Chapter Summaries

Zhang Kuang helped Manchester United defeat Valencia 3-0 away, scoring twice and assisting once despite being tightly marked for most of the match. After the game, he said he expected to win the Premier League and Champions League and would deserve the superstar title once he had those honors.

• Valencia controlled possession, but Van der Sar denied Soldado and Manchester United held onto their lead at halftime.
• Zhang Kuang pressed Albelda, won the ball, and scored after a solo run past several Valencia defenders to make it 2-0.
• Manchester United defended against Valencia’s attacks, while Nani squandered two one-on-one chances on counterattacks.
• In the 92nd minute, Zhang Kuang collected Carrick’s long clearance and scored from 45 meters into Valencia’s empty net, sealing a 3-0 win.
• UEFA named Zhang Kuang player of the round after he reached five Champions League goals in two matches.
• At the press conference, Zhang Kuang said he would deserve the superstar title if Manchester United won the Premier League and Champions League.

Tuttosport announced Zhang Kuang as a leading contender for the 2010 Golden Boy Award, prompting debate among fans and praise from Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi. Balotelli challenged Zhang Kuang to a test of strength, lost, and conceded that Zhang was tougher; Manchester United then traveled to Sunderland, where Steve Bruce prepared to host them.

• Tuttosport named Zhang Kuang and nine other young players to its Golden Boy shortlist, and media outlets and fans argued over his chances against Balotelli and the other nominees.
• Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi praised Zhang Kuang’s ability while stressing that he needed time and consistency to reach the top.
• Balotelli confronted Zhang Kuang outside Carrington and challenged him to a charge; Zhang Kuang redirected his impact, knocking Balotelli onto the wet grass.
• Balotelli admitted defeat, withdrew his challenge for the Golden Boy Award, and drove away after reversing into a fire hydrant.
• Manchester United traveled to Sunderland for their next league match without Rooney, who was left out amid a contract dispute.
• Steve Bruce learned that Manchester United had arrived and stared at his tactics board as the chapter hinted at trouble awaiting the visitors.

Manchester United’s away dressing room at Sunderland was flooded with sewage before kickoff, leaving the players shaken and delaying the match. After a poor first half, Ferguson challenged Zhang Kuang to recover his focus, and Zhang Kuang entered the second half determined to play like a superstar.

• Zhang Kuang spotted a ceiling leak in Sunderland’s away dressing room, then warned the team as a pipe burst and sewage splattered across the room and Berbatov’s boots.
• Ferguson summoned Steve Bruce, who helped staff clean the mess, while Old Albert produced spare kits and the match began ten minutes late.
• Commentators reported the sewage incident and Rooney’s absence from the matchday squad as Manchester United struggled through a scoreless first half.
• Zhang Kuang created Manchester United’s best chance by setting up Owen, whose shot the Sunderland goalkeeper saved.
• At halftime, Fletcher noted Zhang Kuang’s poor form, and Ferguson urged Berbatov and Zhang Kuang to regain their confidence before the second half.

Zhang Kuang scored twice as Manchester United beat Sunderland 2-0, then joined He Qigang in recruiting overseas players for the Hong Kong Team. After meeting Shane Lowry in Birmingham, Zhang Kuang set out the conditions and support he would offer if Lowry joined.

• Zhang Kuang scored after Owen's shot hit the crossbar, then later added a second from Berbatov's pass as Manchester United defeated Sunderland 2-0.
• Ferguson discussed raising Zhang Kuang's wages, and Zhang Kuang joked with reporters about the dressing-room mishap and the Golden Boy Award.
• During the international break, He Qigang arranged meetings with several players whom the Hong Kong Football Association hoped to recruit.
• Zhang Kuang and He Qigang met Shane Lowry in Birmingham, where Lowry explained his father's wish for him to represent China.
• Zhang Kuang told Shane Lowry he must remain committed to the Hong Kong Team, give his all, and uphold China's interests and image, while offering help with his development and career.

Zhang Kuang recruited several Chinese-descent players for his Hong Kong Team project, signed a new Manchester United contract, and then scored twice against West Brom. The chapter ended before halftime with West Brom scrambling to contain him and his hat trick still out of reach.

