When Hazard tried to cut inside from the left, Ivanovic stepped up, knocked him down, and intercepted the ball.
Referee Webb didn't call a foul.
The entire Etihad Stadium erupted in boos.
Suarez quickly chased in from the side and behind, tangling with Ivanovic on the left before launching straight into the Serbian defender with force.
In terms of height, Ivanovic stood at 1.88 meters, while Suarez was only 1.82 meters, clearly at a disadvantage. Even in terms of physical strength, the Uruguayan striker had no edge.
But Suarez used brute force to crash into Ivanovic.
Leveraging the momentum from his run-up, he didn't manage to knock Ivanovic away immediately, but he did push him back a step. Suarez then reached the ball first and passed it back to Gareth Bale.
On the sidelines, when Gao Shen saw Suarez win the ball back, he immediately joined the 50,000 Manchester City fans in applauding the striker's counter-press.
He liked players who were aggressive and enterprising.
More importantly, Suarez's successful counter-attack was crucial for Manchester City.
It could be said that he avenged Hazard, or that he had created another attacking opportunity for City.
Chelsea began to press Gareth Bale after he crossed the halfway line, but Hazard quickly dropped back to support.
Essien, like a mad dog, charged in to win the ball. Gareth Bale had no choice but to retreat. He then spotted an opening and switched the ball centrally, bypassing Drogba and passing to Kompany, who had dropped deep.
Kompany received Bale's pass near the center circle of City's half, glanced up, and initially looked to find Javi Martinez—but noticed Deco and Anelka nearby.
The Spanish midfielder gestured to the right, signaling Kompany to play the ball into space.
The Belgian center-back quickly saw Rakitic dropping deep and delivered a pass straight into Chelsea's half, just outside the 30-yard zone.
Rakitic had dropped back halfway, controlled the ball, and turned in one fluid motion.
As soon as he turned, he was surrounded by three Chelsea players, but the Croatian midfielder's footwork was superb. He spun to the left, stopped the ball, and quickly used his left foot to pass to the unmarked David Silva.
The Spaniard turned to the right, stopped the ball with his left foot, spun to face forward, and took two steps before spotting Suarez—who had just been on the left—making a run into the right channel and signaling with his hand.
It was clear: he wanted the ball played ahead of him.
David Silva didn't hesitate and sent a through ball.
Suarez arrived just in time, darting between Carvalho and Ivanovic as they scrambled to recover. He received Silva's pass, suddenly accelerated, and drove the ball into Chelsea's box.
"A lightning counter by Manchester City!"
"David Silva delivers a brilliant through ball—Suarez charges into the box..."
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"
"Suarez stayed composed under pressure. Cech's challenge didn't faze him at all, he calmly chipped it in over the keeper!"
"Manchester City take the lead in the 42nd minute!"
After scoring, Suarez sprinted toward the corner flag, celebrating passionately and soaking in the deafening cheers from the crowd. He didn't forget to acknowledge his teammates—especially David Silva, who had supplied the perfect assist.
"That was an attack with excellent rhythm from Manchester City."
"From the counter on the left, Suarez chased back and won the ball, Gareth Bale switched play across the pitch, and at that point, Chelsea's entire defensive shape had shifted to their left."
"Everyone expected City to focus the attack on Robben's flank."
"Rakitic clearly saw this. So when he received Kompany's pass, he turned his back to the right and played it left. This flipped the direction of play. David Silva appeared in the right half-space, completely unmarked, and Suarez ran into the gap between Carvalho and Ivanovic."
"You could say Chelsea's entire backline was misled by Manchester City's movement."
"Exactly, Andy," Martin Taylor agreed. "Not only did City switch from left to right, but when Essien pressed on the left, they passed all the way back to their center-back and dropped deep. That prompted Chelsea's midfield to push forward."
"But then Rakitic dropped deep and exploited the space in the right half of Chelsea's midfield. At the same time, City's attacking tempo suddenly exploded, their passing was quick and precise."
"That's what makes this Manchester City side so frightening."
"Gao Shen once said: you have to pull your fist back so it hits harder when you punch."
"If Chelsea hadn't adjusted defensively, City likely would've attacked through Robben, letting the Dutchman take on Ashley Cole one-on-one. At that point, Robben and Suarez would've formed two diagonal threats between the lines, that's also one of City's biggest offensive trademarks."
Andy Gray nodded. "Chelsea defended solidly for over 40 minutes, but they cracked just before the break."
