After De Bruyne came on, he brought Gao Shen's latest instructions straight onto the pitch.
Van Persie immediately understood Gao Shen's intention.
He and Sturridge began to split their responsibilities and coordinate their movements.
Van Persie dropped deeper to receive the ball, while Sturridge, originally positioned on the left, shifted centrally and to the right, as if preparing to attack the space Van Persie had just vacated.
And this wasn't just for show.
If Everton's defenders didn't react quickly enough, Manchester City would absolutely capitalize on that gap.
But Everton's centre-backs adjusted in time.
After "receiving" Yaya Touré's pass, Van Persie turned and saw that Distin had been dragged out of position by Sturridge, and Jagielka had shifted toward the right. When De Bruyne received the ball, Everton's entire backline tilted noticeably toward their right flank.
Van Persie hesitated briefly, disguising his intent.
Meanwhile, De Bruyne and Sturridge worked the ball back and forth around the right corner of the penalty area, probing Everton's defense further.
This drew even more attention from the defenders.
Where the eyes go, the mind follows.
Van Persie could tell what De Bruyne had planned. The moment he saw De Bruyne hold onto the ball instead of passing to Sturridge, he broke into a sprint toward goal.
But he didn't head toward the crowded central area.
Instead, he made a diagonal run toward the far post.
This zone was Everton's defensive blind spot.
During training, Gao Shen had constantly emphasized De Bruyne's passing drills—especially his diagonal balls, which had a rare precision and landed in positions that were difficult for defenders to deal with.
Sure enough, De Bruyne unleashed a diagonal pass from just outside the right corner of the box, aimed toward the far post.
The ball was hit with pace and accuracy, and as Van Persie charged into the box, he realized he might be half a step slow.
As a world-class striker, his instincts screamed at him: speed up!
Using his forward momentum, Van Persie drove with his legs and launched into a full-stretch dive.
In that split second, it felt like he was flying.
De Bruyne's pass landed perfectly at the far edge of the six-yard box. Van Persie's diving header met it right on cue.
With just a glance and a flick of the head, he redirected the ball into the back of the net.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"
"VAN PERSIE!!!!"
"DIVING HEADER!!!"
"Oh my god, what a sensational goal!!"
"A brilliant diving header from Manchester City striker Robin van Persie finally breaks the deadlock!"
The Etihad erupted. Manchester City fans shot out of their seats in a frenzy.
On the touchline, head coach Gao Shen jumped and pumped his fist in celebration.
It was a stunning goal!
Reminiscent of Van Persie's iconic header at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.
The only difference this time was that the cross came from the right, flying diagonally toward the left post. But that didn't diminish its brilliance.
In fact, some would argue this one was even more spectacular.
Van Persie stayed down for a moment, face pressed to the turf near the goal line, pounding the ball in excitement before being swarmed by jubilant teammates.
De Bruyne was quickly mobbed as well.
"That was a truly exquisite pass!"
"We just witnessed young Belgian Kevin De Bruyne, freshly substituted on, deliver a brilliant diagonal ball that assisted Van Persie in breaking the deadlock."
"Moments ago, we were discussing how critical in-game adjustments can be. Just three minutes later, De Bruyne proves the point with a world-class assist on his first real touch!"
"That's the kind of tactical impact that turns games."
"De Bruyne doesn't have Robinho's dribbling ability, but his passing? Absolutely top-tier."
"And look at Manchester City's attacking structure after the substitution. Van Persie dropped deep to confuse Everton's defensive shape. Sturridge, Yaya Touré, and De Bruyne all clustered on the right, drawing the defense toward them."
"That movement created the perfect opportunity for Van Persie to make a blindside run—and De Bruyne's diagonal delivery was inch-perfect!"
…
"It's done!"
Gao Shen raised both arms high, as if declaring victory with a commanding presence. The whole Etihad could feel it—the pressure released, the belief reignited.
"De Bruyne's pass was perfect!" Carlo and the coaching staff were all thoroughly impressed.
And this wasn't some sudden talent De Bruyne developed at City.
