Ling wiped sweat from his forehead. It was only the 10th minute, but he felt like he had played an hour.
He knew N'Golo Kante's task today was undoubtedly to restrict him, even if it meant sacrificing Chelsea's shape and giving Paul Pogba freedom on the other side.
It must be said that Antonio Conte's tactical design was clever.
Danny Drinkwater's defensive ability was certainly not on par with Kante's, but his long-range passing could link up with Eden Hazard in the attacking third.
Meanwhile, Hazard's dribbling prowess posed a significant threat to Manchester United's defense, forcing Pogba to drop deep and cover, effectively neutralizing the mismatch.
'No time to dwell on it.'
Ling moved quickly to receive a throw-in from Luke Shaw. He felt the presence behind him immediately.
He didn't turn.
He played a one-touch pass back to Nemanja Matic, denying Kante the chance to press and tackle.
When facing a player like Kante, you must be decisive. Any hesitation is death.
In their last encounter at Stamford Bridge, Ling had beaten Kante once, only for the Frenchman to reappear in front of him three seconds later.
It was like playing against his twins!
'What a nuisance...'
'So, how do you get past the "Unbeatable Kante"?'
Ling had previously studied this question carefully.
That means making tactical adjustments, using horizontal shifts and vertical runs to lure Kante into changing his movement direction, causing him to lose his effectiveness as a defensive shield.
However, while it sounds simple, executing it is extremely difficult.
Of course, there's another method: breaking through by sheer individual ability.
But Kante's expansive defensive coverage is complemented by his outstanding one-on-one defending ability.
He leverages his low center of gravity and quick movement to execute precise and rapid tackles.
Ling was certainly more interested in the second method, as his greatest strength lies in his dribbling skills.
Yet, in the following phase of the match, he didn't find a suitable opportunity and had to wait patiently.
Unconsciously, the match reached the 12th minute.
Andreas Christensen, recovering from his Barcelona nightmare, intercepted a pass intended for Romelu Lukaku.
He played a sharp diagonal ball to the left flank.
Danny Drinkwater laid it off to Marcos Alonso.
As soon as the Spaniard touched the ball, Old Trafford erupted.
BOOOOOOOOO!
The noise was deafening, vitriolic. It wasn't just rivalry; it was personal.
In 2011, Alonso had been involved in a drunk-driving accident in Madrid that resulted in the death of a 19-year-old woman.
He paid a €61,000 fine and received a driving ban, but avoided prison time. Football fans never forget.
Every time he touched the ball at away grounds, he was reminded of his past.
Alonso ignored the hate.
He showcased excellent footwork to evade Juan Mata and drove forward. He cut the ball inside to the center.
Eden Hazard collected it.
"Hazard one-on-one with Pogba!" Tyler shouted. "Look at the balance! He shifts right, then left! He's created space!"
Hazard dropped his shoulder, ghosting past Pogba's lazy leg. He was driving at the heart of the defense.
Suddenly, a figure with frizzy hair surged forward from the defensive line.
David Luiz.
Those who admire him call him an "aggressive ball-winning center-back."
Those who dislike him call him a "PlayStation defender"—controlled by a kid who holds down the sprint button.
This was the David Luiz who was humiliated 7-1 by Germany. But this was also the David Luiz who had won the Champions League.
If he missed this tackle, Hazard was through on goal.
But David Luiz didn't miss.
He stepped up with perfect timing, reading Hazard's feint. He crunched into the tackle, winning the ball cleanly and sending the Belgian stumbling.
"Beautiful!" Gary Neville cheered. "David Luiz shows no mercy against his former club! That is exactly why Mourinho played him! He steps into the midfield and wins it!"
"United on the break!"
David Luiz didn't just clear it; he passed it to Matic.
Ling saw the transition. He signaled for Luke Shaw to overlap.
Ling drifted inward from the left flank, dragging the defense with him.
Because Kante was man-marking him, Kante followed. Cesar Azpilicueta also tucked in, terrified of leaving space centrally.
This left the left wing completely wide open.
Matic saw the picture. He struck a diagonal pass into the space.
Smack!
The ball skidded across the wet turf.
Luke Shaw exploded.
When he first emerged at Southampton, Shaw was hailed as "Gareth Bale's successor."
He was a bullet train. But after his horrific leg break against PSV two years ago, the doubts had crept in.
Was he finished? Was he too heavy?
Mourinho had questioned his brain, his body, and his heart.
But today, Luke Shaw ran like he was 19 again.
He felt the wind rushing past his face. He burned past Victor Moses. He was free.
"He's rapid!" Neville shouted. "Look at Shaw go! He's catching up to his old self!"
Shaw reached the edge of the box. Lukaku was screaming for it in the middle. Ling was arriving late.
Shaw looked up and whipped a cross in.
Thump.
The ball sailed harmlessly over everyone's heads and landed straight in the gloves of Thibaut Courtois.
"Uh..." Tyler paused. "After all these years, Luke Shaw's crossing is... consistent."
"He passed it straight to the keeper."
"If Luke Shaw had Kieran Trippier's right foot, he would be the best left-back in the world. But alas."
...
@TacticalTim: The battle between Conte and Mourinho is intense. Kante is nullifying Ling, but Ling is dragging Kante out of position to create space for Shaw.
@RedArmy: Shaw's run was world-class. His cross was Sunday League.
@ChelseaBlue: Hazard is looking dangerous, but Luiz is playing like he has a point to prove. This is going to be a long afternoon.
@UnitedStand: Our midfield is too slow. Mata and Matic can't run. We rely on Ling for everything. If Kante shuts him down, do we have a Plan B?