• Zhang Kuang convinced Shane Lowry to join his development program and fight alongside him.
• Zhang Kuang and He Qigang recruited Cris Kong, Chow Ting-yang, and Josh Chen, while planning to approach Xu Xin and Jack Xu.
• Zhang Kuang signed Manchester United's new contract, and the club announced updated deals for him and several other players.
• Zhang Kuang noticed Manchester United looked subdued against West Brom, but Berbatov assisted his fifth-minute opener.
• Zhang Kuang stole the ball from Scharner and scored a long-range solo goal in the twenty-fifth minute to make it 2-0.
• Di Matteo planned to stop Zhang Kuang scoring again before halftime, but Zhang Kuang found no further clear chance before the chapter ended.

Zhang Kuang scored twice in Manchester United’s first half against West Brom, but Ferguson rested him at halftime and the team surrendered its lead to draw 2-2. The result stirred criticism of Manchester United’s dependence on Zhang Kuang and tension in the dressing room, while Zhang Kuang privately worried about the Hong Kong Team’s future World Cup qualifiers.

• Ferguson substituted Zhang Kuang for Rooney at halftime, saying Zhang needed rest and Rooney needed to regain his shooting touch.
• Evra headed an ordinary cross into his own goal in the 50th minute, then Scharner equalized for West Brom five minutes later.
• Ferguson brought on Scholes, but Rooney struck the crossbar from a late indirect free kick and Manchester United finished the match 2-2.
• Ferguson admitted Zhang Kuang’s presence made opponents devote more players to defense, while Zhang Kuang backed his teammates in interviews and called the draw no disaster.
• Rooney threw his boots in the dressing room and argued with Ferdinand, but Giggs admonished him and Rooney eventually sat down.
• Manchester United remained top of the league, with Chelsea two points behind, as Zhang Kuang considered how to prepare the Hong Kong Team for future World Cup qualifiers.

Manchester United dominated Bursaspor at Old Trafford as Zhang Kuang scored twice from saved shots and set up Federico Macheda for a third goal. Zhang Kuang left the match leading 3-0, with Ferguson planning to substitute him around the sixtieth minute to protect him for the crowded schedule.

• Zhang Kuang headed in Ivankov’s save of Nani’s shot to put Manchester United ahead, then scored again from the rebound of Macheda’s saved attempt.
• Rafael stopped İpek’s one-on-one attack with a sliding tackle, and Manchester United reached halftime leading 2-0.
• Ferguson told Zhang Kuang he planned to substitute him around the sixtieth minute, and Zhang Kuang agreed.
• After Bursaspor tightened its marking on Zhang Kuang, he broke through two defenders and passed to Macheda, who scored Manchester United’s third goal.

Zhang Kuang scored a hat trick in Manchester United’s 4-0 Champions League win over Bursaspor, then recommended Paul Pogba for a chance in the congested schedule. Pogba made his Premier League debut against Stoke City, assisted Zhang Kuang’s opening goal, and watched the match reach halftime tied 1-1 after Gary Neville’s mistake.

• Zhang Kuang assisted Macheda’s first Champions League goal, then scored twice more to complete his hat trick as Manchester United beat Bursaspor 4-0; Nani grew frustrated at being overlooked.
• Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi watched Zhang Kuang’s performance, while Ferguson asked Zhang Kuang for advice on young players and Nani; Zhang recommended Pogba and said he struggled to link up with Nani.
• Ferguson started Pogba against Stoke City, and Zhang Kuang encouraged the nervous seventeen-year-old after he received an early yellow card.
• Pogba settled down and sent Zhang Kuang a precise long pass, which Zhang volleyed into the net to give Manchester United a 1-0 lead.
• Stoke City threatened through Delap’s long throw-ins, while Gary Neville avoided a second yellow card after another rash tackle.
• Wilson intercepted Gary Neville’s careless pass and set up Tuncay, who scored to make it 1-1 just before halftime.

Zhang Kuang scored twice in Manchester United’s 3-1 win over Stoke City, while Nani’s goal and the team’s muted reaction fueled public rumors of a feud between them. After denying the conflict, Zhang Kuang rejected media efforts to pressure him into reconciling and refused endorsement offers below his demands, leaving Jonathan to speak with Manchester United about his future.

