reality it didn't work.

Avoiding questions will only make people more concerned, so it's still nervous to be nervous.

But George Allen didn't expect that Benitez not only did not evade, but gave such an answer, and he bluntly exposed their ambitions to everyone.

When he replied to the reporter, he told everyone - how could we fall before the finish line because we were about to succeed?

George Allen frowned, he didn't understand where Benitez's confidence came from.

A manager who says that before the game will only put more pressure on the players, and it makes no sense to say it if it weren't for the sake of fighting with reporters. But Benitez is not the kind of person who likes to gamble with the media......

Why did he say that?

Until the end of the pre-match press conference, George Allen didn't come up with a reason.

※※※

That evening, the pre-match press conference was covered on television, and Benitez's confident speech became the focus of discussion.

Prior to this, the matter of Manchester City's record to surpass Arsenal had always been said by Glory, and no one except him had made a similar statement.

The club has never officially acknowledged the incident.

From beginning to end, it was a war of words between Glory and the North London Clarion.

So it's easy to understand it as a glorious personal act.

But after Benitez's statement, the situation was different.

This is not what Rong Guang said alone and others, it has become the real goal of the club.

Commentators share the same doubts as George Allen – where does Benitez's confidence come from?

Is he so despised by the Liverpool he once coached?

Although in the first leg of this season, Manchester City did beat Liverpool 3-0 at home. But Liverpool has changed from what it was before.

In the winter transfer window, after letting go of the Spanish golden boy Torres, who was hell-bent on leaving, they brought in the now sought-after high school striker Andy Carroll from Newcastle and Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez from Ajax.

The combination of one high and one fast forward has greatly increased Liverpool's attacking firepower.

The reason why Liverpool was able to beat Manchester United 3-0 at home was inseparable from Suarez's excellent performance, in addition to Kuyt, who scored a hat-trick.

It was Suarez who juggled a juggling backheel pass against Manchester United to trick the entire United defence and set up Kuyt's goal.

So if Manchester City still looks at the current Liverpool team with old eyes, I am afraid it will suffer......

※※※

On the second day, Anfield was packed, with Liverpool fans chanting "You'll never be alone" in the stands, and some fans saying in pre-match interviews on TV that their relationship with Arsenal was not close and like friends, so Liverpool would not be fighting to keep Arsenal's record.

But Liverpool will still win this game because they need the three points themselves.

“…… It can only be said that Arsenal were lucky to let Manchester City meet us at this time! The Liverpool fan confidently pointed to the camera lens.

It's as if Arsenal should be thankful for Liverpool......

After the warm-up, the players from both sides returned to their dressing rooms. During the warm-up, the Manchester City players have fully felt the enthusiasm of the Liverpool fans, and in addition to singing, the Liverpool fans will express their attitude to the Manchester City players in other ways.

A banner on the pitch at Anfield is very representative.

The banner reads: "Liverpool is not a stepping stone to records!" ”

This means that if Manchester City wants to set a zào record by stepping on Liverpool's corpse, it is absolutely impossible!

In the dressing room, Rafael Benitez looked at his players, their expressions relaxed and unintimidated by the atmosphere at Anfield.

Benitez knows why the players have such a performance.

for there is glory behind them!

"I've said everything that needs to be said, and you all know how to kick it. But remember, this game is not a historic moment because we are just equalling Arsenal now, and the next game is our chance to create our own moment! ”

Benitez did not make a long speech before the game, using extremely inflammatory language to motivate the players.

He didn't need to.

In another dressing room, Liverpool legend Dalglish is mobilising his players.

"I don't think any of you would want to be a footnote to someone else's record, would you? In the future, when people talk about Manchester City's record, they will say that they beat Liverpool...... Are you willing to do that? Nail to the pillar of shame for the rest of your life! ”

"Of course not!" One player shouted.

"Then defeat them!" Dalglish waved his hand at the door of the locker room.

※※※

When the game began, City quickly felt that the Liverpool players were fighting fiercely.

This time, Liverpool's full-back Aurelio used a foul to get a yellow card for himself, as can be seen in the opening three minutes.

When the referee on duty of the match, Jolsey, showed a yellow card to Aurelio, there was a wave of boos over the Anfield stadium.

