After the Thirteenth Round: Premier League Standings, Goals, and Assists

Premier League standings after 13 rounds

1. Manchester City 34 points

2. Manchester United 30 points

3. Chelsea 28 points

4. Arsenal 26 points

Top Scorers:

1. Agüero 11 goals

2. Icardi 11 goals

3. Kane 9 goals

4. Tang Long 7 goals

Assists

1. Tang Long 10

2. De Bruyne 8

3. Eriksen 5

It was already the end of November 2015.

After the 13th round of the Premier League, Manchester City remains at the top of the standings.

They are making a final push for the Christmas championship this season!

However, before the team could recover from the joy of their 2-1 comeback victory against Norwich at home, they suffered a heavy blow—not just once, but twice.

Agüero strained his groin during training!

His strain was quite severe this time, and he immediately stopped training, limping, and went to the infirmary.

Manchester City's medical team has delivered devastating news to the team: Agüero will be sidelined for at least two months!

Upon hearing this news, Agüero first stunned, then enraged, and smashed half of Gracie's office cabinet door with a single punch!

He slammed his hand hard against his groin, thinking to himself, "Why is my body so useless?"

Two months!

Two whole months!

How many games will I miss?

In fact, Pellegrini was mentally prepared for Agüero's injury at the beginning of the season;

Because this Argentina player's body is inherently quite fragile.

In the 2012-13 season, Agüero only played in half of the team's games, and he only scored a dozen or so goals that season.

Fortunately, Bony's improved form has meant that Pellegrini is not too short-handed when it comes to the team's options in attack.

Therefore, compared to Agüero's injury, Ranocchia's fractured little toe in his left foot is more worrying for Pellegrini!

Tang Long was still a bit baffled as to how Ranocchia got injured.

During his time playing for Inter Milan, this Inter Milan captain was almost always present and played every game; his physique is incredibly resilient.

Known for his aerial prowess, he was frequently fouled maliciously by opponents during aerial duels, resulting in him being thrown to the ground and never sustaining injuries. This earned him the nickname "The Resilient Captain" among Inter Milan fans in China.

Tang Long was also present in almost every match Ranocchia played in the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.

He did not see that the tall center-back had been subjected to any violent fouls by the opponent.

In fact, even Ranocchia himself was unaware of the fracture of his little finger until much later!

"It must have been during the Manchester Derby that Icardi stomped on my instep!"

"At the time, I thought it was just a minor injury and didn't pay much attention to it. But the pain got worse and worse as we played in the EFL Cup. It wasn't until after the match against Norwich that I went to the medical room for a checkup, and lo and behold, I had a minor fracture in my little finger!"

Speaking of this, Ranocchia was so angry he was practically grinding his teeth to powder!

He remembers the events very clearly.

He dribbled the ball in his own half, deliberately drawing Icardi over and stretching the opponent's attacking line out. Then, he used his footwork to dribble past Icardi and rush into open space!

Ranocchia is tall and has long legs, and he's good at running. When he charges, how could Icardi possibly catch up?

But that's where Icardi's bad habit lies. Even though he couldn't steal it, he still unintentionally stomped on Ranocchia's foot, ending up stepping heavily on Ranocchia's instep!

"Looking at it now, this kid definitely did it on purpose!"

"If I had known it would be like this, 7-1 wouldn't have been enough. It should have been 10-1!" Ranocchia thought bitterly.

Agüero is injured, and Bony will replace him;

If Ranocchia is injured and unable to play, who can replace him?

Kompany is an absolute starter, and the remaining center-back spot will be contested by Otamendi, Demichelis, and Mangala.

These three players have the ability to take on a starting position, but they lack the skill to play as a center-back.

Mangala has rough footwork and is a pressing center-back;

Demichelis and Otamendi, being Argentina, possess slightly more refined footwork, but they lack Ranocchia's overall vision and ball distribution.

In Pellegrini's 4-2-3-1 possession-based tactics, Ranocchia in the backfield is just as important as Tang Long in the frontfield!

Especially after Caballero replaced Joe Hart, the passing relationship between the goalkeeper and the center-backs determined whether Manchester City could successfully move the ball from the backfield to the midfield and attacking third when facing pressure from the opponent.

Pellegrini could allow Tang Long to continue playing deeper to control the progression of the attack from the back.

However, without Agüero in the attacking third, possession in the attacking third will be weakened. You can't expect Tang Long to play from the defensive midfield all the way to the front line!

Should we make tactical adjustments?

If necessary, how should adjustments be made? Which players should be on the court, which should be off? Which players must always be on the court? Which players' zonal positions and playing styles can be changed?

