Liverpool's corner was taken.
Van Dijk, wary of Manchester United's counterattacks, stayed in midfield to mark Ling closely.
Neither Matip nor Maguire managed to win the first ball, which was eventually cleared by Luke Shaw with a powerful kick.
The ball sailed across half the field toward the center circle.
Ling quickly anticipated the landing point and started moving early, but Van Dijk didn't lag behind in the slightest. The two engaged a fierce physical battle on the spot!
"This guy's physicality is truly terrifying, even though I'm taller and heavier!" Van Dijk was pushed back half a step, silently grumbling to himself.
His physical attributes were arguably top-tier in football—standing 1.92 meters tall and weighing 91 kilograms, he possessed not only formidable strength but also impressive explosiveness.
This season, he had single-handedly defended against many speedy forwards, even setting a record of not being dribbled past for 13 consecutive rounds, only to have it broken by Ling in the North West Derby.
Thus, Van Dijk didn't think about going head-to-head with Ling but instead directed his teammates to cut off Ling's passing options.
No matter how strong you are, can you handle everything alone? Of course not.
Ling headed the ball back to Pogba, who was disrupted by Fabinho, resulting in a poor-quality pass.
"Mahrez couldn't get to the ball, and it was cleared out of bounds by Robertson."
"Through these two rapid transitions between attack and defense, we can see Liverpool's mobility and the limitations of Manchester United's attacking play in the final third."
"First, let's talk about Liverpool. After losing possession, they retreat quickly, promptly setting up a defensive line in their own half to slow down Manchester United's counterattacks."
"Now, about Manchester United. With both wingers positioned deeper, Jeremy Ling has no support in the attacking third. Moreover, due to the immense pressure from Van Dijk, Ling has no chance to settle the ball. This is a crucial defensive strategy."
"In Manchester United's previous attacks, Ling often acted as the playmaker, orchestrating secondary attacks in the final third. But now, he doesn't have that opportunity."
Carragher spoke confidently into the microphone.
Neville sat beside him with a dark expression. Although Carragher's words were unpleasant, they held some truth.
In counterattacks from defense to attack, Manchester United's mobility was relatively weak.
Previously, Ling would hold the ball to create time and space for his teammates.
But now, he faced immense pressure with no nearby teammates to support him.
The result was a stuttering attack.
Ling frowned as he looked at Van Dijk, silently calculating in his mind.
Liverpool clearly placed their bets on their attacking play, aiming to suppress Manchester United's defense with relentless pressure, thereby easing the burden on their own defenders.
Ling had seen this tactic before, but few teams in football were as relentless as Liverpool—arguably none.
"Continue with the previous tactics," Ling signaled to his teammates. In the ninety minutes of a football match, the one who laughs last is the winner.
Liverpool's tactics were bound to be extremely physically demanding.
Before the match, Mourinho had said, "Klopp's tactical philosophy is to create enough advantages in the first 60 minutes to compensate for issues later in the game. But as long as we hold on during the early stages..."
Using a compact defense to stifle Liverpool while conserving energy.
If Liverpool placed their bets on the early stages, Manchester United placed theirs on the later stages.
The two teams were competing to see who would crack under pressure first.
...
Unknowingly, fifteen minutes passed.
Manchester United's defensive line retreated further and further, seemingly Parking the Bus in front of their goal.
This gave Liverpool fans an opportunity to mock them.
"Damn Manchester bastards, hiding behind that ugly turtle shell of a defense!"
"Still calling yourselves a top club? Which top club Parks the Bus? Stop lying to yourselves!"
"Cowards!"
"Why don't you Park a double-decker bus!?"
The voices of over two thousand Liverpool fans were quickly drowned out, failing to make even a ripple.
But Manchester United fans were also somewhat dissatisfied.
They believed that whenever the opponent was Liverpool, the team should attack without hesitation, preferably making the Liverpool bumpkins bleed.
This passive, negative style of defense was simply not entertaining.
It's that age-old question again: which is more important, entertainment value or results?
Perhaps most people would choose results.
But as the trophies pile up, fans naturally start craving entertainment.
