Benitez's confidence proved justified and it wasn't blind arrogance.

In the away game against Porto in midweek, Manchester City played out 0-0 despite failing to score in the first half. But just at the start of the second half, Zlatan Ibrahimovic opened the scoring for City.

Then Rongguang scored again to extend the score.

Although Porto then pulled a goal back. But this time it was Kaka's turn to step into the limelight, as he dribbled forward at high speed during a quick counter-attack from Manchester City, and after getting past two Porto defenders, he fired the ball into the Porto goal.

3：1！

Porto's fighting spirit was extinguished.

Manchester City were in complete control of the game on the road, and even if Porto scored a goal, it would not hurt the overall situation at all.

Manchester City's attacking trident was so good that Porto couldn't do anything about the three of them.

It's like a repeat of the UEFA Super Cup.

However, the difference is that this time Manchester City still has reservations, after 3:1, they did not keep attacking, but made adjustments.

Slowed down the pace.

After all, Benitez is now thinking about the whole season, not a two-game game.

As a manager, it's also important to adjust the form of the players.

What he is most worried about now is that the team's performance at the beginning of the new season is too good, and he feels that his state comes out too early, and he is afraid that in the second half of the season, the state will be gone, and when the time comes, the third line will collapse at the most important moment, which will be miserable.

Such examples are not unheard of in reality.

Didn't Hoffenheim, who had been promoted to the Bundesliga, have been in the first half of their first season in the Bundesliga?

At that time, they even won the Bundesliga halfway, and the team's centre-forward Ibisevic also won the halfway top scorer.

The team and the players are in surprisingly good shape.

As a result, after a winter break, Ibisevic was seriously injured and left for the rest of the season, and Hoffenheim's form plummeted. It was a team that hoped to win the league title, but in the end it didn't even qualify for Europe.

This is a classic example of a state coming out too early.

In various continental cup competitions, there is also such a phenomenon as zài. The teams that are slow to heat up tend to make it to the end.

And the teams that killed all sides in the group stage are likely to stop in the quarterfinals and semifinals.

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Under Benitez's deliberate control, City did not score again, but they did not allow Porto to score either, slowing down the tempo in attack and not slacking off in defence.

In the end, Manchester City defeated Porto 3-1 away to get their first win in the Champions League group stage of the new season.

Beating the seeded team in the group also made Manchester City's road to the top spot in the group much easier.

It also bodes well for Manchester City in the Champions League this season.

Back in the domestic league, Manchester City travel to Fulham.

However, perhaps because of the continuous away games, Manchester City is a little tired, and the away game against Fulham did not play particularly well.

If it weren't for the fact that they have too many individual quality players in their squad, City might have lost on the road.

Their unbeaten league run will also end at 59 games.

However, with a glorious brace, Manchester City drew 2-2 away at Fulham, and although they didn't win, they didn't lose either.

The draw extended City's unbeaten league run to its sixtieth game.

It was also City's first draw of the season.

The draw also left them behind their city rivals Manchester United in the league table.

Although it has won a record of consecutive unbeaten league games, it looks like it is full of glory.

But it was actually Manchester United who were the real winners, as they quietly won five in a row just when all eyes were on Manchester City.

After five rounds of league play, Manchester United, Manchester City and Newcastle United are the only three teams that have not lost. However, Newcastle United and Manchester are clearly not on the same level, although they did not lose, but the results of two wins and three draws were not at all won before Manchester City and Manchester United.

Manchester United, on the other hand, were the only team to win them all.

In the league standings, they overtook Manchester City to become the first place with Manchester City's draw in this round of the league.

Although Manchester City has been in the spotlight recently because of record events, it looks as if they have dominated the world.

But Alex Ferguson and his side are not giving up and they are still challenging Manchester City.

The title he lost last season, this season, Ferguson is vowing to regain it.

After this round of the league, the happiest must be Manchester United fans, who have finally overtaken Manchester City in the standings......

Since Manchester City won the league title, Manchester United has never been able to surpass Manchester City in the standings, which is also what makes many Manchester United fans feel unhappy.

And now, seeing that the team has such a table, they have a feeling of raising their eyebrows.

So after this league game, Manchester United fans on the Internet were very active.

This was followed by a midweek Carabao Cup win for Manchester City and Manchester United. Manchester United eliminated Leeds United 3-0 away, while Manchester City beat Birmingham 2-0 at home.

The rivalry between the two teams has been going on since the beginning of the season.

