Chapter 562: Unexpected
Fernandinho had just returned to the penalty area but was a step too late to mark Harry Kane. Watching Kane score so easily in front of their goal, he angrily threw his hands down and cursed, "Damn it!"
"2-2! It's 2-2! Manchester United have equalized again!"
"Trailing twice and equalizing twice, this Manchester United team has shown incredible resilience! They remain unbeaten this season not just because they're good at playing from the front but because they have immense tenacity in adversity. They've been behind multiple times this season, yet they've always managed to equalize or even come back to win!"
"It seems that City's various humiliating records might continue!"
The previously raucous Etihad Stadium fell silent. Over 50,000 City fans collectively entered a state of silence, many staring blankly at the celebrating United players below, their eyes filled with bewilderment.
Ederson was visibly unhappy with his teammates' defense. He yelled at the defenders, "Mark your men! Where the hell were our defenders?!"
No one answered him; everyone hung their heads, looking deeply frustrated and dejected.
Facing such a strong and resilient opponent, winning against them seemed nearly impossible.
As City's on-field captain, Kompany also felt disappointed, but he only allowed himself to feel this way for a few seconds before snapping back to reality—he was the captain. Now wasn't the time for disappointment.
It was only the 58th minute; there were still 32 minutes left in the game. Even if they couldn't win, they couldn't afford to lose. If they could hold on for a draw, trailing by eight points with six games remaining, it wasn't impossible to make a comeback. After all, they had done it six years ago.
He ran to the goal, picked up the ball, and ran back to the center circle, placing the ball on the center spot, waiting for the kickoff.
While United players were still celebrating, he used the time to think about how they could break United's defense. More long shots? Combining wings and center play? Individual breakthroughs? Set pieces?
The goal of the attack was to get the ball into the opponent's penalty area as much as possible; only then could they pose a threat.
But with United boasting the strongest defense in the Premier League and even Europe this season, getting the ball in was extremely difficult.
Before this match, United had only conceded 16 goals in 31 Premier League games. Even with today's two goals, they had only conceded 18, which was 11 fewer than the team with the second fewest, Tottenham!
Looking across Europe's top five leagues, Atlético Madrid had conceded the fewest goals in La Liga with 14 in 30 games. Juventus led Serie A with 18 goals conceded in 31 matches. Bayern Munich had let in 21 goals in 29 Bundesliga matches. Paris Saint-Germain also conceded 21 goals in 31 Ligue 1 games.
This United team didn't just have the best attack but also the best defense in Europe, making them a daunting opponent.
Kompany recalled that City had only really dominated at the start of each half, taking advantage of United being off-guard to score two goals. Other than those periods, they hadn't created many threatening opportunities.
"There's a significant gap in strength," Lineker shook his head, seeing the silent City captain. "United have become very mature after two seasons under Mourinho. City, on the other hand, are still in a rebuilding phase. In many positions, United players are on a different level."
"Modern football is a high-investment, high-reward industry. Over the past two years, United have been the biggest spenders in the Premier League and all of Europe, and they have the best results to show for it. They won all six possible trophies last season and remain unbeaten in all competitions this season."
"City's spending, while second only to United, is still significantly lower by about 260 million euros. Their net spending is 220 million euros less than United's. This huge investment gap quickly reflects in their performance."
"However, it's not that City's management is unwilling to spend but that they can't spend more due to Financial Fair Play regulations."
"In fact, City's spending over the past two seasons has already put them at risk of violating Financial Fair Play principles, and there's already an investigation into their finances."
"Why can United spend nearly without limit? It ties back to their strong revenue capabilities. As the most profitable football club in the world, United's recent revenue figures are enviable."
"Before Mourinho joined, United's commercial revenue for the 2015-2016 season was 689 million euros, a club record and a record in football. They surpassed Barcelona and Real Madrid, leading by 60 million euros."
"In the 2016-2017 season, with signings like Bruno and a resurgence in performance, United's commercial revenue reached 776 million euros, breaking their own record and exceeding Real Madrid by 100 million euros."
"This season, if United win the Champions League and Premier League, their revenue could exceed 900 million euros, widening the gap with Real Madrid to 150 million euros!"
"Such strong revenue capabilities, combined with the financial backing of their owner, Qatari Prince Jassim, allow United to continually spend big in the transfer market, signing any superstar they want!"
United's players finally finished celebrating and returned to the field, and the game resumed.
City had been twice ahead and twice pegged back, dealing a significant psychological blow to their players. In the subsequent match, they couldn't replicate their strong start to the second half.
Meanwhile, United's attacks grew sharper. Equalizing twice boosted their morale, restoring their invincible confidence, and they played with the feeling that they could score at will.
During this period, City had to revert to full defense, trying to prevent their goal from being bombarded.
Even City's midfield orchestrator, David Silva, had to devote all his energy to defense, joining Fernandinho and Mkhitaryan in building a wall in front of the defense.
While attacking wasn't yielding results, defensive work was simpler.
David Silva, not naturally a defender, had to step up, tirelessly running back and forth, intercepting passes, and challenging opponents.
Not only were City's three midfielders focused on defense, but even Bernardo Silva, a forward, was helping out just outside their penalty area.
Only United could pressure City like this. Even Real Madrid, Barcelona, or Bayern Munich might struggle to do so.
Time ticked away. Although United continued pressing, they still couldn't break through City's defense.
Most United players and the coaching staff, including Mourinho, were content with a draw, leading to a more conservative approach. Their attacks weren't as aggressive as right after the equalizer.
City, wary of United's powerful counterattacks, also refrained from going all out.
Both sides could accept a draw, but City couldn't afford to lose by overcommitting and giving United a counterattack opportunity.
With 15 minutes remaining, Bruno wasn't willing to settle for a draw. He needed to re-engage in the attack and find a way to break through.
Throughout their defensive phase, his mind never stopped working, seeking a solution. Unfortunately, he hadn't found one yet.
Bruno began attempting frequent long shots, hoping to find a way past City's goal. However, his efforts either went high, wide, or were saved by Ederson, while some were blocked by City's defenders.
As he drove forward with the ball again, City players knew to watch for his shots.
This time, as Bruno swung his right leg back to shoot while running, Fernandinho turned to block the shot with his back.
But Bruno missed the ball as it bounced unexpectedly off the grass, swinging his leg in vain!
It was a comical mistake, but no City fans laughed. They noticed Bruno's right leg swung up, causing his body to jump, while his left foot poked the falling ball, unexpectedly passing it to the wing!
Neither Fernandinho nor other City players anticipated Bruno's move. Even Bruno and his teammates were caught off guard.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10