He had shown flashes of it back in Belgium.
When he first arrived at Manchester City, Carlo and the others were unsure how to best use him. His qualities were clear, but his limitations stood out just as much. He was still so young, so raw.
But Gao Shen saw the potential immediately and began molding him into a central midfield playmaker.
That vision allowed De Bruyne to progress rapidly.
And now, called into action in a tight match, he delivered with a match-turning assist.
Carlo, Brian Kidd, and the others respected Gao Shen even more for his sharp eye for young talent.
Gao Shen didn't just scout promising players—he knew exactly what direction to guide them in.
Once young players found that right path, their development could be explosive.
"I bet Moyes is going to go all-in now," Carlo warned.
Moyes had always been a tenacious, proud coach—not one to concede easily.
Ferguson rated the Scotsman highly and had even hand-picked him as his successor at Manchester United.
So in the eyes of many, Moyes was cut from the same cloth.
Neither Ferguson nor Manchester United were known for overly conservative football.
Moyes, being handpicked by Ferguson, certainly wasn't either.
"No worries," Gao Shen replied calmly. "We're not afraid of him pressing forward. We were worried about him staying back."
When a renowned coach like Moyes sets up a team like Everton to defend deep, even a powerhouse like City struggles to break through.
Parking the bus is a universal headache.
But once the opponent is forced to push out, the game opens up.
…
Moyes did make a change.
He brought on Louis Saha for Tim Cahill—clearly signaling an attacking shift.
With the substitution, Everton abandoned their ultra-defensive setup and adopted a more aggressive approach, trying to hit City on the counter.
That had always been Moyes' real plan.
He never intended to sit back for the entire match. He had hoped to hold the draw until late on, then push for a win.
But then City scored.
Once behind, there was no point in defending deep anymore.
So Everton began attacking—ferociously.
But City were ready.
Gao Shen had saved energy and substitutions for exactly this scenario.
As soon as Everton pushed higher, City looked to counterattack.
In the 81st minute, City pounced.
Fernandinho intercepted the ball in midfield and quickly switched it diagonally to the left flank.
Hazard received it near the edge of the final third, faced up to Hibbert, used a flurry of feints, then beat the Everton right-back on the dribble.
He cut diagonally toward the box.
Jagielka stepped up to challenge, but Hazard evaded him with a lateral move and slipped a pass behind him.
Sturridge made a lightning-quick run from the far side and met the pass with his left foot, slotting it home.
2–0!
That goal shattered Everton's spirit.
Moyes' carefully crafted game plan had completely fallen apart.
He had planned meticulously and defended well, but everything unraveled with one precise diagonal ball from De Bruyne.
Once they fell behind, he had no choice but to attack, and naturally, they conceded again.
Final score: Manchester City 2, Everton 0.
…
"I almost walked right into your trap!"
After the match, Gao Shen walked over to the visiting bench and shook Moyes' hand with a grin.
Moyes looked regretful but still managed a shake of the head.
"We just weren't as good."
Everton's problem was simple—they only had one strong lineup.
Saha, once a capable striker for Manchester United, had declined significantly. His hold-up play wasn't what it used to be, and Everton lacked players who could bring out the best in him.
This is the tragedy for many smaller clubs.
They don't have choices.
If you want one thing, you have to sacrifice another.
Manchester City, on the other hand—when Robinho wasn't working, Gao Shen simply swapped him out for De Bruyne.
If De Bruyne hadn't worked, Silva, Bale, Giroud, and others were waiting on the bench. One way or another, someone would get the job done.
That's the luxury of a top club.
And City had another massive advantage over their rivals: money.
Gao Shen didn't need to worry about finances or salaries—only results.
The only financial concern he had was keeping the locker room wage structure stable.
As for losses? Who cares.
If they hit the red line, they'd just get another sponsorship deal signed tomorrow.
£20 million a year?
Not enough? Make it £30 million!
It's all in-house anyway. It's just moving money from one pocket to another.
In European football, only two clubs could afford to operate this way: Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
(To be continued.)