On May 11, 2024, Manchester United hosted Aston Villa in the 37th round of the Premier League.
Before the match began, news came from Manchester City, who had finished their game earlier: Haaland was injured again with a groin strain, expected to be out for two weeks, and would miss the final two Premier League matches.
Haaland had been plagued by injuries this season, unfortunately ending his League campaign, ultimately making 25 appearances and scoring 28 goals in the Premier League, an astonishing efficiency that sent shivers down one's spine.
Gao Nuo thus had a great opportunity; if he scored 4 goals in the last three matches, he could overtake Haaland and win the Golden Boot award.
Unfortunately, Gao Nuo was on the bench today.
Manchester United had led the Premier League standings for most of the season, but their failure to win the previous two matches reminded people of Arsenal last season, who also collapsed in the final stages.
This significantly increased the pressure on the entire Manchester United team.
Erik ten Hag couldn't dissuade Gao Nuo, so he could only angrily and helplessly drop him from the starting lineup; it seemed like dissatisfaction with his form, but in reality, it was also, to some extent, to protect him.
The match continued until the 65th minute when Gao Nuo was called upon, stood up from the bench, and began to warm up.
In the 75th minute, Gao Nuo came on as a substitute, replacing Wout Weghorst, who had scored a goal. At this point, the score was Manchester United 2:0 Aston Villa, and the two-goal lead made Gao Nuo feel much more relaxed.
Unlike the thunderous applause before, Gao Nuo's appearance was met with boos from the home fans. Clearly, Gao Nuo was facing such a situation for the first time. In just 15 minutes, he, who had already made some breakthroughs, couldn't make any further impact, and he failed to score until the end of the match.
With a 2:0 victory, Manchester United remained first in the standings. Arsenal, behind them, seemed to be trying to emulate Manchester City from last season, maintaining a tight 2-point gap and hoping for Manchester United to make a mistake.
Gao Nuo had become immune to criticism from the media and fans. He worked hard to adjust his form, and Wang Qing also gave him a loving round of applause.
On May 15, 2024, Manchester United hosted West Ham United in a rescheduled Premier League Round 29 match.
Gao Nuo continued to watch from the bench, with Wout Weghorst, who had scored in the previous match, starting.
Throughout the first half, Manchester United dominated their opponents in attack. Rashford and Antony played brilliantly on both wings, constantly breaking through and crossing to find Wout Weghorst, or cutting inside to shoot directly at goal.
West Ham United's goalkeeper Areola was in superb form, denying all attempts from Manchester United's front three.
In contrast, Manchester United's defense, in the center-back position, suffered from Varane's injury. Pau Torres and Lisandro Martínez started together, and after a season of playing alongside each other, they not only failed to develop chemistry but actually had a negative impact on each other's performance.
In the first half, West Ham United took the lead through a counter-attack. Pau Torres's covering defense exposed space behind him, and Lisandro Martínez clearly lacked strong aerial ability. West Ham United's Scamacca seized the opportunity, receiving a chipped pass from Paquetá, and headed the ball into the net to score.
Subsequently, Manchester United suffered another blow before their counter-attack could even take effect.
Nearing halftime, West Ham United took a corner from the left. The close-quarters battle in the box was fierce. Former Manchester United player McTominay spread his arms, blocking Lisandro Martínez and Pau Torres from contesting the header. Former Manchester United captain Harry Maguire, at the near post, used his elbow to push Wout Weghorst away, won the header, and powerfully headed the ball into the goal.
After scoring, Harry Maguire did not celebrate, returning to his own half amidst the complex gazes of the home fans.
The first half ended with Manchester United trailing West Ham United 0:2.
On the live Premier League standings, Arsenal, who had already finished their match, won, overtaking Manchester United and leading by 1 point in first place.
In the live broadcast room, Zhan Jun and Zhang were analyzing the situation.
"Zhang, Manchester United's situation is not optimistic right now. If they lose today's match, then in the final round, they can only hope that Arsenal doesn't win."
"Ah! That's right. If Manchester United can equalize in the second half, then, through goal difference and head-to-head records, ah, in the case of equal points, Manchester United would still be first, but the pressure in the final round would also be immense."
"Yes, Manchester United's collapse is very similar to Arsenal's last year. On one hand, Neymar is absent, but more importantly, Gao Nuo's sudden slump."
"Ah, yes, Gao Nuo's pressure might be too great. Actually, for a young player, ah, Gao Nuo is only 20, right?"
"Exactly, just turned 20."
"Ah, at this age, not scoring in 4 or 5 matches is very normal. It's just that this stage is quite important, it's when the team is competing for the championship, ah, plus the fans' expectations for Gao Nuo are very high, which has led to the current situation."
"Zhang's analysis is correct. We still hope Gao Nuo can quickly prove himself with his performance. In the second half, I wonder what adjustments Manchester United will make. Let's see if Erik ten Hag can lead the team to a comeback."
Unlike the rational analysis of the two commentators, the keyboard warriors in the live broadcast room had already started flaming.
Seeking De Gea: "Rubbish Manchester United, without De Gea, they're nothing."
Brother Ma is the Handsomest: "I can't believe I was a fan of Gao Nuo. Another one lost to debauchery, even bringing two girls home at once."
Cold Bird ZX: "Everyone calm down, you can't blame Gao Nuo entirely for this."
Lin Feng of Luocheng: "Calm down my ass, my grandma would do better than him."
King of Highbury: "Gunners fans send congratulations! The championship we lost last year, we must take it back this year."
In the Manchester United locker room, Manchester United's tactics in the first half were not problematic, and the players' form was still good. At this stage of the season, everyone understood the situation the team faced. There wasn't much the head coach could do but constantly boost morale.
Gao Nuo proactively approached Erik ten Hag, "Boss, let me play, I'm ready."
Erik ten Hag was not surprised; Gao Nuo's fighting spirit had always been strong. After careful consideration for a moment, he said, "Gao, are you really ready? You should know that the current situation is not optimistic, and you might end up with a bad reputation."
Gao Nuo replied without hesitation, "No problem, Boss, I feel like I've passed that stage."
Erik ten Hag was still a bit worried and continued, "Lad, this isn't the time to be brave. We have plenty of time this summer, enough for you to fully adjust yourself."
Gao Nuo looked firmly into the coach's eyes and said, "Boss, trust me, I can do it now. Let me play."
After weighing his options, Erik ten Hag made his final decision, "Alright, lad, get out there and kick their asses."
As the second half began, Chinese fans watching on screen were pleasantly surprised to find that Manchester United made a halftime substitution, with Gao Nuo replacing Wout Weghorst and appearing on the field.