• Zhang Kuang volleyed in a rebound during first-half stoppage time to give Manchester United a 2-1 halftime lead, and Ferguson replaced Gary Neville with Wes.
• Ferguson later replaced a tiring Pogba with Scholes, while Stoke City pressed hard and Zhang Kuang helped Manchester United withstand their attacks.
• Zhang Kuang crossed low for Berbatov to flick the ball toward Nani, who scored to make it 3-1, but Zhang Kuang’s distant reaction prompted commentators to suggest the teammates were at odds.
• Manchester United won 3-1, and Zhang Kuang denied having a conflict with Nani when reporters questioned him after he received the man of the match award.
• The media circulated stories portraying Zhang Kuang as hostile to Nani, but Zhang Kuang refused Jonathan’s proposals for a public counterattack or a show of reconciliation.
• Zhang Kuang rejected Nike and Adidas offers unless they matched or exceeded his Anta deal or Cristiano Ronaldo’s fee, then asked Jonathan to speak with Manchester United about him.

Manchester United rejected claims that Zhang Kuang and Nani’s rivalry was damaging the dressing room, while Ferguson and the players described it as harmless competition. After Nani helped United reach the League Cup quarterfinals without Zhang Kuang, Zhang started against Tottenham Hotspur and scored twice in a dominant first half, leaving United 2-0 ahead at halftime.

• Jonathan prompted Manchester United to issue a forceful denial of reports about dressing-room conflict, and Ferguson said Zhang Kuang and Nani were merely competing without harming the team.
• Rooney, Berbatov, and Vidić defended the squad’s unity, while Jonathan’s statistical comparison shifted online debate toward Nani’s performances and fans largely sided with Zhang Kuang.
• Nani recorded two assists as Manchester United beat Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-2 and advanced to the League Cup quarterfinals; Zhang Kuang was not in the matchday squad.
• Ferguson named Zhang Kuang, Rooney, and Berbatov in the starting attack against Tottenham Hotspur, leaving Nani out of the squad.
• Zhang Kuang scored from a rebound in the fourth minute and added a second in the nineteenth after Berbatov’s backheel pass, giving Manchester United a 2-0 lead at halftime.

Zhang Kuang, Rooney, and Berbatov’s growing partnership powered Manchester United to victories over Tottenham Hotspur, Bursaspor, Wolverhampton Wanderers, and Manchester City. After Zhang Kuang scored and assisted in the Manchester Derby, the chapter ended with him wondering why City had seemed so much weaker than the supposedly difficult Premier League opponents.

• Zhang Kuang cleared Crouch’s corner header, then assisted Rooney’s goal as Manchester United beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-0; Ferguson defended leaving Nani out of the squad.
• Zhang Kuang assisted Berbatov, scored from long range, and set up Rooney before Manchester United defeated Bursaspor 3-0 and qualified early from their Champions League group.
• Zhang Kuang recorded two goals and an assist in Manchester United’s 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers, extending the trio’s run of scoring and assisting across three matches.
• Zhang Kuang nutmegged Kompany to score and later helped Rooney set up Berbatov as Manchester United beat Manchester City 2-0 in the derby.
• After the match, Kompany admitted Zhang Kuang was difficult to stop, while Zhang Kuang wondered why Manchester City had played so poorly.

Zhang Kuang led Manchester United to a 4-2 comeback win over Aston Villa, then continued scoring as United won their next matches. After his four-goal performance against Blackburn, he had 31 league goals in 15 rounds, with statistics that dwarfed Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s.

• Zhang Kuang scored twice and assisted Rooney as Manchester United came from behind to beat Aston Villa 4-2, despite Villa repeatedly threatening United’s shaky defense.
• Zhang Kuang praised Villa after the match, while Ferguson and Villa’s manager lauded his performance and the sports media highlighted his record-setting scoring pace.
• Zhang Kuang scored once as Manchester United beat Wigan Athletic 3-0, then headed a goal in their 2-0 win over Glasgow Rangers, securing first place in their Champions League group.
• Zhang Kuang scored four goals and Rooney scored a hat trick as Manchester United beat Blackburn 7-1; Zhang Kuang was applauded by the Old Trafford crowd when substituted.
• The media reported that Zhang Kuang had 31 league goals and 14 assists after 15 rounds, while United’s front three had combined for 56 goals and 29 assists.
• Martin Tyler compared Zhang Kuang’s totals with Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s, and Rob Hawthorne remarked that Zhang Kuang had surpassed both.

