The Premier League is in complete chaos!
If there were still people who doubted it before, now they have no choice but to accept it.
The first day of the 13th round of the Premier League proved it once again.
Liverpool lost 0-2 at home to Manchester City.
Although Gao Shen's team didn't maintain the same storm of goals as in previous matches, they still firmly dominated Liverpool at Anfield, controlled the game, came away with a 2-0 victory, and left unscathed.
Even Alan Hansen, a former Liverpool star and guest pundit on Match of the Day, admitted on the show: "Manchester City fully deserved the three points tonight. They were the better side."
Still, Hansen defended Benítez and Liverpool, insisting there was no issue with their set-piece defending.
He seemed to anticipate that the media would target Benítez's defensive tactics on set plays in tomorrow's coverage.
The biggest upset of this round came from Arsenal's 0-1 away loss to Sunderland.
The Black Cats, managed by former Manchester City boss Mark Hughes, beat Arsenal at home thanks to a goal set up by Wright-Phillips and finished by Darren Bent.
This upset clearly highlighted the current situation in the Premier League—Arsenal really do look a bit weak.
And of course, there's a reason for it.
The primary issue lies in the international fixtures. Arsenal have too many national team players.
Following the loss to Sunderland, Wenger slammed FIFA's scheduling, criticizing how players are pulled away for national team duty for half of every month in September, October, and November, which he said is severely affecting domestic leagues.
It's clear to everyone that Wenger is furious. But what else can he do when his team is underperforming?
The truth is, Arsenal's squad lacks depth.
Another eye-catching result was Tottenham Hotspur's 9-1 demolition of Wigan Athletic at home. Duff netted five goals, powering Spurs to the resounding win.
Roberto Martinez suffered yet another humiliating defeat.
With just the first day of fixtures played, the Premier League was already feeling the seismic shift.
Especially among the title challengers at the top.
Such a chaotic top-of-the-table scramble is almost unprecedented in Premier League history.
…
"Gao Shen has completely thrown the Premier League into disarray!"
At Chelsea's Cobham training ground in South London, assistant coach Wilkins gave his take on the current Premier League landscape, believing that Gao Shen is the main culprit behind the chaos.
"Manchester City's investment is indeed massive, but without a top-class manager, it'd be hard for any coach to deliver this kind of result. Thirteen wins in a row!"
As he spoke, Wilkins was filled with admiration—and even a hint of fear.
Manchester City look unstoppable this season.
It's not like they haven't faced setbacks, challenges, or tough matches, but Gao Shen always finds a way to solve them.
Whether it's through tactical decisions or squad depth, they just keep winning.
"The Premier League is in a mess right now. Manchester City are leading, but their advantage is only six points. We and Liverpool are right behind them. Manchester United and Arsenal are tied, with Tottenham just below."
Everton, initially seen as a dark horse, has failed to challenge the top four. Aston Villa are three points behind Spurs and still have a chance, but it's slim.
Looking at the current standings, the six teams most capable of fighting for top-four spots are the ones currently in the top six.
Six teams battling for four spots—an extremely fierce competition.
In the past, this kind of situation rarely happened. The top four used to be the exclusive territory of the so-called "Big Four."
This season, Tottenham's rise was somewhat expected. Redknapp's team still has obvious weaknesses, so they weren't taken as seriously.
But Manchester City is different.
Under Gao Shen, this newly rebuilt team has performed at a high level from day one and immediately took over the top of the Premier League.
It's like saying: "I've taken the title. You all can fight over the rest!"
If any other coach had been in charge, especially someone like Mark Hughes, he wouldn't have struck fear into the traditional top four. His ceiling is clear, and no amount of money would change that.
But Gao Shen didn't just rebuild City's squad, he reshaped the team's DNA.
"Do you think Wenger will hold back in Round 14?" Ancelotti suddenly asked.
Though Round 13 hadn't fully wrapped up, Ancelotti wasn't concerned about the upcoming home match against Wolves—he had to get those three points. The real challenge was the midweek Champions League tie.
Chelsea were unbeaten in the group with three wins and one draw, but their main rival, Porto from the Portuguese league, had three wins and one loss. The fifth group stage match would be away to Porto.
That match would be crucial in determining the group winner.
After facing Porto, Chelsea would play Arsenal.