"Gao Shen is subverting English football!"
"Gao Shen is subverting English football!"
Andy Gray's voice rang out from the Match of the Day studio.
Many people didn't grasp the weight of that statement, but Lineker, Alan Hansen, and Alan Shearer—three English football legends—exchanged knowing looks and nodded in agreement.
The three presenters had all been greats in their day, representing different roles on the pitch.
Alan Hansen was a classic English center-back, Lineker a traditional speed-based striker, and Alan Shearer a prototypical center-forward.
Their differing positions shaped their unique perspectives on the game.
And now, each had his own thoughts about this formidable Manchester City side.
Though all three had once doubted and even criticized Manchester City, the Blue Moon had now won 14 straight matches. What could be more convincing than that?
They had no choice but to admit one thing: Manchester City were successful.
It was a fact not only England but the whole world could no longer deny.
So why were they successful?
Some said it was because Gao Shen had spent over £200 million building a highly competitive squad. But it's also worth noting that this season saw the rise of several previously unknown young players—like Suarez, Gareth Bale, Javi Martinez, Hazard, and Sturridge.
Others argued that it was Gao Shen's advanced tactical system that brought success. But what exactly made it "advanced"?
Football tactics are intricate, detailed, and complex. It's impossible to explain it all with a single term like "advanced."
Fans and media may see it that way but within the game, it's different.
As professionals, Lineker and the others tried to analyze Gao Shen's football through their own understanding of the game, as did Andy Gray.
That's why Andy Gray said, "Gao Shen is subverting English football."
He doesn't even use a traditional center-forward anymore!
Manchester United have Berbatov, Chelsea have Drogba, Liverpool have Torres, and Arsenal have Adebayor—each a main striker for their club. But Manchester City's main striker is Suarez. Newest update provıded by 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵⚑𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮⚑𝓷𝓮𝓽
"If it were me, there'd be no place for me in this current Manchester City squad," Alan Shearer said with a shake of his head and a sigh.
It forced him to admit—times had changed.
Traditional English strike partnerships were usually "one tall, one fast," like Heskey and Owen.
Shearer himself was the quintessential English center-forward—not particularly fast, but strong, with an excellent scoring instinct and physical presence.
When Gao Shen was at Napoli in Serie A, he relied heavily on Cavani and Pellè—both traditional center-forwards. Although both were a bit unconventional, they still fit the mold.
But after arriving at Manchester City, Gao Shen completely upended that model.
Giroud is a classic center-forward with a distinct tactical role. But at Manchester City, he's more of a specialized tool than a focal point. The real No. 9 is Suarez.
Standing 1.82 meters, he's not physically dominant. He's not the fastest either. But his footwork is exceptional, his individual technique outstanding, and his spatial awareness sharp. He links up beautifully with technical players like David Silva, Robinho, and Hazard, something traditional center-forwards like Alan Shearer, or even Lineker, wouldn't be able to do.
Forwards like Suarez are more versatile in their movement, operate over a wider range, and excel at drifting into wide areas or dropping into midfield to help build play.
Aside from lacking elite ability against deep, compact defenses, he can pretty much do it all.
Manchester City are a technical team but they also play with grit, like Suarez's recent collision with Ivanovic. Tough players like Javi Martinez, Kompany, and David Luiz all have roles to play at City.
But the key is—they all have solid technical ability.
"From front to back, Manchester City breaks the mold. Look at Neuer, does he look like a traditional goalkeeper?" Lineker said with a wry smile.
It's not that Neuer lacks ability. In fact, his performances rank among the best keepers in the Premier League.
But it's his playing style, especially his tendency to rush out of the box and dribble under pressure…
Honestly, it's nerve-wracking to watch.
Can you not be so reckless?
A goalkeeper should stay in his lane!
But what did Gao Shen say?
"This is the style I want!"
Well, turns out Gao Shen likes Neuer's madness.
"Manchester City's positional play is the best in the Premier League. One key reason is the three-dimensional structure of their attack and the variety of methods, especially their wide play. I heard that during preseason, they spent the most time drilling wing attacks and penetration—and they were meticulous."
"So, it's no surprise that City's positional play has improved so much. Compared to them, even teams like Arsenal under Wenger and Chelsea under Ancelotti look one-dimensional and inefficient."
If not for Gao Shen, maybe England's big clubs and top managers wouldn't look so awkward.
But unfortunately for them, Gao Shen arrived!