After Manchester United's reserve side lost 0-4 to West Ham United in the League Cup, Zhang Kuang gathered Hong Kong's newly naturalized players in Paris to train and promote their World Cup ambitions. In a later interview, he defended Cristiano Ronaldo and argued that Ronaldo needed a team built around his strengths.

• Manchester United fielded a second-string lineup against West Ham United and lost 0-4, exiting the League Cup.
• Zhang Kuang brought Shane Lowry, Cris Kong, Josh Chen, Chow Ting-yang, and Jack Xu together in Paris for three days of training and assessment.
• Zhang Kuang and the naturalized players told Hong Kong media that the Hong Kong Team aimed to qualify for the World Cup and could build around Zhang Kuang and overseas ethnic Chinese players.
• Zhang Kuang told European reporters that Messi had greater technical gifts, Cristiano Ronaldo combined talent with hard work, and his own advantage was physical ability.
• Zhang Kuang said Cristiano Ronaldo needed a manager to build a tactical system around him, praised Ferguson's ability to build around stars, and said Ronaldo should not have left Manchester United.

Zhang Kuang’s outspoken comments about Cristiano Ronaldo, Mourinho, and Guardiola ignited a global media debate, with pundits and columnists split over whether his views were justified by his performances. Guardiola, Mourinho, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Ferguson each responded cautiously, leaving Zhang Kuang’s remarks at the center of football coverage.

• European and international sports programs and columnists debated Zhang Kuang’s claims that Mourinho failed to use superstars well, Guardiola depended on Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo should have stayed at Manchester United.
• Guardiola said Zhang Kuang was an excellent player but too inexperienced to judge managers’ tactics, and defended his own football philosophy.
• Mourinho praised Zhang Kuang’s ability and answered that different approaches could succeed, pointing to his two Champions League titles.
• Cristiano Ronaldo thanked Zhang Kuang for his support, said he was happy at Real Madrid, and declined to discuss Mourinho’s tactics.
• Before Manchester United’s match against Valencia, Ferguson said Zhang Kuang was young and still developing his understanding of tactics, while praising his courage to express his views.

Manchester United hosted Valencia in their final Champions League group match, with Ferguson rotating the squad while keeping Zhang Kuang, Berbatov, and Rooney up front. Manchester United won 3-1, with Zhang Kuang scoring once and assisting both other goals as the group stage ended with them already assured of first place.

• Ferguson gave goalkeeper Ben Amos his Champions League debut and rotated much of Manchester United’s lineup against Valencia.
• Zhang Kuang scored in the fifteenth minute after shaking off his marker and volleying Anderson’s disguised pass into the net.
• Domínguez intercepted Carrick’s pass, and Pablo Hernández equalized for Valencia in the thirty-second minute.
• Zhang Kuang used his shoelace feint to set up Berbatov’s chipped goal in first-half stoppage time, putting Manchester United ahead 2-1.
• Zhang Kuang brushed Rafael’s pass into Rooney’s path, and Rooney scored to extend Manchester United’s lead to 3-1 in the sixty-second minute.
• Amos and Guaita made several saves, and Manchester United held on to defeat Valencia 3-1.

Manchester United beat Arsenal 2-1 at Old Trafford after Zhang Kuang scored twice, overcoming Wenger’s plans to contain him. The win left United firmly ahead in the title race, while Wenger publicly praised Zhang Kuang as the world’s best young player.

• Manchester United completed a perfect Champions League group stage, with Zhang Kuang topping the scoring and assist charts at 12 goals and seven assists.
• Wenger set Arsenal up to crowd Zhang Kuang’s space, but Van Persie put the visitors ahead in the eighteenth minute after Van der Sar had saved an earlier chance.
• Zhang Kuang equalized in the twenty-eighth minute by beating Djourou and scoring from a tight angle.
• Rooney disguised a free-kick pass to Zhang Kuang, who scored his second goal in the forty-first minute to put Manchester United ahead 2-1.
• Arsenal pressed hard after halftime, but Van der Sar and Ferdinand kept them from equalizing, and Manchester United held on for the win.
• Wenger called Zhang Kuang the best young player on the planet and admitted Arsenal lacked the money to sign him.

