Chapter 460: Chapter 460

As the final whistle blew, the stands of Maine Road erupted with thunderous cheers — a deep blue ocean of joy. It was their first win of the season, and not only had they secured victory, but they had done so against their cross-town rivals, Manchester United.

1 lose, 1 draw, and 1 win. Manchester City have stepped on the gas!

With this win, Manchester City were finally back on the right track — but at what cost?

Richard cursed under his breath.

After turning down several board proposals from Martin Edwards, he immediately rushed toward Maine Road’s physio room with his bodyguard in tow. But the news that greeted him stopped him cold — both Ronaldo and Okocha had been transferred to Wythenshawe Hospital.

"Transferred? Why would they need to be transferred?" Richard’s heart skipped a beat.

Thankfully, Dave Fevre, the team’s standby physio, was there to explain.

"The medical facilities here at Maine Road aren’t advanced enough for full diagnostic scans," he said calmly. "They need more detailed examinations — MRI, soft tissue checks, the works. Wythenshawe has everything we need. We should have the results by tomorrow."

Richard exhaled, rubbing his temples. Victory had never felt this heavy.

"What about quarantine?" Richard asked quickly.

"We’ve already been informed," Dave replied. "They’ll be cleared to leave in three days."

Richard let out a long sigh of relief. ’Finally, some good news today,’ he thought.

Done with that, Richard moved on to his next agenda.

Back in the locker room, O’Neil praised the team’s performance in the second half. Although Ronaldinho and Lampard hadn’t directly contributed any standout statistics, their defensive efforts were commendable and deserved recognition.

By the time O’Neil arrived at the post-match press conference, Ferguson had already left. Clearly disappointed with the result, he remarked that Manchester United and Manchester City were on equal footing in terms of strength.

In his view, United should have had the upper hand — even playing away from home — and at the very least, deserved a draw. But luck, he said, had simply not been on their side. He continued to insist that Deco’s winning goal was nothing more than a fluke.

When reporters asked O’Neil to respond to Ferguson’s comments, he remained calm and composed.

"He’s not wrong," O’Neil said. "The two teams aren’t that far apart in terms of strength. The key difference was execution on the day. We managed to limit Beckham, Giggs, and Scholes for most of the match — that’s why we won. Our defense deserves most of the credit for keeping United from scoring more. Offensively, we weren’t outstanding today; I’m not completely satisfied. Our two goals came from a set piece and a moment of individual brilliance. This core group of players still hasn’t reached their full potential — I believe they’ll hit their peak in two to three years."

"How are Ronaldo and Okocha’s injuries? Will they affect the team’s upcoming matches?" asked David Miller, a reporter from The Guardian.

After parting ways with Neil Lennon over the summer, City’s midfield had already shown signs of weakness. Any additional injuries to key players like Pirlo or Makélélé — both vital in that central role — could seriously impact the team’s balance between attack and defense.

While Frank Lampard remained part of the squad, his performances, especially today, still reflected a lack of experience. He hadn’t made a lasting impression, and many pundits were now questioning what position best suited his playing style.

In short, City’s midfield operated with clear structure — each player fulfilling a defined role: defensive midfielder, deep-lying playmaker, and attacking playmaker.

Makélélé – Pirlo – Zidane. Orıginal content can be found at novęlfire.net

This trio had become the team’s unshakable formula.

Lampard, for his part, seemed capable of playing in several positions, but his execution in each remained inconsistent. He embodied the old saying — a jack of all trades, master of none.

"We’ll know more after further check-ups," O’Neil replied. "Losing those two would certainly be a blow for City, but that’s football — no club is immune to injuries among key players. A mature team, especially a strong one, must face such challenges with composure. As head coach, I’ll do everything I can to make up for the loss in strength. Manchester city will overcome this test."

Back to Richard’s Side~

After the match, Richard had calmed down. When players got injured, his first reaction was often anger or worry — but once the situation became irreversible, he quickly shifted his mindset. To him, it was simply another challenge for the club.

What top club hasn’t faced the dilemma of losing key players to injury? If you can steer your team through difficult times, you’re a dragon. If you can’t, you’re just a pile of mud.

With several of City’s core players leaving over the summer — plus the quarantine period caused by the recent virus outbreak — and now two more players injured at the start of the new season, he found the situation oddly exhilarating. Still, a trace of concern lingered; after all, his ultimate goal was to win the league title.

After watching the press conference, Richard left the club. Just as he was about to get into his car, his phone rang. When he saw the caller ID, he immediately answered.

"Dinner? Can we make it another day?"

"Just today," Harry insisted. "I’ve just arrived at the airport and I’m on my way. There’s something important I need to discuss."

"The airport? Where are you coming from? And wait—what do you mean, something important? Is this about Maddox Entertainment?"