The boos were given to the referee by Liverpool fans, who felt that the referee's decision was too harsh and did not take much care of the home team. It stands to reason that when playing at home, the referee will lean a little towards the home team when awarding a penalty.

But Holsi actually showed a yellow card in the first three minutes!

These Liverpool fans obviously didn't take into account that Aurelio's foul was a flying tackle when they booed the referee, and at the same time, Aurelio also raised his foot and showed off his spikes.

This is a very typical dangerous maneuver that, according to the referee's manual, must be severely stopped. A yellow card is the best warning, and if it's just a verbal warning, it's tantamount to setting the tone for the game - Aurelio won't get a yellow card for a flying tackle like Cheng Dù, it's just a verbal warning, so what are the other Liverpool players afraid of? I'm afraid that in the end, this game will turn into a group fight.

So Holsi was still very experienced, and he used a yellow card in the opening three minutes to stabilize the situation. It may seem like too harsh, but at the beginning of the game, you have to correct it or you will go to the other extreme.

He knows very well how many people are watching this game as the focus of this round of the league, and he also knows the stories behind this game, so he knows that Liverpool and Manchester City will definitely kill you in this game.

He has to control the situation and not let the game get out of hand.

Aurelio's yellow card drew protests from Liverpool's players, who also felt that the referee was too harsh.

Referee Holsi waved away the protesting Liverpool players, and in the end, only one Liverpool captain Gerrard was left to communicate with the referee, and he suggested that the penalty was too harsh.

Referee Holsi wrote down the foul in his notebook as he answered Gerrard's question: "I know the significance of this game, Stephen. I know how to control the game. ”

Very confident and tough, Gerrard is out of line.

I had to shake my head and retreat.

Manchester City were to take the free-kick, which was about 37 metres from goal.

Luckily, Aurelio is a full-back and David Silva is a winger, so the foul is done on the side, not on the goal, and not on the goal.

Sneijder came up to take the free-kick and it looked like it was going to be an indirect free-kick.

Although Sneijder also has a very good ability to score directly from free kicks, in the Manchester City team, threatening free kicks are basically handed over to glory. Sneijder's free-kicks are generally indirect.

Manchester City's tall, header players all ran into the Liverpool penalty area and prepared to fight for the ball.

Glory is also among them, although his height is not outstanding, but his heading ability is outstanding.

Liverpool are well aware of this, so by his side, the experienced Liverpool centre-back Carragher followed him, his hand slightly raised, ready to pull on the glorious shirt at any time.

※※※

The referee blew the whistle, Sneijder kicked the football out after running, and the football drew an arc in the air and went straight to the goal, looking like it was heading for the back point!

As he kicked the ball, there was chaos in the Liverpool penalty area.

City's players were rushing towards goal, interspersed with runs, while Liverpool's goal was trying not to be lost to their respective targets.

Carragher grabbed Glory's jersey as soon as possible, and at the same time ran with Glory.

But he didn't catch it.

Although he was next to Glory before Sneijder's kick-off, it can be said that he was close to the defense, but he still didn't catch Glory's jersey!

The moment Sneijder touched the ball, Glory ejected like a fighter plane on an aircraft carrier!

In an instant, it was out of Carragher's arm's reach......

Carragher, who was unprepared for this, naturally could not hold on to the glory.

It was impossible for him to even run forward with the glory, he could only watch the glory leap out of it.

At the same time, the ball that Sneijder raised spun violently, and the ball that drew an arc in the air appeared exactly on the path of Glory's flight.

One man and one ball are about to collide!

“roooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong――！！”

At John Mortenson's long hiss, Glory leaped high, the highest jump in front of the entire Liverpool goal, and everyone else could only look up to him at this time.

Glory jumped so high that the football, which was supposed to be headed for the back point, was hit in the forehead by him at the front point!

With the posture of Mount Tai at the top, the lion shakes his head!

The ball flew diagonally down towards the goal!

Goalkeeper Reina has always been at the back point before, who would have wanted to kill the cold glory from the front point!

This was a big surprise to him.

Then he thought that Glory would push the football to the top corner of the balls, but he didn't expect the football to fly downward.

He couldn't make a save again.

The ball slammed into the ground in front of him, bounced off and flew into the goal, only to stop when it was stopped by the net above the goal...... I580