The next day, after all matches of Matchday 24 concluded and the British media swarmed like sharks smelling blood in the water.
United's invincible aura had been punctured by Burnley, and the press was ready to feast.
Sky Sports:THE STREAK ENDS! Burnley Shock United at Old Trafford.
BBC Sport:Injury Crisis Deepens: Ibrahimović, Carrick, Blind, and Bailly Ruled Out for Weeks.
The Mirror:Man City 3-1 Newcastle: Sergio Aguero Hat-trick closes the gap to Three Points.
As the two Manchester clubs were the undisputed heavyweights of the season, every slip-up was magnified under the microscope.
United suffering their first league defeat of the season didn't just give Manchester City hope; it reignited the faint dreams of the chasing pack.
Liverpool, Chelsea, and Tottenham all looked at the table and thought: If Burnley can do it, why can't we?
For rival fans, the dominant era of Sir Alex Ferguson had left deep psychological scars.
Seeing United stumble, even slightly, was a cause for celebration.
Reddit / r/reddevils & r/soccer
@ABU_4Life:The mask slips. A single snowflake can trigger an avalanche. United have been lucky all season. Now the luck runs out.
@UnitedFaithful:Calm down. It's one loss. We are still top. But the injuries are worrying. No Bailly, no Zlatan. We are thin.
@TacticalTim:The attack is fine with Ling and Lukaku. The issue is the defense. We can't rely on forwards tracking back 90 minutes every game. It kills our transition speed.
@DeGeaSaves:You're overlooking the most important point: How long can Dave stay in God Mode? He is our only reliable defender right now. If he dips, we are in trouble.
@TransferMuppet:It's January 23rd. Why hasn't Ed Woodward signed anyone? Is he on holiday? We need reinforcements NOW.
@CityZen:We are closing in on Aymeric Laporte from Bilbao. £57m. Done deal. What are United doing?
@RedArmy:We should hijack Laporte!
@Insider:Laporte rejected United for City before. He wants Pep. Forget him. We need a warrior.
@MourinhoEra:We need a center-back. Lindelof is improving, but is he ready for a title fight? Rojo is made of glass. Smalling and Jones are... well, Smalling and Jones. Good servants, but inconsistent.
....
Carrington: The Manager's Office
While the fans debated on Twitter, the lights in the main office at Carrington burned late into the night.
Jose Mourinho sat behind his mahogany desk, rubbing his temples.
A half-empty cup of espresso sat cold beside a stack of scouting reports.
Thanks to United's explosive first half of the season, Mourinho had regained the absolute trust of the Glazers and Ed Woodward.
The chequebook was open. He had €100 million to spend.
Originally, the plan was to sign a winger.
But plans change.
Mourinho looked at the depth chart. Left Wing: Ling, Rashford, Martial.
"We are fine there," Mourinho muttered, crossing out a few names. "Ling is covering so much ground, he's like two players."
The priority was the spine. Central defense and central midfield.
He picked up a file. Samuel Umtiti.
The Barcelona defender had a €60 million release clause.
In this market, that was a steal.
But Mourinho knew the complications. Signing Umtiti meant offloading Daley Blind (who Barcelona wanted) or Marcos Rojo.
It was messy.
He picked up another file. Mateo Kovačić.
The Real Madrid midfielder was unhappy with his minutes.
His technical ability was similar to Pogba's—he could carry the ball, break lines, and resist the press.
He would be the perfect insurance policy for when Pogba was rested or injured.
Then, Mourinho turned his attention to a name that wasn't officially on the market, but one he knew well.
David Luiz.
The Brazilian had returned to Chelsea last summer and been pivotal in Antonio Conte's title win.
He had matured, cutting out the PlayStation-style defending to become a reliable sweeper.
But this season? Chaos.
Following a dressing room bust-up after a Champions League game against Roma, Conte had frozen him out. Luiz wasn't injured. He wasn't suspended. He was simply exiled to the stands.
Mourinho tapped his pen on the desk.
He knew Luiz. He knew that despite the "Sideshow Bob" hair and the joker persona, Luiz was a winner. And right now, United needed winners.
His phone buzzed on the desk.
Mourinho glanced at the screen. It was Marina Granovskaia, Chelsea's fearsome director of football.
Marina:[Jose. We know you want a CB. Conte wants a forward. How about a swap? We give you David Luiz + Cash. You give us Ling. Name your price.]
Mourinho stared at the phone for a full five seconds.
Then, a dark, incredulous laugh bubbled up from his chest.
"Is she fucking drunk?"
He had always found Marina difficult—she was a brilliant negotiator who scrutinized every penny.
But this? This was delusional.
Chelsea were desperate to offload Luiz's wages. United held all the cards. And she wanted the hottest prospect in world football?
Mourinho typed his reply with aggressive thumbs.
Jose:[800 million. Pounds. Cash up front.]
He hit send and threw the phone onto the sofa. There was no room for negotiation on his star boy.
....
A few days later, the tickers on Sky Sports News turned yellow.
BREAKING:HENRIKH MKHITARYAN JOINS ARSENAL.
Fee reported to be £34 million. The Armenian midfielder leaves Old Trafford after 18 months.
BREAKING:MANCHESTER UNITED IN ADVANCED TALKS FOR DAVID LUIZ.
The Chelsea defender is undergoing a medical at Carrington. Fee undisclosed.
....
At the Carrington training ground, the mood was bittersweet.
Transfers are part of the business.
Few players live the fairy tale of the "One Club Man" like Giggs or Scholes anymore. But saying goodbye is never easy.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan was clearing out his locker.
He looked relieved.
Mourinho's pragmatic, defensive structure had stifled the creativity of the former Bundesliga Player of the Year.
He needed freedom.
He needed a manager who wouldn't scream at him for failing to track a fullback in the 90th minute.
Arsene Wenger had promised him exactly that. "Come to Arsenal. Play football. Don't worry about the rest."
It was an offer he couldn't refuse.
The United players lined up to wish him well.
When it was Ling's turn, the atmosphere softened.
"Henrik," Ling said, pulling the Armenian into a warm hug. "I think London will suit you. Wenger plays beautiful football. You're going to remind everyone how good you are."
To be honest, Ling was sad to see him go.
Mkhitaryan pulled back, holding Ling by the shoulders.
He looked at the young star seriously.
"Ling, listen to me," Mkhitaryan said quietly. "Don't let them run you into the ground. You train like a machine, but you have a long career ahead. Protect your body. That is the most important thing."
Ling smiled, raising an eyebrow playfully. "Don't worry, Mkhi. I'll be careful. But watch out... next time we meet on the pitch, I might have a few new tricks to surprise you."
Mkhitaryan laughed, but a jolt of genuine concern went through him.
He had watched Ling evolve over the last six months from a raw talent into a monster.
'I have to play against him now,' Mkhitaryan realized with a sudden pang of regret.
'Good luck to our defense i guess.'
"Goodbye, my friend," Mkhitaryan said, picking up his box of belongings. "See you at the Emirates."
As Mkhitaryan walked out the door, Mourinho was already waiting in the hallway, shaking hands with a tall figure with a mass of curly hair.
The reinforcements had arrived!
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