Next Wednesday, the League Cup fifth round would see Chelsea play Blackburn, while Arsenal would visit Manchester City.
There's basically no hope for Arsenal in the title race this season. Even if they can keep pace, a top-four finish is far from guaranteed.
Right now, Manchester City has the best shot at winning the league, followed by Chelsea. Liverpool and Manchester United still have a chance. United in particular tend to come on strong after the winter break under Ferguson.
If you're looking at it purely from a title contention angle, pulling back in the league to focus on the League Cup could be a strategy.
But Wilkins shook his head firmly.
"For years, Arsenal have always played worse in the second half of the season. If Wenger wants a top-four finish, he has to go all in on the league—he might even have to give up on the Champions League."
Ancelotti thought about it and understood.
Ultimately, finishing high in the Premier League is more valuable.
Part of the TV revenue is based on final standings. And then there's Champions League qualification for next season.
By comparison, the League Cup just isn't worth it.
That means Arsenal will fight Chelsea tooth and nail—and might even rest players against Gao Shen in the League Cup.
"This guy's so lucky—even Wenger's helping him out!" Ancelotti sneered.
He still remembered the last time he invited Gao Shen to play cards. The guy had slipped away early and didn't give him any face at all.
This upcoming schedule was piling pressure on Chelsea.
After thinking it through, Ancelotti figured there was no need to give Gao Shen a free pass.
…
On the second match day of the 13th Premier League round, Chelsea cruised to a 4-0 win over Wolves with two goals from Essien.
At the post-match press conference, Ancelotti told the media that Manchester City's 13-match winning streak had changed the top-four dynamic in the Premier League.
"I've known Gao Shen for many years, and he's always been a brilliant head coach. I believe he's capable of doing this."
"His team is very strong and keeps improving. I think Manchester City have become one of the top teams in the Premier League this season. They can break into the top four and even fight for the title."
"Yes, if Manchester City make the top four, one team will have to drop out. Maybe Manchester United or Arsenal, since they're both in poor form right now."
Ancelotti's comments quickly angered Wenger.
The Arsenal boss responded at the pre-match press conference ahead of the fifth Champions League group game.
"Some people have just arrived in the Premier League. They might not understand how things work here. The league runs from August until May the next year, and we're just about to enter December."
Wenger said, "It's far too early to be talking about who can win the title or who'll finish top four."
In the fifth group stage match, Chelsea beat Porto 1-0 away, and Arsenal defeated Standard Liège 2-0 at home.
But in the 14th round of the Premier League that weekend, Chelsea scored a vital 3-0 away win over Arsenal, with Drogba netting twice.
This match completely exposed Arsenal's weaknesses and proved that Ancelotti's Chelsea were going from strength to strength—thanks in no small part to Joe Cole.
In Ancelotti's 4-4-2 diamond formation, Joe Cole played the key role of carrying the ball forward, making Chelsea's midfield structure more balanced and their buildup play smoother.
The previously powerful and physical midfield was now infused with finesse and creativity thanks to Joe Cole, which immediately unlocked their attacking potential.
Joe Cole provided two assists in Chelsea's three goals and was named Man of the Match.
Several media outlets even claimed Ancelotti's 4-4-2 diamond formation had reached perfection.
However, some pointed out that his tactical approach closely resembled the 4-4-2 diamond that Gao Shen used at the start of the season, with Joe Cole playing a role similar to Hazard's.
Ancelotti denied that he was copying Gao Shen but admitted Chelsea were in a very good place.
"I think we're ready," Ancelotti said provocatively.
After a 3-0 win over Arsenal, anyone would feel confident about their team.
Meanwhile, Manchester City beat Hull City 2-0 in Round 14, extending their winning streak to 14 games.
After winning the Manager of the Month award for August, September, and October, Gao Shen's side appeared to slow slightly in November.
Following Tottenham's 9-1 thrashing of Wigan, many predicted Redknapp would beat out Gao Shen for the November award.
Unexpectedly, in Round 14, Tottenham drew 1-1 away to Aston Villa.
That result immediately reopened the race.
Gao Shen still won all four of his games in November. Chelsea only played three, but Ancelotti also won all three, replacing Redknapp as Gao Shen's main competition.
If Gao Shen wins the Manager of the Month again, it'll be an unprecedented fourth consecutive time.
He and his Manchester City would become even more unstoppable!
(To be continued.)