Chapter 496: The Red Derby
October 14, 12:30 PM. Anfield. The 8th round of the Premier League. Manchester United faces Liverpool away.
This is a showdown between the two strongest historical powerhouses in English football.
Compared to Manchester United's flawless seven consecutive wins without conceding a goal, Liverpool's record is less impressive. Klopp's team has managed only 3 wins, 3 draws, and 1 loss, sitting seventh on the table.
This match is a must-win for Liverpool.
Although Liverpool made some reinforcements during the summer transfer window, it pales in comparison to Manchester United's extensive signings.
However, in the Red Derby, history, current form, and even team strength often do not determine the outcome.
Historically, there have been many instances where the team in better form or with less strength still came out victorious.
In this match against Manchester United, Klopp's team aggressively took the initiative from the start, launching wave after wave of attacks toward United's goal amid the thunderous rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone" at Anfield.
In the first ten minutes, Liverpool's possession rate was as high as 63%.
In the third minute, Henderson made a brilliant pass to the right, Salah delivered it into the box, and Coutinho tried to pass to Firmino, but Van Dijk, making his return from injury, suddenly stepped in to clear it, disrupting Liverpool's first attack.
A minute later, another pass from Henderson saw Salah shoot with his left foot from the middle of the box, but it lacked power.
Two minutes later, Coutinho passed to right-back Gomez, who took a shot from 25 meters out.
In the seventh minute, Wijnaldum intercepted the ball in midfield, and Salah tried to break into the box but was successfully tackled by Cancelo, who knew Salah's style well from their time together at Udinese.
In the ninth minute, Firmino took a long shot from outside the box after evading a defender, but De Gea easily saved it.
A minute later, Wijnaldum tried a long shot from over 30 meters out, but it went wildly off target.
…
The first ten minutes saw Liverpool completely dominate the game, forcing United into a defensive stance.
In this match, Gundogan's role was primarily defensive in midfield, especially protecting the backline alongside Kante.
Liverpool found it hard to break through United's defense down the middle and had to resort to long-range shots frequently.
Under intense pressure away from home, it wasn't until the 15th minute that United began to find their rhythm. The right wing, with Mbappe and Valencia, became their active attacking zone, but Klopp paid great attention to defending their left flank, with Moreno and even Coutinho often dropping back to help.
Seeing no breakthrough on the right, Bruno frequently changed his position, often appearing on the left wing.
As time went on, both teams had their offensive and defensive moments.
Manchester United's most threatening attack came in the 33rd minute. Valencia made a quick advance on the right, coordinated with Bruno, and crossed into the box. Harry Kane headed it on.
Bruno, sprinting diagonally into the box from the right, reached the ball at the edge of the six-yard box and headed it towards goal.
However, this close-range header was caught by Liverpool's goalkeeper Mignolet.
Harry Kane raised his hand apologetically, acknowledging that he couldn't direct the header properly due to Matip's interference, causing it to go slightly high.
Bruno was also a bit frustrated, as he instinctively headed Kane's pass but didn't do it well, and with Mignolet well-positioned, the goal eluded him.
But Bruno quickly adjusted his mindset and continued patiently seeking opportunities.
…
Just before halftime, Harry Kane dropped back to receive the ball and passed it forward. Bruno swiftly broke away from Emre Can and successfully timed his run to beat the offside trap, charging into the box. As he dribbled past Mignolet and prepared to shoot, Liverpool's Lovren quickly used his body to block. At that moment, Lovren's arm clearly extended, causing Bruno's shot to deflect off his hand and go out for a corner.
Bruno quickly appealed to the referee, arguing that it was a deliberate handball, as Lovren's arm was obviously extended.
"If his arm hadn't been out, my shot would have gone in!" Bruno asserted confidently.
However, the referee dismissed Bruno's appeal, insisting his decision was correct, leaving Bruno frustrated as he walked back.
As Lovren passed by, he patted Bruno on the shoulder lightly, clearly feeling uneasy about the incident, whether intentional or not.