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Manchester United fans weren't happy for long, though.

Because in the next sixth round of the league, Manchester City beat Everton 2-0 at home, but Manchester United were held to a 1-1 draw by Stoke City away.

Now the two teams are tied, they have both had a draw and have the same number of points, both with five wins and one draw, with 16 points.

At this time, we have to compare the goal difference.

Manchester City have scored 21 goals and conceded four goals in five league games. Goal difference was seventeen.

Manchester United, on the other hand, have scored 22 goals and conceded five goals in five league games. The goal difference is also seventeen.

The competition between the two sides is indeed fierce enough.

With the same goal difference, comparing the number of goals, Manchester United has one more goals than Manchester City, which puts them at the top of the league table for the time being!

For two rounds in a row, Manchester United suppressed Manchester City!

The media in England have said that it looks like this season will be another very tough competition.

Manchester United are definitely going to win back what they lost last season this season!

And can Manchester City hold on to their defending champions under Manchester United's aggressive attack?

No one wants Manchester City to dominate, and in that case, the famously competitive Premier League will lose half of its vitality.

Why was Serie A called the "Little World Cup" that year, in addition to the many world-class stars in the league, there is also a very important reason, that is, the strong team group represented by the "Seven Sisters of Serie A", the strength of the seven teams is very strong, and the competition between them is very fierce, even a team like AC Milan cannot say that they will be able to beat all opponents and win the league championship.

The same is true of the glorious morale in the Premier League, where Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea, and Liverpool are also Everton, Tottenham Hotspur, and Newcastle United...... Such a team can threaten four strong teams.

Fierce competition is the guarantee of the vitality of a league, and the suspense is not revealed until the last moment.

Why does the Premier League look down on La Liga?

I just feel that La Liga is completely a two-man rotation of Real Madrid and Barcelona, and apart from them, no other team can threaten them. What's the point of such a league?

The Premier League has always felt that competition is something they should be proud of. Until Manchester City came out of nowhere, there was a tendency to break this fierce competition.

This worries many Premier League analysts.

Thankfully, while the rest of the team is starting to struggle, Manchester United is still going strong and deserves to be the best team in the Premier League.

Now all we can count on is Manchester United to keep the pressure on Manchester City.

But it's a pity that Manchester United was forced to draw by Stoke City in this round of the league, otherwise, Manchester United would still be able to maintain a two-point lead over Manchester City......

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After playing the league, the Champions League group stage is here again.

Manchester City's opponents are not strong and they are playing at home, and they are hosting Atletico Greece.

Similarly, Manchester United are also hosting Basel.

It's rare for two Champions League group games to be played in the same city, which makes the Manchester police feel like they are enemies.

But the good thing is that the two games didn't start at the same time.

Manchester United played a day before Manchester City's game.

Perhaps because the team's focus is now on the league, Manchester United's performance in the Champions League group stage this season has not been very good.

In the first group game, Manchester United played Benfica away, and Manchester City played Porto away, both of which were the same Portuguese team.

However, unlike Manchester City's clean 3-1 win at Porto, United were held to a 1-1 draw away from Benfica.

Back at home, against Basel, Manchester United's watch is hardly satisfying.

They led Basel by two goals in the first half, but when the game was over, the score was displayed on the big screen...... 3：3！

Manchester United picked up another draw at home as they were held to a draw by Basel!

In stark contrast to them is the cousin of Manchester City, the sworn enemy of the city.

A day later, Manchester City welcomed Atletico Greeks on their home turf.

Against this team that is not very strong, Manchester City won easily.

They eventually won 2-0 at home thanks to goals from Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Glory.

In the league, Manchester City are pressed by Manchester United, but in the Champions League, their table is clearly better than Manchester United.

This has led analysts to believe that it may mean that the two teams have different strategies.

Manchester United have a clear need to push in the league this season. It takes a lot of luck to win the Champions League, and Ferguson may not think it's necessary for the team to spend too much energy in the Champions League. In contrast, beating Manchester City in the domestic league is probably the most important task for United at the moment. After all, Manchester City snatched the league title from Manchester United last season, how could Ferguson swallow such a shame?

As for Manchester City, since the glory has shouted the rhetoric of defending the Champions League, their focus will naturally fall on the Champions League. For Manchester City, they have won the league title twice in a row, and the league title is no longer a particularly urgent honor, if they can successfully defend the Champions League, it will be a thing of fame!