February 2, 2019.
The day before the 25th round of the Premier League, Jeremy Ling walked into the head coach's office at Carrington and pointed at the gloomy sky outside the window.
"Boss, the weather's really nice today."
"Just say what you want to say directly," Jose Mourinho closed the folder on his desk, his face full of resignation.
In truth, he had a vague idea of why his captain had come to see him.
It was about Harry Maguire.
"It's about yesterday's recovery training. I think Harry's condition is pretty good physically and mentally. I was wondering if we could give him another chance to start tomorrow." Ling decided to get straight to the point.
If Maguire were benched because of that comical, unforced handball incident against Crystal Palace, it would undoubtedly have a massive, potentially permanent impact on his morale and form.
In the original timeline, after the 2018 Champions League final, Loris Karius's career was completely ruined because of those two massive mistakes against Real Madrid.
Although Maguire's situation was somewhat simpler and less high-stakes, no one could say for sure how the psychological trauma might develop.
Mourinho slightly raised his eyes, a half-smile on his lips. "Aren't you angry that Harry cost us two points with such a basic, amateur mistake?"
"Boss, there's something I'm not sure if I should say," Ling continued, not waiting for Mourinho to interrupt.
"Some people aren't true leaders but try to act like one. Such people always lash out at others when they make mistakes. But a true leader takes the field knowing that everyone makes mistakes, and protects them when they do. Do you think I'm right?"
Before leaving for LA Galaxy, Zlatan Ibrahimovic had told Ling that, as captain, he shouldn't hesitate to aggressively criticize and put intense pressure on his teammates to maintain standards.
However, Ling's own personality meant he could never bring himself to do those things.
So, he decided to stick to his own approach: when things aren't going well, he would be the first to step up and shoulder the responsibility.
"You little rascal, are you insulting me too?" Mourinho pointed at Ling, laughing and scolding. "But you're underestimating me, Jeremy. Do you really think I'm that unreasonable?"
Although Mourinho was famously strict and demanding with his players, he wasn't heartless.
On the contrary, compared to other managers, he understood better how to protect his players when it mattered most.
For example, yesterday, Mourinho had told the media.
"Some of the things written and said online have a very negative impact on my players. Perhaps the pundits think the players should be perfect robots exactly as they imagine. But my players aren't like that. They are human. They work incredibly hard on the pitch. I can only say you media people are so foolish for targeting Harry."
Anyone familiar with Mourinho would instantly understand his tactic—he was purposely using strong, combative language to draw media attention toward himself and shield his players from the intense external criticism.
He had been effectively using this diversionary tactic since his Porto and Inter Milan days.
"Boss, I was just too worried," Ling scratched his head sheepishly. "Well, I'll let you get back to work. I still have a few sets of training to do."
With that, he quickly slipped out of the office, closing the door behind him.
"This kid, really," Mourinho muttered to himself, shaking his head fondly before turning back to his laptop, which was playing tactical footage of Atlético Madrid's recent matches.
For Manchester United, the absolute most crucial match in February was the first leg against Diego Simeone's Atlético.
According to UEFA rules, the group winner plays away first and at home second.
So, Manchester United would have to travel to Spain first, which would certainly test the players' condition in a hostile environment.
...
Meanwhile, after returning to the training ground, Ling gave Maguire's big head a firm, encouraging pat.
"Harry, don't let that incident affect your mindset. Remembering mistakes, correcting them, and making up for the errors you've made—that's what an outstanding player should do."
"Ling, do you think the boss has lost trust in me?" Maguire asked anxiously, looking down.
"How could that be? You know the boss—he always gives people a second chance," Ling shook his head decisively.
Finally, he added with heartfelt sincerity, "Harry, don't let everyone down. Keep pushing!"
He had done all he could, the rest was up to Maguire himself.
Perhaps this incident was a devastating blow to the defender, but how one faces difficulties and setbacks is the truly important quality of a champion.
