The brief episode in the players' tunnel didn't last long, as the referee had already led both teams out onto the pitch.
Robinho wasn't fazed by Vardy's earlier provocation. He still wore a confident smile—after all, in his eyes, Vardy wasn't yet on his level.
Both teams stepped onto the field. Despite Kenilworth Road only being able to hold 10,000 fans, the Luton supporters generated an atmosphere that rivaled the home grounds of the Premier League giants.
A massive flag was raised high in the stands opposite the players' entrance, fluttering proudly in the wind sweeping through the open ends of the stadium.
That said, Luton's club crest didn't exactly scream intimidation. A hat, some wheat stalks, a loaf of bread, and a pair of flowers—Ethan couldn't even name the flowers, though they seemed to be common around town.
Still, when stretched wide enough, that flag did look pretty imposing.
English fans have always been masters at creating a proper footballing atmosphere.
"Ladies and gentlemen, dear viewers across the country! The FA Cup clash is about to kick off!"
The commentator's voice rang out passionately. "Manchester City will take the first kick-off. Right from the start, there's no holding back—they've launched a direct attack. And look who's on the ball: Robinho! The most expensive signing in English football history!"
"He's up against Luton Town, the League Two side that shocked everyone in the last round! This isn't your average lower-league team—they were docked 30 points at the start of the season and still managed to climb to sixth place. If the season ended today, they'd qualify for the promotion playoffs!"
The commentator was Letterkinson, who had specifically requested to cover this match. His co-commentator, as always, was young Redknapp.
"I don't see it happening, Wright!" Redknapp cut in. "Yes, Luton pulled off a stunner against Chelsea in the fourth round, but let's not kid ourselves—Chelsea were going through a rough patch and clearly underestimated them. Ethan played a wildcard in Adam White, and it worked. But Manchester City won't make the same mistake. Adam White is no longer an unknown quantity."
"Once a team like Manchester City gets serious, a side like Luton doesn't stand a chance," Redknapp said flatly.
"Still, Adam White isn't in the starting XI today. Are you sure about your prediction?" Letterkinson replied with a grin.
"Absolutely. Luton might cause a few headaches, but that's it. Mark Hughes finally seems to have found a rhythm with City—they're on a three-game winning streak across all competitions!" Redknapp responded confidently.
Meanwhile, across the world in China, Guangdong Sports Channel—the only broadcaster with FA Cup rights—was also showing the game live.
"While we hope Luton can put up a fight and that Coach Ethan leads them to another miracle, we have to be realistic—the gap in strength is significant," said He Hongfa, the channel's veteran commentator. "Robinho alone cost over £40 million!"
"But football is round—anything can happen. Let's cheer for Ethan and his team. Perhaps they'll shock us again. The match is underway. Let's take a look at the starting lineups..."
Before He Hongfa could finish, a gasp of amazement swept through the stadium, followed by thunderous applause.
He glanced up at the screen.
The replay showed Robinho on the ball, confidently performing a series of stepovers—his trademark bicycle move—as he faced off against Luton's young defensive midfielder, N'Golo Kanté.
Robinho's feet danced over the ball, then he attempted to burst past Kanté on the left.
But Kanté had other ideas.
With perfect timing and composure, he stuck out a foot and poked the ball away just as Robinho committed to the move. A clean, clinical challenge.
Robinho had initially assumed it would be easy to dribble past Kanté. The Frenchman looked harmless—hardly threatening to either man or beast. Confident, Robinho launched into his trademark stepovers, attempting to sell a bicycle feint. But Kanté didn't buy it for a second. With perfect timing, he poked the ball away cleanly with a single, precise tackle. Robinho, caught off guard, instinctively tried to recover possession.
Despite Kanté's modest height, he had a surprisingly strong core. Robinho crashed into his back and ended up flat on the turf, landing awkwardly on his backside. Embarrassed, he threw his arms out, hoping the referee would award a free-kick.
But the referee wasn't interested. Robinho remained seated on the grass, arms raised in disbelief, before finally dusting himself off and getting back on his feet.
Meanwhile, Kanté calmly passed the ball out of danger. Under instructions from manager Ethan, he had been assigned to shadow Robinho throughout the match. So even after winning the ball, Kanté didn't rush forward to join the attack—he stayed right beside his mark.
"Fantastic! What an interception!" shouted commentator He Hongfa. "Robinho's trickery had no effect at all—Kanté read it perfectly!"
"What a clean tackle!" added Letterkinson from the commentary booth. "He didn't even touch Robinho—absolutely no foul! Just a beautifully-timed challenge!"
"It really was a textbook interception," Redknapp chimed in from the sideline.
Robinho glanced over at Kanté, who had just robbed him of the ball. It was his first close encounter with the diminutive French midfielder.
Kanté, ever polite by nature, instinctively wanted to flash a friendly smile—but then he remembered Ethan's orders to stay aggressive.
"I need to be fierce…"
He bared his teeth, attempting a menacing expression.
But to Robinho, Kanté looked more like a sheepdog trying to act tough—baring his teeth, tail metaphorically wagging. He clearly wanted to channel a feral wolf, but his gentle demeanor betrayed him.
Still, in that moment, the smile struck Robinho differently. It didn't look like sportsmanship—it looked like mockery.
"Don't get cocky, kid!" Robinho snapped as he stepped up to Kanté.
Kanté wasn't much of a talker, but he idolized Jamie Vardy—who never lost a verbal exchange on the pitch. Trying to think of a Vardy-style comeback, Kanté rummaged through his mind... but came up blank.
Before he could respond, Robinho had already moved away to receive a pass.
Kanté's interception had sparked a Luton counterattack. Drinkwater attempted a long ball over the top, but Vincent Kompany read it well and headed it clear, allowing Manchester City to regain control.
Verbal sparring forgotten, Kanté quickly resumed his role, tracking Robinho closely and refusing to give him any space.