Zhang Kuang drew Auxerre with Manchester United in the Champions League round of 16 and won the 2010 Golden Boy Award, earning widespread recognition in China and across Asia. After he celebrated with teammates and former Auxerre players, The Sun published infrared photos alleging a sex scandal, leaving Manchester United in turmoil while Zhang Kuang escaped the controversy.

• UEFA drew Auxerre against Manchester United in the Champions League round of 16, prompting messages from Hengbart and Pedretti and a warning from Ferguson not to underestimate Auxerre.
• Tuttosport announced Zhang Kuang as the 2010 Golden Boy Award winner, and he accepted the trophy and spoke to reporters about representing China and inspiring Asian football.
• Chinese and international media celebrated Zhang Kuang’s award, while debates continued over his identity and national loyalties; Xinwen Lianbo also reported his win.
• Zhang Kuang hosted a banquet in Manchester with Manchester United teammates, Ferguson, David Gill, and former Auxerre teammates, then left early to attend to other matters.
• The Sun published infrared photos and a report alleging that Rooney, Hengbart, and others had attended a private party, triggering a sex scandal and investigations that engulfed Manchester United.

Zhang Kuang starred as Manchester United thrashed Sunderland 5-0 on Boxing Day, then prepared for a difficult away match against Birmingham. The chapter ended just after the referee started the Birmingham match.

• Zhang Kuang paraded his European Golden Boy trophy at Old Trafford before Manchester United hosted Sunderland.
• Zhang Kuang scored twice and assisted Berbatov as Manchester United beat Sunderland 5-0.
• Ferguson addressed questions about the players’ Christmas party and Rooney’s scandals after the match.
• Ferguson warned that Birmingham’s home ground would be difficult, while McLeish outlined plans to contain Zhang Kuang.
• Manchester United and Birmingham entered St Andrew’s Stadium, and Lee Mason blew the opening whistle.

Manchester United beat Birmingham 3-1 away as Zhang Kuang scored twice and assisted Berbatov’s opener, despite Birmingham’s aggressive pressing and a late goal. With United 22 points clear at the top after 20 rounds, Zhang Kuang looked ahead to the packed schedule still to come.

• Birmingham pressed Zhang Kuang aggressively, but he flicked a precise pass to Berbatov, who scored in the ninth minute.
• Zhang Kuang broke free of Gardner and finished Rooney’s square pass to put Manchester United 2-0 ahead in the thirteenth minute.
• Gardner and Bowyer received yellow cards for rough challenges, while Larsson’s wayward back pass struck Barry Ferguson in the stomach.
• Ferguson warned Manchester United to watch Birmingham’s substitutes, and Hleb later threatened from the wing as the teams traded chances.
• Zhang Kuang headed in Giggs’s corner in the eighty-third minute, but Bowyer scored for Birmingham late to make it 3-1.
• Manchester United won 3-1, with Zhang Kuang named man of the match; after reaching 58 points and a 22-point lead, he looked ahead to the upcoming fixtures and World Cup qualifiers.

Zhang Kuang hosted the Hong Kong Team in Paris, launched a multilingual New Year prize draw for fans, and learned that Nani might leave Manchester United. As Manchester United prepared to face West Brom, Zhang Kuang was named in the squad and the New Year's Day match was about to begin.

• Zhang Kuang invited He Qigang, Fan Chun-yip, and the Hong Kong Team players to dinner in Paris, thanked them for understanding his limited participation, and gave them tickets to watch Manchester United play West Brom.
• Zhang Kuang recorded New Year greetings in seven languages and announced signed merchandise and monthly match-ticket giveaways for fans.
• British newspapers reported that Manchester United planned to sell Nani and target Javier Hernández, while Rooney and Berbatov told Zhang Kuang that teammates might blame him for Nani's reduced playing time.
• Ferguson named the Manchester United squad for the West Brom match, left Nani out, and joked with Zhang Kuang about his prize draw; Gary Neville was set to make his four hundredth Premier League appearance.
• Zhang Kuang's prize draw drew millions of new followers and praise from fans, sports media, He Qigang, and Guo Jingjing.
• Ferguson denied that Zhang Kuang had driven Nani out, and Manchester United and West Brom prepared to play before a packed crowd at The Hawthorns.