These are all problems!

Fortunately, Pellegrini has two weeks of international break to think carefully about this troublesome problem.

When Icardi learned from the Manchester Evening News that Agüero would be out for two months due to injury, he was so happy that he immediately performed a passionate knee slide on the living room carpet!

"Yay! Another one of my competitors for the Golden Boot has died!"

Agüero and Icardi, although both are Argentina, appear to be on good terms, but are fierce rivals behind the scenes!

Whether it's competing for the Premier League title or the Premier League Golden Boot, or vying for the starting center forward position in the national team, there's always a fierce competition behind the scenes.

This season, Agüero and Icardi are neck and neck in the Premier League Golden Boot race, almost from the first round onwards, they have been alternating between first and second place.

Commentators believe that the Premier League Golden Boot this season will likely be contested between these two players!

In fact, if Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were to take a slight nap, one of Agüero and Icardi could break Messi and Ronaldo nearly six-year-long monopoly on the European Golden Shoe!

So it's no wonder that when Icardi learned that Agüero was injured, he excitedly slid to his knees in the living room!

However, he wouldn't dare say that in the national team's locker room.

During this international break, Argentina will play a friendly match against Brazil in Buenos Aires.

In the locker room before the match, Icardi pretended to be heartbroken and said to his senior Lionel Messi:

"Leo, I really feel sorry for Sergio! He was fine in the derby, how did he end up like this in training? Now he's injured for two months. I really hope he recovers soon and joins us in beating Brazil!"

Upon hearing this, Lionel Messi narrowed his eyes slightly and looked at Icardi.

He always felt that what he said sounded strange, as if it wasn't very sincere.

Icardi's character is well-known throughout the Argentina national team.

Back then, he stole the wife of fellow Argentina Maxi Lopez, which caused a huge uproar in Argentina. Many Argentina national team players supported the honest López and said they would boycott Icardi's entry into the national team.

However, thanks to his outstanding performances for Inter Milan and Manchester United last season and this season, Icardi, who has been scoring goals in a row, was eventually selected for the national team;

After Agüero's injury, he became an indispensable starter.

Lionel Messi and Agüero have a very good relationship; they are best friends both on and off the field.

However, with his good friend unable to play, Lionel Messi can only pin his hopes for the center forward position on the 22-year-old Icardi.

"Young Mauro, you have to do a good job. When Sergio is injured, you need to bravely shoulder the responsibility at center forward!"

As a result, Icardi had a phenomenal performance in this Icardi!

Messi scored a hat-trick, helping Argentina to a 3-0 victory over Brazil at home; all three assists came from Lionel Messi.

On this day, the entire Pampas was filled with singing and dancing, and brightly lit, as if it were National Day!

Before this friendly match against Brazil, if Icardi, in front of his senior Lionel Messi, was trying to cover up Agüero's injury and seemed to feel a sense of shared sorrow;

After scoring a hat-trick, Icardi, facing a swarm of domestic media after the match, decided not to hide anything!

"A hat-trick? It's what I'm supposed to do. You've seen my ability. I, Mauro, was born to score goals!"

"A starting center forward for the national team? I have no intention of interfering with Martino's lineup, but a player who can score goals absolutely deserves a starting position on the national team. I have this ambition, and I have taken action!"

"Agüero's injury?"

"My God! This is the third time you've asked me this question!" Icardi seemed quite impatient.

"What I want to say is that no one in the national team is irreplaceable. I feel sorry for Sergio's injury, but fortunately, I stepped up!"

"Lionel Messi provided me with three assists? Hehe, that might sound a bit arrogant, but the fact is that when I'm on the field, his assists become much easier!"

"We were a perfect match in the national team, complementing each other perfectly. Lionel Messi and I achieved success together!"

(Icardi instructing Lionel Messi on how to play for the Argentina national team)

Sky Sport reporter in Argentina grabbed the microphone and asked a question about Manchester City.

" With Mauro, Agüero, and your former teammate Ranocchia all injured, do you think this casts a shadow over Manchester City's title-winning campaign? Or does it give Manchester United a better chance?"

Sky Sport reporters are clearly setting a trap for Icardi.

However, Icardi felt the pit was shallow; even if he jumped in, he could easily walk out with a simple lift of his leg.

"I am a player with a very rich professional experience. What I want to say is that the league is like a marathon. The person who runs fast in the first 10 kilometers is not necessarily the first to cross the finish line!"

