They Knew I Would Score Tonight!

When referee Andre Marriner blew the final whistle, the Emirates Stadium erupted in celebration.

Arsenal defeated Man City 2–0, taking all three points at home once again. They also preserved their record of keeping a clean sheet at home since 2009—a record unmatched in the Big Four Leagues.

But in the VIP box at the Emirates Stadium, the faces of Man City's top brass were far less pleasant.

Only Mansour, dressed in a suit and tie, did not seem particularly bothered. A smile still hung on his face.

"Our performance doesn't seem to have been very good," Mansour said casually.

Mubarak, Soriano, and Begiristain all wore awkward expressions and nodded helplessly.

"The team was put together in a hurry, and we took over rather hastily. That was especially true during the summer transfer window. We didn't play well in the first half of the season, and the team was still in the relegation zone after the halfway point. Although we bounced back well after the Winter Break, overall, the results still fell short of expectations," Begiristain explained, somewhat guiltily.

Mansour chuckled after hearing this and waved his hand. "I know, and I understand. After all, professional football isn't a video game. You can't assemble a squad, buy some players, and immediately see results. That only happens in games. How could it possibly work that way in reality?"

Soriano and Begiristain secretly breathed sighs of relief.

If they were being honest about Man City's performance this season, it had been an absolute joke.

They had invested a fortune, only for the team to sit in the relegation zone before the Winter Break. No matter how you looked at it, that was impossible to justify.

Whether it was Mark Hughes's managerial ability or the performances of the players, everything had been deeply