If Maguire couldn't bounce back from this, it would mean he simply wasn't cut out to be a top-level player.
Johan Cruyff once famously said, "Football is a game of mistakes. Whoever makes the fewest mistakes wins."
Without enough fighting spirit and perseverance to overcome those errors, one can never become an outstanding player, let alone be worthy of lifting trophies for Manchester United.
Maguire nodded vigorously as determination returning to his eyes.
...
February 3rd.
The 25th round of the Premier League began, with Manchester United facing Leicester City away at the King Power Stadium.
Martin Tyler: "Manchester United have fielded their full-strength lineup today. It seems the frustrating draw in the last match has put immense pressure on Mourinho to secure all three points. I wonder if the players' form has been affected..."
Gary Neville: "Well, they certainly don't look affected! Manchester United advances with a brilliant combination of wing and central play. They penetrate the Leicester midfield with crisp ground passes to get the ball right to Jeremy Ling's feet!"
Tyler: "Ling with a sublime backheel pass to Pogba! Pogba turns quickly and runs into the box! Beautiful movement from the Frenchman! He threads it through... LING IS THERE! He slots it into the far corner! A GOAL! Just three minutes into the first half, Manchester United has taken the lead. It seems the outside doubts were entirely unnecessary!"
The match flowed intensely.
Later in the half:
Martin Tyler: "Let's look at Leicester City's quick counterattack! James Maddison finds Jamie Vardy with pinpoint accuracy over the top!"
Gary Neville: "Eric Bailly closes in quickly, but Vardy cuts inside and breaks through the challenge!"
Tyler: "MAGUIRE! His timing on the cover is absolute perfection, making a crucial, clean interception for Manchester United against his former club! And he's not stopping there! He drives forward himself and launches a raking long pass to the left flank!"
Neville: "Rashford controls it in one touch, skips past his man, and sweeps it across the goalmouth!"
Tyler: "MAHREZ FOLLOWS UP WITH A VOLLEY! GOAL! Before the first half is even over, Manchester United is already two goals ahead. We can clearly see the determination in these United lads today."
Neville: "Sometimes, facing intense criticism isn't entirely a bad thing. It sharpens the mind."
By the final whistle...
Martin Tyler: "With goals from Ling, Mahrez, and Paul Pogba, Manchester United emphatically defeats Leicester City 3-0, silencing the doubters with cold, hard facts!"
...
On the bus back to Manchester, the atmosphere was noticeably more cheerful than on the way there, with smiles plastered on everyone's faces.
"Next up, we face Fulham. Let's aim for another big win, and then head to Madrid to take on Atletico!" Mahrez grinned.
Two consecutive convincing victories should clear away the previous gloom and restore Manchester United's morale to its absolute peak.
That would also drastically increase their chances of beating the Spanish giants.
"What's there to fear about Atletico? It's not like we haven't beaten them before in Europe," Marcus Rashford said, brimming with youthful confidence.
Lately, Rashford seemed to have entered a rapid growth phase under Mourinho, feeling his own technical improvement every day and getting more frequent playing time.
Things were going smoothly in his personal life too—he and his long-term girlfriend were planning to get engaged. In short, good fortune brings high spirits.
"Never let your guard down, Marcus. Atlético Madrid is only stronger than they were six months ago, especially in defense," Assistant coach Rui Faria stood up at the front of the bus to address the squad.
"Simeone's high pressing combined with aggressive man-marking ensures that every single step the opponent takes with the ball is met with fierce resistance and tackles. They've already climbed to second place in the La Liga standings."
"Right," Ling chimed in, having recently watched quite a few Atlético matches himself. "Atlético also tends to use intense physical duels to ruthlessly wear down the opponent's stamina in the first half, then strengthen their attack through quick substitutions in the second half."
Mourinho nodded silently upon hearing this. In truth, the Portuguese tactician already had a devious idea in mind: to play a brutal war of attrition in the first leg of the Champions League.