The scene shifted to the pitch.
Pogba launched a long pass from midfield, and the ball swiftly dropped toward the right flank.
Marcus Rashford controlled it in one touch and was about to break through from the side.
But Nacho Monreal didn't give him the chance.
He anticipated the ball's trajectory and, the moment Rashford settled it, executed a precise tackle to clear it out of play.
Rashford got up from the turf, a sudden sense of loss washing over him.
He was at an age full of ambition, having initially secured the left winger position, but he never expected Ling to emerge so suddenly and steal his spot.
Although the two had a good relationship, he didn't want to remain a substitute or play in an unfamiliar right winger role.
Even after giving up all leisure activities, he still couldn't keep up with Ling's rapid development.
Today, he felt a long-lost sense of helplessness.
If that's the case...
Perhaps it would be better to leave Man United and join a team where he could get playing time, at least not wasting his youth.
As for playing as a central striker?
He actually quite liked the position, but Mourinho had once told him he wasn't suited to be Man United's number nine.
Because while he could create threats, he struggled against parked buses.
Hearing his teammates' calls, he snapped out of his thoughts and rejoined the attack.
In the following moments, Man United created several more chances, but Arsenal had luck on their side—the crossbar and post came to the rescue.
Perhaps fate wanted Wenger's 60th match against Man United to end with a respectable scoreline.
In the final moments of first-half stoppage time.
Ling suddenly came to an abrupt stop, shaking off Bellerin before curling a cross with his right foot into the center of the penalty area.
Lukaku and Koscielny leaped high to contest the header.
The former won the first ball, nodding a header towards goal, but under pressure, the effort lacked quality and sailed over the crossbar and out of play.
Tweet-tweet!
The referee immediately blew his whistle for halftime.
The Emirates Stadium erupted in enthusiastic applause.
Arsenal fans were quite satisfied with the scoreline.
After all, Man United were vastly different from previous years, having not only consecutively defeated the Premier League's top six but also climbed to the top of the table.
Surprisingly, however, the Man United fans weren't too disheartened either.
Facing a congested schedule of three matches in a week, if they could secure a draw today with minimal exertion...
Then, in their upcoming matches against Brighton and Watford, with their six-point lead over Man City, they would only need to win one more game to clinch the Premier League title.
Inside the away team's dressing room.
Mourinho's expression was slightly grim.
"I am very dissatisfied with your performance."
"Perhaps you think taking a point from the Emirates isn't bad, and it won't affect the league title race—it might even benefit our Champions League campaign."
"But if you adopt that mindset?"
"Would it also be acceptable to lose to Brighton in the next match? As long as we win the final game!"
Mourinho scanned the room, enunciating each word clearly.
"Think about how Man united threw away a league title that was within their grasp!? If you don't want to live with regret, give it your all."
The Man United players remained silent.
As professional footballers, their job was simply to focus on their roles and strive to win matches.
Off-field considerations were best left to the coaching staff.
Ling continuously massaged his calf muscles.
He was the least concerned about psychological issues, as the experiences from his past life were deeply ingrained, serving as a constant reminder.
His desire for victory, glory, and the future was no less than anyone else's.
In the home team's dressing room.
Wenger, as usual, allowed a few minutes for himself and the players to cool down before beginning his analysis.
"Our defense was solid in the first half. Perhaps we should have adopted this approach earlier."
"It proves that change isn't necessarily a bad thing."
"So after I leave, you must get used to adapting and embracing the new manager's tactics."
Cech removed his black tank hat, as if mourning silently for Wenger and for himself.
After all, at 36, how much longer could he play?
Perhaps he would retire in the next couple of years and switch to playing ice hockey.
Mkhitaryan felt a twinge of regret.
His main reason for joining Arsenal had been Wenger, whose philosophy of beautiful football had deeply attracted him.
Yet, less than three months after his arrival, Wenger was abruptly dismissed by Arsenal.
Who knew if the new manager would value him?
Had he known this would happen, he might have stayed at Man United, where he could have potentially won a league title.
Aubameyang's eyes were inscrutable, his thoughts unclear.
The fifteen-minute break passed quickly, and players from both teams returned to the pitch.
With the referee's whistle, Man United kicked off and swiftly advanced upfield.
The positions of Matic, Pogba, and Kovacic quickly shifted from a forward triangle to an inverted triangle, strengthening their control in midfield.
The side midfielder pushed forward aggressively, forcing Arsenal's full-back to track back defensively, thereby cutting off support to the midfield.
Ramsey and Xhaka, paired as the double pivot, found themselves under increasing pressure.
Out of sheer necessity, the attacking players had to drop back to help in defense, but this left the frontline lacking in offensive threat.
Man United's entire formation advanced, ultimately creating a vicious cycle for the Gunners.
In the 59th minute of the match.
"Pogba! Brilliant, he uses the Marseille turn to dribble past Iwobi!" Drury cried out.
"A quick one-two with Kovacic! He's broken through Arsenal's midfield!"
"What will he do next?"
"He's holding onto the ball a bit too long—Rashford has made a run into space on the right."
Beglin's tone carried a hint of dissatisfaction.
Seizing the opportunity, Xhaka charged over aggressively, closing him down with physical pressure.
As the player with the most yellow and red cards in the Arsenal squad, his defensive shortcomings were evident—his slow reactions often led to challenges that missed the ball and made contact with the player instead.
A cry of pain was heard from Pogba, who then collapsed to the ground.
The referee was about to blow his whistle but noticed the ball rolling toward Kovacic.
So, he gestured for play to continue.
For professional players, as long as the whistle hasn't blown, they don't stop.
"Mateo!"
Kovacic heard the familiar voice and instinctively glanced over.
Since joining Man United, his frequent extra training sessions with Ling had built a strong understanding between them.
Ramsey in the center, Bellerin on the flank—
In an instant, passing options flashed through Kovacic's mind. He leaned slightly and pushed the ball with the inside of his foot.
Tap!
With a crisp sound, the ball sliced through Arsenal's defense like a sharp scalpel.
The camera swiftly panned, revealing the back of Man United's number 7 at the center of the screen.
He seemed to have anticipated the ball's trajectory early, not only shaking off the tightly marking Bellerin but also finding one of the few gaps in Arsenal's defense.
Only Koscielny reacted in time.
He lunged toward the ball's expected path, aiming to intercept it midway.
He even had a counterattack plan ready after winning the ball.
Tens of thousands of fans at the Emirates Stadium stared intently at the ball.
Through countless hours of meticulous training, Ling had internalized Dennis Bergkamp's way of thinking, turning it into his own knowledge and muscle memory.
A conventional trap wouldn't work here—he had to take a risk!
His speed surged once more, his slightly long black hair flowing in the wind, scattering glistening beads of sweat.
Koscielny, judging the distance right, threw his entire body into a desperate slide tackle toward the ball.
It was the fastest and most precise tackle of his career!
No one could get past it!
But then he witnessed something unbelievable.
Ling's lightning speed suddenly decelerated. His right foot gently touched the ball while he shifted left!
Every movement was full of elegance and coordination.
Exuding boundless tension within limited space!
He flowed past the sliding Koscielny like water.
A stunning passing dribble that left everyone in awe!
Cech hadn't expected Ling to break through and was a split second late in coming out.
Ling used that moment to arc around the ball and calmly slot it into the far corner.
Thump!
Under countless tense gazes, the ball flew out, grazing Cech's fingertips, and crossed the goal line.
0-1!
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