"I just came from the Spice Girls concert in the U.S.—they’re continuing their North American tour. They managed to get two days off to come back to London. Anyway, no, this is different—but just as important!"

After hanging up, Richard couldn’t help but wonder what could be so urgent that Harry wanted to meet right away.

On the way, he received another call from Harry — his phone buzzing repeatedly as his brother tried to reach him again.

If it was business-related, he wasn’t particularly interested — mainly because there wasn’t much left for him to say. He had already set the course for Maddox Capital and was simply waiting to reap the rewards: follow mainstream trends, seize opportunities in the internet market, and once the company went public, the profits would come naturally.

He didn’t need to worry about money anymore. He already had millions pounds sitting comfortably in his personal account — dividends from the past two years, funneled through Maddox Capital and quietly reinvested. The value of his company shares didn’t concern him either. Manchester City was his greatest personal asset, and its estimated worth had already exceeded fifty million pounds.

Driving toward Maine Road, Richard soon spotted Harry’s car parked out front. His brother stepped out, accompanied by a few bodyguards, and waved farewell before the vehicle pulled away.

However, just before the car completely disappeared, Richard caught a glimpse of someone inside — a woman wearing sunglasses that hid half her face. Yet that smile... it was unmistakable.

After the car left, Harry, still surrounded by his bodyguards, walked over to Richard.

"Why did the car leave?" Richard asked.

"There were the Spice Girls inside," Harry replied casually. "They’re heading straight to London after this. Oh, and by the way — Victoria says thank you."

"Victoria? Thank me? For what?" Richard asked as the two of them began walking toward Maine Road.

"For speaking up for David Beckham."

So, it was about the World Cup. Only then did he realize who the woman in the car had been.

Richard paused, then shook his head. "That had nothing to do with personal relationships," he said. "I was just stating my opinion. If it had been anyone else, I’d have said the same."

He believed in calling things as they were. His defense of Beckham wasn’t about saving anyone’s face — it was about fairness. The red card was deserved, yes, but turning it into a national scandal had been ridiculous.

"In any case," Harry said with a grin, "she appreciates it — and she asked me to tell you that."

Richard simply nodded. "Let’s go," he said quietly. "To my office."

After arriving at the office, Richard immediately closed the door and drew the curtains, his expression turning serious. He didn’t bother with small talk.

"You said it was important."

"Very important," Harry replied with a grin, glancing around the office. "By the way, do you have anything to eat here?"

Richard’s eyebrow twitched.

Seeing Richard’s unimpressed expression, Harry raised his hands defensively and chuckled. "Alright, alright—straight to the point then."

"You know your sister-in-law is currently working as a government official in Kent County, right?"

Richard blinked, caught off guard.

Harry leaned back in his chair, a faint grin playing at his lips.

"She doesn’t want to be Government official anymore."

"No reaction?" Harry was surprised by Richard calmness.

"Are you sure this isn’t just one of her cravings again?"

Harry laughed, shaking his head. It wasn’t an unreasonable question — his wife was heavily pregnant, and the family had already seen how unpredictable her cravings could be.

Once, Harry had told the story of how she suddenly claimed she "wanted to catch a criminal on the street."

An odd request, sure — but one that had thrown the entire household into mild chaos. Thankfully, it hadn’t been too difficult to arrange. With a little coordination — and a discreet payment — an actor had been hired to pose as a pickpocket in town.

Richard still remembered how she’d strutted home that day, proudly proclaiming that she had "made the streets safer."

He sighed and gave Harry a skeptical look.

"So... are you really sure this isn’t another one of those moments?"

"She said this time she’s thought it through carefully," Harry explained. "So, I don’t think it’s one of those moments."

Richard sighed. "Why not? Being a government official is a good job — stable income, reasonable workload. What’s not to like? Is she planning a career change? Going into business, maybe? Joining Maddox Entertainment?"

Harry smiled and shook his head.

"What I mean is—she’s looking to move up in politics," Harry said, lowering his voice slightly. "The local councillor’s office is too small a stage for her now... at least, considering her status. You understand what I mean, right?"

Richard raised an eyebrow. "So—?"

Harry coughed, hesitating before leaning forward. "Can you help her? I mean, help your sister-in-law take that next step."

Richard frowned, a faint crease forming between his brows."But I’m not a politician, Harry. I don’t know anyone in government circles. I’m not sure what I can even do."

Harry didn’t reply immediately. The room fell silent, filled only by the faint ticking of the wall clock.

Then Richard leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing slightly as his mind began to work.

"Wait..." he muttered. "You wouldn’t be asking me this unless it connected to something else."

Harry gave a knowing smile but said nothing.

Richard stared at him for a moment longer before exhaling slowly. He opened his mouth to speak but stopped midway, his gaze unfocused as a thought began to form.

He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping lightly on the armrest.

It seemed he was starting to piece something together...