The team capable of matching Manchester City in possession was Arsenal, and they were the first!
Ederson's departure dealt a significant blow to Manchester City, but their midfield was not to be trifled with.
In the 32nd minute, De Bruyne's pass bypassed two defenders, and the "Ball King" squandered a chance with his left-footed shot.
Several subsequent attacks failed to result in a goal.
Arsenal fans were already starting to celebrate, and the "Blue Moon" seemed to be missing something today.
In the final moments of the first half, a criss-crossing run from Manchester City's front line once again created danger. This time, De Bruyne himself faced the goal. Instead of passing immediately, he chose to cut inside.
Cao Baming was positioned to defend against Foden and Mahrez, and his positioning alone intercepted two of De Bruyne's passing lanes.
However, he hadn't anticipated that "Ding Ding" would finally decide to take matters into his own hands!
As a defender for Arsenal, Cedric was naturally not careless. Upon understanding the opponent's intentions, he reacted swiftly.
A defender's basic duty is to ensure only one of the ball or the player passes. In the case of a direct shot, one must block as much of the goal as possible, even forcing the opponent to use their weaker foot.
De Bruyne clearly had no issue with his weaker foot; like Cao Baming, he was equally proficient with both feet.
Cedric knew that De Bruyne's dribbling ability was top-notch and that he could create space for a shot at any moment. Therefore, he had already started blocking the shooting lane, while also preparing to tackle the player.
He glanced at the line at his feet, absolutely determined not to let him advance further, as the penalty area was just ahead.
De Bruyne suddenly faked a move in the opposite direction. Cedric had no choice but to extend his leg, but this lunge took both the player and the ball, sending De Bruyne flying into the penalty area!
Guardiola on the sidelines clutched his head for the second time, this time out of anger.
The referee immediately blew his whistle.
"Penalty!"
"Penalty!"
"Penalty!"
The Manchester City fans on the sideline shouted angrily.
Cao Baming's gaze followed the incident. Although De Bruyne fell inside the penalty area, the foul might have occurred outside, meaning a penalty might not be awarded.
The referee hesitated. Seeing his indecision, a swarm of Manchester City players immediately surrounded him, lodging their complaints.
De Bruyne, meanwhile, had sat up inside the penalty area and appeared to be unharmed.
The referee deemed the situation difficult to judge and brought in VAR for a decision, awaiting the assistant referee's report.
The game had already passed the regular time of the first half. Even if a penalty were awarded now, it would likely be the final action.
Players and coaches on both sides were extremely tense. Manchester City, trailing in the score, desperately needed this opportunity to boost their morale and head into the second half with a draw. Arsenal, on the other hand, did not want their hard-earned advantage snatched away at the last moment.
Soon, the video team delivered their verdict: penalty!
The referee personally walked to the sidelines to review the footage repeatedly. He then returned to the pitch, raised one hand high, and pointed towards the Arsenal goal.
Cedric spread his hands in helplessness, his heart filled with guilt.
At this moment, the fans on the sidelines erupted in excitement!
Before the referee's gesture was complete, he reached into his chest pocket with his other hand and pulled out a yellow card, raising it high.
Everyone gasped in surprise!
Then, the referee produced another red card, a second yellow leading to a red!
Sent off!!
Cedric's eyes widened as he pleaded with the referee to explain, but the referee had become as unyielding as a statue.
"It's only halftime! A red card in the first half!"
"Arsenal is finished! Finished!"
Arteta knew that Cedric already had a yellow card. A second one would certainly mean he'd be sent off! Yet, the very thing they dreaded had happened!
The Manchester City players rejoiced internally, and De Bruyne even stood up on his own accord.
In the replay shown by the broadcaster, Cedric's tackle had squarely hit De Bruyne's ankle. Coupled with the fact that the foul had indeed occurred within the penalty area line, the card was thoroughly deserved!
Cao Baming felt like a thousand horses were stampeding through his mind. He closed his eyes tightly, thinking, "Destroy it all!"
However, it wasn't over yet!
Under the referee's direction, the players gathered at the penalty spot.
De Bruyne stepped up to take the penalty himself!
With his top-tier shooting ability, De Bruyne was already a penalty specialist for the team, so it was only natural for him to take this one.
After a brief pause, a feint successfully deceived the goalkeeper. With a clean strike, the ball found the back of the net!
At the last moment, a thunderous strike!
The score was leveled!!
Until the very end, no one could have predicted what would happen. Just three minutes ago, it seemed impossible that the score would be tied at halftime.
If this continued, the coach would likely resort to a defensive strategy again!
Soon after, the referee blew the whistle, signaling the end of the first half!
The final score was a one-all draw!
However, Arsenal would be playing with ten men in the second half, a disadvantage that would surely be fatal!
Facing a top-tier team, the Premier League leader, and now having one fewer player to contend for a full forty-five minutes, Arteta was utterly despairing.
There was no hope in sight!
At this point, many fans began to pin their hopes on Henry. But would he really come on?
This situation bore some resemblance to Drogba's first appearance, but with Arteta's personality, things would likely unfold very differently!
As the players walked off the pitch, they were all dejected.
Back in the locker room, the physical exhaustion felt as though they had played an entire match plus extra time. Their fatigue levels were far beyond imagination.
For an athlete, stamina can sometimes be a metaphysical concept. When your mood is good and your morale is high, you can run for a hundred kilometers without getting tired. But if that spirit is gone, a deep-seated fatigue sets in.
Teammates cursed each other, and the coach was helpless. The entire locker room was filled with sighs and groans...
Facing this situation, Cao Baming also felt a sense of helplessness.
Even the system couldn't help much now; all they could do was try to lose with as little disgrace as possible.
Just as he was closing his eyes in despair, a clear and resonant voice suddenly rang out.
"Ding!"
Cao Baming's eyes snapped open!
This was... the system's voice?
"Negative emotions detected exceeding ten thousand, automatically absorbed!"
"Surrounding negative emotions exceeding ten thousand for the first time, achievement unlocked: Top-tier Talent Skill [Master of Dribbling Lv1]. Dribbling ability significantly increased, and you can choose any five technical moves to reach maximum proficiency directly."
"Top-tier Talent can be upgraded. Each level up will grant additional dribbling ability and new special effects, along with five more technical moves."
Cao Baming was stunned on the spot. "Holy crap..."
This was getting interesting...!