Chapter 664: Norwegian Threat!

Leo lingered near the mouth of the tunnel, watching the players return to the pitch until Willian caught up with him a moment later.

"Not feeling too good," the Brazilian muttered.

Leo, suddenly faced with that statement, turned towards him, raising an eyebrow.

"What’s wrong?"

Willian shook his head, looking slightly uncomfortable.

"Nothing serious, I think. Just don’t feel right."

"Wouldn’t it be better to speak to one of the medical staff?"

"Then they might find something and not let me play."

Leo shook his head, giving him a doubtful look.

"That’s not really how you should be looking at it."

Willian offered a small shrug.

Neither seemed particularly interested in arguing about it, and they continued towards the substitutes’ seats.

On the pitch, the rest of the Wigan starters had already settled into their positions.

They were waiting for the referee to bring the second half underway.

Leo, back on the bench, had barely lowered himself into his seat when Dawson called across from the technical area.

"Leo! Don’t sit down. Go and get yourself warmed up."

He looked up, then immediately stood back up again.

"Alright."

Willain gave him a smirk, one that Leo rolled his eyes at before he reached for his football boots, changed out of his trainers and pulled the laces tight.

A moment later, he was jogging towards the far end of the touchline, where it met the byline.

The Wigan supporters noticed him almost immediately and, in reaction, a few cheers rose from the nearby stands, quickly spreading as more fans recognised the number eight warming up.

Some clapped, while others called his name, clearly pleased to see him moving.

The reaction from the City supporters behind the opposite goal was rather different.

Their chants carried across the pitch, accompanied by a few shouted remarks aimed at getting under his skin before he had even stepped onto it.

Leo, though, paid them little attention.

Across the technical area, Pep Guardiola had noticed the activity.

He turned towards Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri, who were still wearing their substitutes’ bibs.

"Kevin. Rodri. Get up."

Both men looked towards him.

"Get ready."

They exchanged a brief nod, pulled off their bibs and began jogging in the opposite direction.

Back in the gantry, the main commentator caught the movement.

"Well, there’s a bit of activity developing on both touchlines. Leo Calderon is warming up for Wigan, and it looks as though Guardiola has sent Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri out to prepare as well."’

His partner glanced towards the benches.

"That could be significant. We’ve already seen Dawson leave Calderon out of his starting eleven, but it seems he won’t be keeping him there for much longer. And City are preparing two players who can change a game very quickly."

There was little time to discuss it further.

The referee’s whistle rang across the stadium a moment later, and Manchester City got the second half underway.

Haaland immediately sent the ball backwards towards his defenders before pushing forward with the rest of the attacking line.

John Stones collected it, taking a moment to assess the pressure approaching him while Wigan’s forwards began closing the available passing angles.y

Stones held onto the ball, allowing them to come closer before suddenly launching a long pass towards the far right.

There Bernardo Silva was waiting underneath it.

He brought the ball under control as City moved forward in numbers, looking to establish themselves inside Wigan’s half.

"Bernardo takes it down. City looking to make an early statement here."

The ball travelled inside to Matheus Nunes, who immediately found himself in a footrace with Henderson.

The latter tried to get across his path, but Nunes reached the ball first, and in the second that followed, he pushed it beyond Henderson, accelerated around him and recovered possession on the other side.

Henderson turned to follow, but the Portuguese midfielder had already found the space he wanted.

After that, Nunes returned the ball to Bernardo.

The City veteran cut inside, taking the ball onto his left foot as he advanced towards the edge of the penalty area.

O’Shea moved across to close him down, while Whatmough remained occupied with Haaland, and it looked as though Bernardo was preparing to bend an effort towards the far corner.

Instead, he slipped a pass beyond O’Shea and in there, Haaland had already started his diagonal run.

"IT’S ERLING HAALAND!"

The commentator bellowed, but the Norwegian needed no invitation.

Without taking another touch, he swung his right leg through the ball, driving it towards the narrowest part of the goal.

Amos reacted quickly, getting across and stretching out an arm to turn the shot behind across the byline.

"OHHHH.....WHAT AN EFFORT! Haaland nearly catches Wigan cold!"

Amos wasted no time getting back to his feet, and when he did, he began pointing towards his defenders as he organised them for the corner.

"That’s a warning for Wigan," the co-commentator added. "City have come out of the blocks with considerably more purpose."

Inside the penalty area, Whatmough was calling for everyone’s attention while Bernardo Silva jogged towards the corner flag.

"Stay with your men! Don’t leave anyone free!"

He pointed towards Akanji, then looked across the rest of the box.

"Keep your eyes on them!"

Leo watched from the touchline, halting his warm-up after the recent turn of events.

His arms rested loosely at his sides, but his attention never left the penalty area.

He had seen how quickly City had moved the ball from their defence to Haaland.

One opening, and they had almost scored.

Bernardo placed the ball down, and the referee’s whistle followed.

Then without waiting, the delivery came curling towards the crowded six-yard box.

"IT’S INTO THE BOXXX!!"

Akanji rose above his marker and connected with a powerful header.

"But it’s Amos with the save," the commentary called the next moment as Amos reacted, throwing himself across the goal to push the ball away.

But then the rebound fell directly into Haaland’s path, and the striker barely had to move.

He stretched out a foot to shield the bouncing ball and then guided it into the back of the net with his head, sending the City fans behind the goal into a celebratory mood.