"Compared to Manchester City, Manchester United has a much richer squad. So far, no one has suffered a major injury. I think this is an advantage that Manchester United cannot ignore in their journey to win the Premier League title this season!"

"Ranocchia said I stepped on his toe? Bullshit!"

Upon hearing this, Icardi felt a momentary panic, but he quickly masked his unease with a loud, rousing curse.

"Ranocchia was my captain at Inter Milan, and I have great respect for him. If I had met him on the streets of Manchester before, I might have politely addressed him as captain, but not now!"

"The schedule is clearly written. After the Manchester Derby, Manchester City played in the EFL Cup and then Norwich City. Ranocchia was injured after that. How dare he pin the blame on Mauro? Have some shame!"

"7:1? Haha, I knew you'd ask that!"

Icardi's face flushed instantly, his speech became rapid, and he spat everywhere, splashing saliva all over the faces of the reporters in the first row.

"Don't even mention 7-1, so what if Manchester City beat us 10-1? As long as Manchester United ultimately wins the Premier League title, their victory is utterly worthless!"

[He's making great strides with both the national team and his club! He's the leader of the new generation of center forwards in football!]

The praise from domestic newspapers after the match made Icardi arrogant and his ego inflated.

At this very moment, Icardi, still basking in the glory of his hat-trick against arch-rivals Brazil, was constantly checking Agüero's social media accounts on his flight back to Manchester.

Icardi thought to himself, "He must have seen me score a hat trick. I wonder if he's heartbroken, recovering on crutches? Hehe."

As for Manchester City's number two striker, Bony, Icardi is not even worth a second glance!

In his view, Bony's four-goal haul in one game was simply a matter of good luck.

If this Ivory Coast is so good, why did he play for Swansea before?

Why was he unable to secure a starting position after joining Manchester City?

He's still so awesome, why doesn't he go to Real Madrid, Bayern, or Barca?

Thinking of Tang Long again, Icardi felt a surge of satisfaction!

Your key center-back and key striker are both injured. What if a few more get injured during this international break?

Hehe, Tang!

Let's see how you play now. Do you really think Manchester City is your team all by yourself?

As Icardi pondered these thoughts, he nestled into a pillow emblazoned with Wanda's kissing image and drifted off to sleep in his business class seat.

He had a dream.

In the dream, Tottenham Hotspur's star striker Kane was also injured during the international break.

Moreover, the injury was a torn cruciate ligament, which ended his entire season!

Hahahaha--

No one in the entire Premier League is qualified to compete with me Mauro, for the Golden Boot!

Icardi, in his sleep, actually laughed out loud like a pig!

Fortunately, Icardi's dream didn't come true.

After playing in Italy, Kane returned to London healthy and in good condition.

However, things got even worse for Manchester City!

When it rains, it pours.

Another technically gifted midfielder, David Silva, has been injured while playing for the national team.

Silva's injury was an old one, a recurring ankle injury. Finally, during the match against Switzerland, due to a rough tackle by defensive midfielder Xhaka, he was forced to apply an ice pack on the bench.

Silva ended up covering his face with red eyes.

He knew that this injury was a heavy blow to him, who was already marginalized in Manchester City's tactical role.

Silva will be 30 next year. What role will he play in the Spain national team and how will he compete for the UEFA European Championship?

Silva himself wasn't sure either.

Inside the manager's office at Manchester City.

With a full head of silver hair, Pellegrini looked at the injury reports for Ranocchia, Agüero, and Silva handed to him by the team doctor. His aged face was filled with worry, and the lines around his eyes deepened.

The Chile coach ripped the medical report in half and slammed it heavily on the table!

"My XXX's international match day! Damn it!"

Teaching assistant Rayne, who rarely heard his boss use such foul language, was shocked.

It seems that the injuries to three technically gifted players in succession have been a huge blow to Manchester City, exceeding the expectations of the team's coaching staff.

Three days later, the fourth round of the Premier League will kick off, with the team traveling to Swansea for an away game.

Time waits for no one, and as a teaching assistant, Rayne had to share the burden with his superiors.

"Boss, we don't need to worry too much. Although we've lost one defender, one midfielder, and one forward, as long as Tang is healthy, our team won't collapse!"

"Don is just one person," Pellegrini shook his head dismissively. "Rayne, we're coaching a football team, not a ping-pong team! With three key players missing, our passing and control system has completely collapsed."

"Boss, what I mean is, since we've lost three technically gifted players, why don't we just skip the ground altogether? We're not going to die from holding our pee. How about we go for a high-ball, direct attack at Swansea's away game?"

(One more chapter, to be posted before 1 AM)