Platini fantasized about promoting the Europa League next season, but this was somewhat wishful thinking.

He pinned his hopes on a Liverpool-Inter Milan final, but that depended on Inter Milan and Liverpool actually making it to the final. After all, no one can say that a strong team will definitely reach the final. That's the most charming thing about football – you never know what the result will be.

Liverpool made it to the quarterfinals, and their opponents weren't too strong. Now they could temporarily focus on the league.

Liverpool was currently second in the league, only one point behind Manchester City, who were in first place, while Manchester United in third place were close behind.

Although Manchester City had risen strongly in the past two seasons, Manchester United's manager, Ferguson, still believed that Liverpool was Manchester United's biggest enemy.

Now it seemed he had been right all along.

Liverpool was now ranked second, putting pressure on Manchester United, and Ferguson was eager to pull Liverpool down from their position above him.

Every game was crucial for Liverpool from now on.

In the thirtieth round of the league, Liverpool would travel to West Ham United, and then to Manchester United.

Originally, the game against West Ham United was ordinary, no different from any other league game.

However, because of the war of words between Chen Hero and Allardyce in the first round of the season, West Ham United's fans had been drawn in.

So this game suddenly became no longer ordinary.

Two days before the game, West Ham United's fans threatened to teach Chen Hero a lesson, because he had insulted West Ham United.

Chen Hero was also eager to perform well in the game against West Ham United and score a few more goals. He still remembered how his good deed had been ruined by a phone call from the BBC's *Match of the Day* program because of West Ham United fans.

He hadn't swallowed that breath yet.

But Martin O'Neill was determined to put him on the bench. The reason was very simple and beyond doubt.

"After the game against West Ham United, we have the game against Manchester United. We've already spent too much energy in the game against Besiktas. The game against Manchester United is obviously more important than the game against West Ham United. I don't need to take risks in the game against West Ham United. Not just you, Hero, but Suarez, Sanchez, and Gerrard will all be resting."

Hearing Martin O'Neill's explanation, Chen Hero became anxious: "But if something goes wrong in the game against West Ham United, the league title will still be in danger!"

O'Neill nodded: "You're right, Hero. But the game against Manchester United is not only about the league title, but also about Liverpool's honor."

Chen Hero was speechless when he heard this. He knew that the derby between Liverpool and Manchester United was known as the "English National Derby", and such a game could not be compared with ordinary games.

He was just a little unwilling. He had confidently declared that he would show the West Ham fans what's what.

Now he was being put on the bench...

In fact, in addition to the game against Manchester United, Martin O'Neill had other considerations. Why was the game between Liverpool and West Ham United so tense? Wasn't it all because of Chen Hero? If it weren't for him, no one would pay attention to the match between West Ham and Liverpool – except for the fans of the two teams themselves.

But it was because of the war of words between Chen Hero and Allardyce that the media had found a gimmick to hype.

Just watch, the media was doing just that.

He couldn't control the media, but he could control his own players.

If Chen Hero played, the West Ham fans would be excited, which would bring Liverpool some unnecessary trouble. After all, no one wanted to face a group of rabid fans on the road. Secondly, West Ham United's players might be particularly hardworking and desperate because Chen Hero was on the opposing side.

There were too many uncertain factors in this game, and these factors could lead to serious consequences.

In order to cool down the game, O'Neill had to keep Chen Hero on the bench.

In fact, he didn't plan to give Chen Hero a chance to play at all. If he hadn't taken into account Chen Hero's mood and acceptance, he would have preferred to leave Chen Hero in Liverpool, which would be the best.

But he was worried that doing so would make Chen Hero dissatisfied, which would not be worth it.

The game against Manchester United would rely heavily on Chen Hero.

Chen Hero couldn't convince O'Neill. No matter how big of a star he was, he was just a player. In English football clubs, the manager's authority was always greater than the player's, especially in a club like Liverpool, where tradition was even more important.

In the end, he could only helplessly accept his fate on the bench.

※※※

Before the game, the media hyped up Chen Hero and Allardyce's feud, hyped up his bad relationship with West Ham United's fans, and even dug up his outburst against the BBC's *Match of the Day* program because of this.

In short, they wanted to tell the fans and readers that this game was particularly worth watching and particularly important because of Chen Hero.

But when they got Liverpool's starting lineup, they were dumbfounded. They searched it over and over again, but couldn't find Chen Hero's name.

They had expected Martin O'Neill to rotate players, because they were going to Old Trafford to challenge Manchester United next. It was only natural to conserve their strength for this, after all, West Ham United was not a strong team.

But they all felt that in order to ensure a win, O'Neill should have put Chen Hero in the starting lineup...

In the end, wasn't the fight with Manchester United all about the league title? If they lost to West Ham United, as long as Manchester City won and Manchester United won again, Liverpool would not only be further and further away from Manchester City in first place, but would also be overtaken by Manchester United.

