Nothing is achieved overnight, so Gao Nuo adjusted his mindset. Besides one challenge a day, he diligently trained his headers.
Gao Nuo believed that the more well-rounded he was, the further he would go in the future. Moreover, he had twice as much training time as others, so he wasn't worried about neglecting one aspect for another.
On April 20, 2024, in the 34th round of the Premier League, Manchester United defeated Brighton 3-0. Neymar was injured again and would miss all upcoming matches. Although Erik ten Hag had been very careful to protect him, old injuries from rough tackles in Ligue 1 still caused him to miss some games.
Ending his season early, the final statistics showed that Neymar played 30 times for Manchester United across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and providing 18 assists, nearly contributing to a goal in every match. This was a satisfactory report card for his supporters.
In this match, Gao Nuo was substituted in the 60th minute. Not scoring a goal left him in a bad mood, and his displeased expression as he left the field was captured by the media. "Discord between the coach and player" always attracts attention, and the media naturally wouldn't miss the opportunity to create a topic. New rumors began to circulate above Old Trafford.
On April 24, 2024, in a rescheduled 27th-round Premier League match, Manchester United drew 1-1 with Bournemouth at home. Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty, squandering the chance to secure a last-minute win.
With the draw, Manchester United's lead in the League standings was cut to three points, and what made fans even more anxious was Gao Nuo's form.
Gao Nuo had always been perceived as a "natural warrior" in football, with extremely strong pressure resistance, on-field enthusiasm, and sustained match performance. These qualities, often praised by fans, clearly showed problems.
In this match, not only did he fail to score, but Gao Nuo also lost his position on the field, lacked chemistry with his teammates, and his rhythm was out of sync with the team throughout the entire game.
Although in post-match interviews, Erik ten Hag and Bruno Fernandes both defended Gao Nuo, urging everyone to be patient with a 20-year-old player and stating that fluctuations in form are normal for professional players, believing Gao Nuo needed more experience and time to adjust himself.
On April 27, 2024, in the 35th round of the Premier League, Manchester United lost 4-1 away to Nottingham Forest. In the final stage of the season, Manchester United's continuous winless streak began to worry fans, and some radicals had already started to furiously criticize the team's performance.
Fortunately, Arsenal, who were second in the standings, drew with Liverpool, allowing Manchester United to maintain a two-point lead.
Gao Nuo continued to be in a slump. With four League rounds remaining, he was already two goals behind Haaland, who was first in the top scorer list. If it weren't for injuries affecting the 'Demon Man's' performance, Gao Nuo would have had no chance at all.
Erik ten Hag continued to strongly support his protégé, believing that Gao Nuo was in a bottleneck period, and once he broke through, his level would quickly reach a new height.
However, such an answer clearly did not satisfy the media's appetite. To gain traffic, the media focused their attention on Gao Nuo.
Daily Report: "Chinese star Gao Nuo is in poor form. Once considered Manchester United's 'star of hope,' it now seems his talent may have run out."
Three Days Two Reports: "Disagreement with the coach coupled with a chaotic private life has led to the Chinese star Gao Nuo's terrible performance."
Truthful Report: "Consecutive slumps: Manchester United's Gao Nuo faces a bottleneck. Will he soar? Or stagnate?"
Football Weekly: "Chinese star Gao Nuo's sudden drop in form is surprising. The pressure of the League title race and Golden Boot competition has caused him to lose his way."
The matter was not over yet. Manchester United fans suddenly released photos of Gao Nuo having dinner with Guo Zihan and Feng Yuting. As the situation escalated, people successively released photos of Gao Nuo and the two women getting into a car, and also entering Gao Nuo's home together. For a time, instigated by the media, Manchester United's radical fans began to attack Gao Nuo, believing he had deceived everyone and that his chaotic private life was affecting the club's results.
So many upsetting things indeed affected Gao Nuo's mindset. He felt very uncomfortable during the three matches in the past week.
After the first match, Gao Nuo felt something was wrong. His nose for goal seemed to have failed him. He always missed opportunities provided by teammates because he was a step too slow. He felt as if he had entered a narrow upward channel, progress was extremely difficult, and there were even signs of regression.
For Gao Nuo, whose professional career was not long and had always been smooth sailing, this feeling was a first.
Of course, he had to consult the host about things he couldn't solve, but the host's answer only confused him more.
"The host's physical indicators are all normal. Please stay true to your heart and continue to work hard!"
No matter how much Gao Nuo pressed, the host's answers were almost always these few sentences.
After playing the second match in a daze, Erik ten Hag proactively approached Gao Nuo.
"Lad, is there something wrong with your mental state recently?"
"No, Boss, it's just that I feel like I'm a bit lost with the rhythm of the game."
"Phew, listen, you should be entering a bottleneck period, or what's called a 'rookie wall.' Your starting point was very high, and I originally thought you had already passed this stage. Now it seems, it might be due to the national team matches that caused your current state."
"Boss, I don't understand."
"Simply put, general young players entering a top League will always have a period of adaptation. Changes in match intensity, changes in opponent's level, and changes in tactics will all bring difficulties. This will affect players' performance, making them fall into a bottleneck. Only by adapting to all these changes can they truly establish themselves in top-tier competitions; otherwise, their professional careers might only stop at this height."
Gao Nuo listened very attentively, unconsciously sitting up straight, and did not interrupt the bald coach in front of him, waiting for him to continue.
"Gao, I think you might have been influenced by the national team. You've always played defensive counter-attacking there. I've observed your recent performance in matches, and you're always playing like a target man. It can be said that this completely covers up your advantages and also conflicts with my positioning of you."
Seeing that Gao Nuo still showed no intention of speaking, Erik ten Hag continued somewhat helplessly, "I hope you can do as I ask, especially at this stage of the season. Your current approach is completely self-destructive."
Gao Nuo did not immediately agree to this request. The reason was simple: the host had brought him to his current height, and no matter what, he unconditionally trusted the host.
Therefore, after thanking the coach for his tireless guidance, Gao Nuo stated that he would seriously consider the issue and would definitely give the best response.
Bidding farewell to Erik ten Hag, Gao Nuo rushed home and entered the host system.