…
"That was undoubtedly a handball! But we have to move past this misjudgment and focus on the second half."
During the halftime break, in the visiting team's locker room, Mourinho replayed the slow-motion footage.
It was a handball, there was no doubt about it. Whether intentional or not, it was definitely a handball.
After battling for forty-five minutes, the players felt visibly fatigued; Liverpool's strength was evident.
"As I mentioned before the match, Liverpool's defensive issues are mainly concentrated in the holding midfield position."
Mourinho pointed to a large rectangular area in front of Liverpool's box on the tactical board.
The lineup showed Mignolet in goal, with a backline of Moreno, Lovren, Matip, and Gomez. The midfield consisted of Wijnaldum, Henderson, and Emre Can, while the front three were Coutinho, Firmino, and Salah.
"Frankly, I'm not satisfied with our first-half performance. We didn't start well; we should have been in control, but Liverpool took the initiative, and we failed to execute our game plan effectively."
Mourinho moved the markers representing United's players on the board.
"As we discussed, we need to stretch Liverpool's midfield from the wings and half-spaces. They usually have only Henderson in that area, and if we can pull him out of position, our late-arriving players will have opportunities."
…
Mourinho's plan for exploiting the half-spaces included not just Mbappe and Rashford but also the central areas.
Both Bruno and Gundogan were adept at arriving late and taking long shots.
Bruno, having played against Henderson before, acknowledged his passing ability but believed he and Gundogan could find gaps in his defense.
The main challenge was Germany's Emre Can, who stood like a titan in front of Liverpool's box, making it tough to break through.
But one player couldn't cover everything; Can alone couldn't stabilize the midfield. This was why Liverpool had conceded frequently this season, including a 5-0 thrashing by Manchester City.
"Let me handle it!" Bruno volunteered, standing up.
The team looked at him with admiration in their eyes.
Facing Liverpool and stepping up in such a moment showcased Bruno's courage and leadership.
With such a captain, who wouldn't be inspired?
"I'll take on the responsibility of driving forward with the ball, drawing defenders, while others find the space," Bruno explained.
A core player's role often goes beyond just scoring; they also need to take on additional responsibilities.
Especially since core players are usually heavily marked by the opposition.
…
Currently, in the United squad, no one had Bruno's all-around capabilities.
Rashford and Mbappe on the wings loved long solo runs and dribbles, often solving problems single-handedly, but their overall game view was lacking.
As for Kante and Gundogan, their positions were too deep to draw as much defensive attention as Bruno.
On the bench, there were many who could dribble, but few could reliably draw defenders and then distribute the ball effectively. Even Mata couldn't fully accomplish this.
But Bruno could.
"I'll focus on pulling defenders," Harry Kane also volunteered.
"Matip hasn't been in good form this match; watch out for him," Bruno advised Harry Kane.
Bruno had already noticed Matip's form during their earlier offside attempts.
Though Matip was Klopp's chosen addition to Liverpool, his abilities weren't top-tier. Rumor had it Liverpool was looking for elite defenders to rebuild their defense.
Bruno knew that if United hadn't acted quickly to sign Van Dijk from Southampton last summer, Liverpool might have already secured the Dutchman.
Now, with Van Dijk in United's colors, it was unlikely he'd ever wear Liverpool's kit.
…
"United has moved the ball to the right."
"Passed to Bruno!"
"Bruno makes a quick start, cuts inside with a sharp move!"
"Beautiful!"
…
Beep!
As the referee blew the whistle, Moreno got up from the grass, breathing heavily.
Bruno was still lying nearby, unhurt but clearly excited.
Damn kid!
Moreno cursed silently as he slowly retreated.
Just before halftime, Bruno had broken through the offside trap, even dribbling past Mignolet. If not for Lovren's body block and potential handball, United might have scored.
This major error led to harsh criticism from Klopp during the halftime break, clearly unhappy with his defense's mistake.
Moreno felt a burning frustration inside.
(End of Chapter)
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