The following day, the dust finally settled on the 28th round of the Premier League, and the results brought few surprises to the footballing world, though the implications were massive.
At the Emirates, Manchester City dismantled Arsenal with a clinical 3-0 victory.
Leroy Sané, Bernardo Silva, and David Silva all found the back of the net, showcasing the terrifying depth of Pep Guardiola's squad.
Notably, seventeen-year-old Phil Foden made a substitute appearance; if City managed to secure the title, the youngster was on track to set a new Guinness World Record as the youngest Premier League winner...
For Arsenal, however, the performance was another bleak chapter in a fading era, raising a pertinent question among pundits: across Europe's top five leagues, which players have maintained a goal-per-game average over the last three seasons?
The list is short: Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Yet, despite his pedigree, Aubameyang—who once dreamed of the Bernabéu but landed in North London—looked lost.
He was a Ferrari stuck in traffic, struggling to adapt to a disjointed team.
This lack of impact was keeping Arsène Wenger awake at night.
The Frenchman knew the ultimatum from the board was real: secure a top-four finish or face the termination clause in his contract, a golden handshake of £9 million that would signal the end of his dynasty.
...
Across North London, the mood was even darker as Tottenham Hotspur appeared to be in a freefall.
Following a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Juventus in the Champions League, they suffered a shock 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace in the league.
The gap between them and Liverpool had shrunk to a mere two points.
It was clear to everyone that Spurs were suffering from a severe hangover.
The 7-0 humiliation at the hands of Manchester United hadn't just been a loss; it was a trauma.
It had shattered their spirit and confidence, leaving the players looking like ghosts on the pitch...
Mauricio Pochettino sat in a dimly lit office, the air thick with smoke. The glow of a cigarette ember was the only light in the gloom as he stared at the wall.
The loss to Crystal Palace was a bitter pill to swallow.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka, a young fullback with telescopic legs, had completely neutralized Son Heung-min, paralyzing Tottenham's left flank.
The board had tried to comfort Pochettino, promising a war chest for the summer transfer window and guaranteeing his job for another season, but the reassurance offered little comfort to him.
Pochettino knew that money in the summer didn't solve the crisis of morale in the present.
He needed a big win to snap the team out of their depression, but looking at the fixture list, he felt a cold dread.
They had to travel to Turin to face Juventus, followed by a gauntlet of matches against Newcastle, Stoke, Chelsea, and Manchester City.
Even the "weaker" teams like Stoke and Newcastle were terrifying at this stage of the season. Relegation-threatened clubs fought like wounded animals, their combat effectiveness doubling as they scrambled for survival.
Winning those games was a coin toss; dominating them seemed impossible.
As the ashtray on his desk filled up, Pochettino realized the shadow of that 7-0 defeat was hard to erased.
...
While managers fretted, the internet was buzzing.
Fans from all over the world flooded social media platforms and forums to dissect the weekend's action, with much of the focus remaining on Manchester United's recent performances and the tight title race.
"Did you see that dribble from Ling against Kante? That was a violation! Put it in the textbooks immediately."
"His movement is scary. He's playing a different game to everyone else."
"Folks, the betting odds are out—Manchester City and United are almost even."
"Imagine if they finish level on points. Does it go to goal difference? Or head-to-head?"
"It's goal difference first. If that's tied, it's goals scored. Honestly, check the rulebook, but it's going to be tight."
"Looking at the calendar, it's already March. United's run-in actually looks decent: Palace, Brighton, Sevilla in the Champions League, Liverpool, and Swansea. Only Liverpool and Sevilla are heavy hitters."
"Don't sleep on Swansea. Relegation teams turn into prime Brazil at this time of year."
...
While the fans speculated, a high-stakes meeting was taking place inside the sleek offices of the Carrington Training Ground.
The mood was serious as Manchester United's top executives gathered.
Ed Woodward, the Executive Vice-Chairman, sat at the head of the table, his hands clasped firmly in front of him.
Opposite him sat Jose Mourinho, looking typically unbothered.
"Jose," Woodward began, his tone polite but carrying a sharp edge of inquiry.
"I believe that with the current depth of the Manchester United squad, we should have been capable of competing on three fronts, shouldn't we? Success in the FA Cup would have facilitated our next operational steps and ensured a larger transfer budget for you next season."
Woodward was a polarizing figure.
As a former investment banker, he had taken over the operational reins after the legendary David Gill stepped down alongside Sir Alex Ferguson.
Under Woodward's watch, United had become a commercial juggernaut.
Commercial revenue had surged from 27% to 53% of the club's income, making United the envy of Europe financially.
However, Woodward viewed football through a spreadsheet.
He struggled to understand the nuances of the game, leading to frequent managerial changes and a scattergun transfer policy.
He had clashed with Mourinho recently over transfers.
Mourinho wanted tough, ready-made winners like Ivan Perisic and Harry Maguire. Woodward, wanting to establish his own legacy, preferred marketable young stars.
He had refused to sell Anthony Martial in the winter, believing the Frenchman could still be the next Thierry Henry and a marketing goldmine.
It took Ling's explosive rise and Mourinho's ultimatum to finally force the sale, a decision Woodward still seemingly resented.
Mourinho didn't flinch at the question.
He leaned back with a grim expression. "Fellaini, Blind, Rojo, and Herrera. They are all injured. They will miss weeks. We simply do not have the bodies or the capacity to fight in the League, the Champions League, and the FA Cup simultaneously."
He locked eyes with the executive. "My view is straightforward. We have been eliminated from the domestic cups, and perhaps that is a blessing in disguise. We must focus all our energy on the two biggest prizes. The Premier League and the Champions League. Everything else is a distraction."
It was a decisive shut-down.
Mourinho knew that United had fought tooth and nail to sit atop the Premier League table.
To jeopardize that for the sake of the FA Cup would have been foolish.
He was willing to gamble his reputation on the big trophies.
Mourinho then shifted the topic to business. "Speaking of the squad, Ling's performances are undeniable. His agent, Jorge Mendes, has approached me. They want to renegotiate the salary package and increase the goal bonuses."
Woodward's demeanor changed instantly.
The mention of Ling brought a smile to his face and the banker in him taking over.
"Agreed. We have discussed this internally. Since Ling secured a regular starting spot, our merchandise sales in the Asian market, particularly China, have increased by 37% year-on-year. That is a staggering number."
Woodward nodded, tapping his pen on the table. "Improving his contract is appropriate. It's a good business."
Woodward knew he had to tread carefully.
The internal politics at Manchester United were complex.
While he was the Glazer family's man, United's poor performances over the last five years had put a target on his back.
He glanced subtly to his side at Richard Arnold.
Arnold was the Group Managing Director. He had recently closed massive sponsorship deals with Chevrolet and Adidas worth billions.
Arnold was competent, successful, and sitting right there, ready to step in should Woodward stumble.
Securing Ling—the club's new golden goose—was a move Woodward couldn't afford to mess up.