O'Neill wouldn't be unaware of this situation.

But O'Neill had the courage to put Chen Hero on the bench.

※※※

As mortal enemies, Ferguson was very concerned about Liverpool's movements. So he knew as soon as possible that Liverpool had not started Chen Hero.

He laughed.

Because he knew that there would be a tough battle at Old Trafford. Even if he beat Liverpool in this round of the league, there was nothing to be proud of or happy about. The next game at home was the decisive battle!

O'Neill had rotated all the main players, which was obviously to go all out against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

He knew very well that even if he won against West Ham United with all his main players, he would still only lead by one point as long as Manchester United won. If he lost to Manchester United on the road, he would still be third, and nothing would change.

So instead of doing that, it was better to arrange the decisive battle at Old Trafford. As long as he could defeat Manchester United in this game, he could keep Manchester United firmly under his feet and not give them a chance to overtake. Then, as long as the team kept winning, what he needed to consider was not Manchester United, but Manchester City in first place...

※※※

Chen Hero, sitting on the bench, had become the player most often cared for by the TV cameras.

During a game, the camera gave him many close-up shots.

When West Ham United took the lead, the camera gave him a shot. He covered his face with his hands, looking very regretful.

Then his teammate, Classnic, equalized the score for the team. He jumped off the bench, waving the towel in his hand, cheering for his teammates, so excited.

Unfortunately, he didn't appear so happy very often in this game.

Most of the time he was frowning, even a little impatient.

Because Liverpool was always at a disadvantage.

Martin O'Neill thought that if he replaced Chen Hero, he could extinguish the anger of the West Ham people. He was dead wrong!

When West Ham United's players came on the field and found that Chen Hero wasn't there, they immediately felt that they were being looked down upon by Liverpool. Weren't they just trying to save their strength for the next game against Manchester United? We all know this trick. But you've chosen the wrong opponent!

We are definitely not someone you can defeat just by saving your strength!

As a result, West Ham United's players became even more energetic...

What made Chen Hero very depressed was not only that the team was at a disadvantage on the field, but also the boos and taunts from the West Ham United fans in the stands.

"Coward! Coward! Coward hiding on the bench!"

Although they didn't name names, even an idiot knew who they were shouting at.

Sitting next to Chen Hero was his good friend Suarez.

He could clearly see Chen Hero constantly clenching his fists, releasing them, then clenching them again, then releasing them again.

He was very familiar with Chen Hero and knew that it was Chen Hero's signature move when he was very unwilling...

Unfortunately, no matter how unwilling he was, Martin O'Neill didn't give him a minute to play.

Even though the team was eventually held to a 1-1 draw by West Ham United on the road.

※※※

Many people thought that when the final whistle blew, Chen Hero would be the first to get up and leave in a hurry, because he certainly couldn't stand the boos and insults from the West Ham fans.

But they were wrong.

After the whistle blew, Chen Hero was the first to stand up from the bench, but instead of leaving in a hurry, he walked onto the field to comfort his teammates who were frustrated by being held to a draw by their opponents.

Even though the boos and taunts against him were endless, gathering right above his head, he was unmoved.

He even looked up at the stands, causing the boos to be even louder and the curses even louder.

"Hero..."

His teammate Ager, who he was comforting, felt sorry for him instead and wanted to comfort him.

Chen Hero smiled dismissively: "It's okay." He made a gesture not to worry about him.

He wanted to remember all these boos and insults in his heart, every mocking face, every middle finger, every boo, every taunt... remember them all.

Because one day, he would repay everything he had suffered today with double the interest!

If he didn't dare to face these negative aspects of football, he felt that he couldn't continue to improve.

Having such awareness by no means meant that Chen Hero could calmly accept defeat.

After the game, he still found an opportunity to have a private conversation with Martin O'Neill.

"Boss, look, you took me off, but the result was the same. They were still very energetic, and they even felt that we were looking down on them, that they were easy to bully."

Martin O'Neill was also speechless. He didn't expect this result when he made the decision. It was really counterproductive.

He sighed and generously admitted his mistake. "That's right, it's my fault, Hero." Just like in the post-match press conference, he took all the responsibility on himself.

Chen Hero was a little surprised. He didn't expect his boss to be so straightforward. He was really starting to like this coach, whose personality was far less prominent than Daglish's...

"Actually, you could have let me start. I guarantee that I wouldn't fall into their trap, and I wouldn't let them off... How could I be absent from such an important game against Manchester United?"

O'Neill nodded, a little helplessly: "Next time..."

Liverpool was changing and improving, Chen Hero was changing and improving, and Martin O'Neill, as the coach, had also gradually changed and improved after coaching a giant like Liverpool.