Mourinho stood on the sidelines, arms crossed as he gazed forward. He was actually a very stubborn man.
Though he had changed with age, the one thing that remained constant was his desire for victory.
He didn't care how beautiful the football was.
"Boss, can we really keep going like this? The pressure on our defense isn't being relieved—it's bound to explode before long." Faria's face was full of concern.
This tactic tested the players too much.
Any mistake could lead to serious consequences. And this was Manchester United's home ground.
Even if the match ended in a draw, it would be Manchester United who suffered!
"It's fine. Even if we concede, it doesn't matter. Remember what I said at the press conference?" Mourinho asked softly.
Faria thought carefully and instantly stopped panicking.
Taking the worst-case scenario—Manchester United conceding to Liverpool—he firmly believed the final winner would still be Manchester United!
Because there was a certain spirit within the Manchester United squad.
...
35th minute of the first half.
Liverpool's attacking pressure showed no signs of easing; if anything, it grew even more intense.
They continued to advance down the right flank.
McTominay didn't press in to tackle but instead chose a safer positioning, cutting off most of the opponent's passing lanes.
Seeing this, Salah didn't linger.
He accelerated forward, drawing in Luke Shaw and McTominay, and before the two could close him down, he used his explosive power to burst through!
Cheers erupted from the Liverpool fans.
McTominay decisively committed a tactical foul, but the Egyptian King merely staggered slightly, withstanding the challenge and smoothly slipping into the penalty area.
As Maguire's attention was drawn to the center, Firmino made a run into the right forward space, and Salah delivered the pass perfectly.
The Handsome Brazilian didn't pass again!
"A push to the far post!"
"De Gea makes a world-class sav—"
Neville's voice cut off abruptly. He saw the ball rebound back into the penalty area, where Mane volleyed it into the net!
"Goal, goal, goal!!!"
"Under Liverpool's relentless pressure, Manchester United finally made a mistake—or perhaps it wasn't a mistake, but Liverpool simply executed too well!"
"Salah's sudden burst down the flank tore Manchester United's defense apart. And then everything became so simple!" Carragher roared, his face flushed red.
He had been waiting for this moment for far too long, and his pent-up emotions were finally released!
The Liverpool fans in the away stand were ignited by the goal.
They all rose to their feet, pumping their fists and shouting.
"Keep the damn Manchester United pinned in their own half!"
"I heard Manchester United has the most expensive forward in football, but I haven't seen him today. Is he sitting on the bench?"
"The so called invisible Manchester United number 7!"
This time, the voices of the Liverpool fans carried far and wide, echoing through Old Trafford.
Eventually, they reached the ears of the silent Manchester United fans.
They looked at the pitch in disbelief.
Even though Manchester United had been dominated by Liverpool in the early stages of the match, they still had full confidence in their team, believing that Manchester United would be the ones to break the deadlock first.
But the 0:1 score on the board clearly told the reality.
We're top of the Premier League table and last season's Champions League winners, how could we be trailing in the North West Derby?
Could we really be beaten by Liverpool?
...
Ling also heard those taunts.
He quickly walked over to the Manchester United players, clapping to get everyone's attention before saying in a relaxed tone.
"Don't worry too much about the score early in the match. Just remember the tactics we discussed before the game and execute them properly. Leave the rest to me!"
Invisible? He hadn't contributed much earlier, but that was within the overall tactical framework.
Once Manchester United switched back to attacking mode, he would make the Liverpool fans shut up.
For now, the priority was to stabilize the rhythm of the game and not let Liverpool capitalize on their momentum to extend the lead.
McTominay rubbed his head. "I hesitated a bit when committing the foul. I'll be more decisive next time."
He had actually let his guard down earlier because Salah was holding the ball, so he subconsciously assumed he wouldn't try to break through.
Then he was caught off guard and beaten.
"My positioning should also be more advanced, closing down with Scott earlier," Luke Shaw also proactively pointed out an issue.
"Yeah, Arnold isn't starting today, and Liverpool rarely overlap on the wings, so you can be bolder with your positioning," Ling reassured him.
