The two commentators in the live broadcast room watched the highlights with the audience while analyzing the performance of the first half.
Zhan Jun was the first to speak: "Zhang, we see that Manchester United played exceptionally well today. New signings Pau Torres and Neymar each scored a goal. It seems the Qatar Consortium has excellent foresight."
Zhang echoed: "Indeed, you can see that Manchester United's attacking momentum is very strong, and there have been tactical changes. In the first half, Manchester United's offense was concentrated in the middle. Ten Hag must have intentionally arranged this. With three forwards plus an attacking midfielder, Manchester United repeatedly created 4-on-3, and even 4-on-2 situations in localized areas."
Zhan Jun continued: "Yes, Manchester United's style of play is somewhat different from last season, and Arsenal clearly didn't react in time."
Zhang followed up: "Exactly. Arsenal will definitely adjust their midfield. The defensive midfielder's position must be deeper, or they will strengthen midfield defense to prevent Manchester United from penetrating through the middle."
Zhan Jun continued to guide the topic: "After discussing tactics, let's talk about Gao Nuo's performance. Zhang, how do you evaluate Gao Nuo's performance in the central role?"
Zhang quickly caught the rhythm: "To be honest, Gao Nuo in the middle feels less threatening than he was on the wing. His previous wing play, like overtaking and cutting inside, was quite mature. Now, in the middle, he looks a bit unaccustomed, and his speed advantage isn't being fully utilized."
As Zhang spoke with increasing enthusiasm, the comments section started to become discordant: "Gao Nuo as a center forward is terrible," "Ten Hag is an idiot, put Gao Nuo back on the wing," "Gao Nuo's starting spot couldn't have been bought, could it?" "Damn it, Gao Nuo finally gets to start, and you're still criticizing him."
As Gao Nuo's anti-fans in the live broadcast room started to stir up trouble, Zhan Jun quickly changed the subject: "Gao Nuo can still play a role in holding up play. If Arsenal attacks in the second half, Gao Nuo is very likely to get opportunities on the counter-attack."
Zhang, a beat slower, also stopped his technical analysis at this point. "Yes, exactly. Gao Nuo also needs time to adapt to his new position."
Zhan Jun proactively ended the topic: "Alright, then we'll take a short break and wait for the second half to begin."
This somewhat professional analysis not only sparked debates among fans but also educated many of Gao Nuo's personal admirers, allowing many female fans, who initially came for Gao Nuo's looks, to gradually understand and fall in love with football.
After the halftime break, the second half began. A stubborn Arteta made no tactical adjustments, and Manchester United, leading 2-0, completely gained momentum.
In the 49th minute of the match, Varane initiated an attack from the back. Casemiro received the ball and played a through pass forward. Gao Nuo deftly nudged the ball to the left, and Bruno Fernandes, surging from behind, carried the ball into the penalty area. Unfortunately, his final shot went wide. Manchester United's three-pass move tore through Arsenal's defense, leaving the home fans in awe.
In the 58th minute, Neymar took a corner kick from the right. Varane leaped high at the near post and headed the ball with immense speed. Ramsdale had no chance, and Manchester United led Arsenal 3-0.
In the 68th minute, to the applause of the home fans, Neymar was replaced by Antony, and Wout Weghorst came on for Gao Nuo.
In the 75th minute, Casemiro intercepted Odegaard's pass and controlled the pace of the game in midfield. Rice seized the opportunity, sending a pinpoint long ball over the top, directly behind the Arsenal defenders. Bruno Fernandes, who had started his run early, was through on goal. Before the defenders could catch up, he unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the penalty area. Ramsdale, positioned too far forward, could not prevent Manchester United's fourth goal of the match.
In the final 20 minutes, Arsenal fought hard to counter-attack, but Manchester United's defense remained solid, making no mistakes, and maintaining the 4-0 score until the end of the match.
After the match, Arsenal's coach congratulated Manchester United on their excellent performance, while also expressing dissatisfaction with his team's loss and hoping his players would quickly adjust their form and get back on track.
Manchester United's post-match interviews were filled with joy. Ten Hag praised the entire team: "We did very well. Arsenal is a strong opponent, and it feels great to get 3 points against them. Arteta has his own ideas, and his tactics are not the problem. It's just that the game is always changing. Clearly, Neymar and Rice performed excellently, and everyone else was also very stable. We deserved to win the match."
Neymar also gave an interview: "Aside from the English language, I'm adapting to everything in Manchester – the club, the fans, the coaching staff, my teammates. They are all very friendly to me, and I hope to achieve success here."
Although Gao Nuo didn't have a standout performance, his identity as a Chinese player still brought him a lot of attention. Wen Na from Football Weekly interviewed Gao Nuo by phone. When asked about his feelings in his new position, Gao Nuo humbly replied, "I am very grateful for the trust of the club and coaching staff. I still need to improve in my new position." Finally, he thanked the Chinese fans for their support, stating he would quickly adapt to his new role and give his all for goals.
Manchester United won their first match, with new signings performing exceptionally well. Neymar had 2 assists and 1 goal, and Rice had 1 assist and 1 goal. The team's offense flowed smoothly, and the defense was also very solid.
New season, new look. The club's official media praised the team and once again acknowledged the success of their summer signings.
The fan comments were full of praise for the new owners. A resounding victory had reignited Manchester United.
Three days later, Manchester United challenged Leicester away, with no changes to the starting lineup. Gao Nuo still appeared in the center forward position.
The first half of the match was somewhat uneventful, with both sides slow to get into rhythm. There were only 3 shots on goal in 45 minutes, and they went into halftime with a 0-0 draw.
In the second half, Manchester United clearly picked up the pace, creating continuous opportunities in attack.
In the 62nd minute, Gao Nuo and Neymar played a quick one-two. Neymar burst into the penalty area and calmly squared the ball across to Gao Nuo as the goalkeeper rushed out. Gao Nuo comfortably tapped the ball into an open net. After scoring, Gao Nuo immediately embraced Neymar; it was a very easy goal to convert.
In the 71st minute, substitute Renato Sanches took a long-range shot that sailed over the goalkeeper but was denied by the post at the King Power Stadium. Rashford, in the ensuing scramble, scored on the rebound, putting the ball into the net.
The 2-0 score held until the end of the match. Gao Nuo and Rashford each scored a goal, securing a victory and also their first goals of the new season.
Neymar, who provided another assist, was named Man of the Match. His excellent performance quickly won over the fans and he is expected to continue the legend of Manchester United's number 7 shirt.