As long as they could communicate, it meant there was no problem.
What he feared was everyone staying silent, as that would mean they were utterly demoralized.
Finally, he looked at De Gea. "David, can you step up a bit? You're the Premier League Golden Glove winner—don't let them score so easily."
"I made a bit of a mistake with the double save earlier. That won't happen again, as long as we don't let Liverpool take long shots." De Gea rinsed his gloves with water to increase their surface grip.
Then, as if remembering something, he raised an eyebrow and said to Ling, "Ling, you need to step up too. If you create more threats up front, we'll have less pressure at the back."
Ling nodded.
That was exactly what he was thinking. Even though Liverpool had cut off his passing options, did that mean he should go silent? Of course not.
If no one could support him, he would try to do it himself.
Forget whether he could succeed or not—if he didn't even dare to try, he'd be embarrassed to be earning the Premier League's top salary.
Besides, the player marking him was Van Dijk, the best center-back in the world right now.
Was he any weaker?
Mourinho often told him, "Human potential is limitless, but it's locked in a cabinet, and confidence is the key."
Ling never doubted his own potential—after all, he had a cheat!
No amount of confidence was unwarranted.
...
Beep!
With the whistle, the match resumed.
Ling passed the ball back to Pogba and sprinted straight toward Liverpool's defensive line, hovering near the offside line.
Would Liverpool dare to let Van Dijk mark him alone?
If Liverpool had any such thoughts, Manchester United would immediately launch a long pass.
"Liverpool's pressing rhythm seems a bit off," Neville racked his brains but couldn't figure out the real reason.
After all, he wasn't a great coach.
Mourinho, standing on the sidelines, provided the answer.
"If you overlay Liverpool's movements with Ling's positioning, you'll see he's disrupting Liverpool's press."
Faria still didn't quite understand.
"For example, if we're attacking on the right flank, Liverpool would press high with numerical superiority, right? But at the same time, Ling will run to the open space on the same side, forcing the Liverpool players to stay back. This prevents Liverpool from forming effective pressure." Mourinho could only explain it more simply.
Faria suddenly understood: "Sounds quite straightforward."
Hearing this, Mourinho almost laughed in exasperation—how could it possibly be that simple?
It required not only analyzing Liverpool's defensive setup but also guiding Manchester United's attacking direction.
Just that intricate running route alone, if it were Balotelli, his brain would probably have already crashed.
Moreover, it was only because the Liverpool players' stamina had dropped that Ling was able to break through Liverpool's press.
"The space in midfield has increased."
After receiving the ball again, Pogba had a clear feeling.
He had performed quite averagely before because there was too little space to hold the ball, but now he could finally play freely.
This time, Liverpool didn't want to be pinned back again and chose to press up aggressively to swarm Pogba.
But Pogba is the "Black Zidane."
He performed a V-drag to get past Fabinho, then played a through ball to Ling, who had dropped deep.
"Watch the left side!" Van Dijk shouted urgently.
Because Robertson's position was too far forward, he couldn't catch up with Mahrez.
If Ling could deliver a diagonal through ball while shielding the ball with his back, Van Dijk definitely wouldn't be able to intercept it, and Manchester United would have a one-on-one.
It had to be stopped!
Matip seemed to hear Van Dijk's thoughts.
He wasn't confident about taking the ball from Ling's feet, but he could take down the man. So he dragged and pulled Ling down.
Tweet!
The referee blew the whistle for a foul—a free kick for Manchester United in the attacking third.
"A yellow card to stop Manchester United's attack is quite acceptable for Liverpool."
"Pity, it's too close to the goal, making it a bit difficult."
Neville shook his head. And as he expected, the ball was caught cleanly by Alisson.
Ling, panting heavily, looked at the scoreboard.
The first half was almost over, and there probably wouldn't be much added time either.
Seeing signs of Manchester United gaining momentum, Liverpool decisively chose to strengthen their defense to stabilize the situation.
Finally, the first half ended: Manchester United 0-1 Liverpool.
Liverpool entered halftime with a lead!