At halftime, Jon Champion and Jim Beglin were chatting with fans during the broadcast.
Suddenly, Liverpool's substitution flashed onto the screen.
Everyone saw it at the same time.
Most viewers thought their eyes were playing tricks on them.
"Is this for real? Is this actually happening???"
"Who sent Leo Lin on—are they waiting for Cleverley to smash him to pieces?"
"Who told Klopp to make this change? Throwing a kid straight at Doucouré—are you joking?"
"This is madness! Liverpool must have lost it. I was still hoping for a second-half comeback, and now it's completely over!"
The instinctive reaction from almost every fan was the same: Leo Lin was about to get bulldozed by either Doucouré or Cleverley.
After all, Doucouré and Cleverley were powerfully built, muscles bulging—impossible to miss.
And in the minds of most fans, Leo Lin was still just an eighteen-year-old kid.
Liverpool had always developed Leo Lin as a kind of secret weapon. Even though highlights from his first youth-league match had gone viral, that was still youth football—against players his own age.
But now, he was stepping onto a Premier League pitch.
The most physically demanding league in Europe.
It wasn't just the current broadcast reacting—elsewhere in the stadium, reactions were just as intense.
In another studio inside the stadium, Neville, Gerrard, Jamie Carragher, and Drogba were repeatedly checking the team sheet.
Once it was confirmed the substitution was real, Manchester United legend Neville burst out laughing, openly mocking Gerrard and Carragher.
"That's it. You're panicking now."
Neville leaned back in his chair, legs crossed comfortably.
"Looks like all I need to do in the second half is sit back and enjoy the show. Him playing in the Premier League?"
"Dream on."
Moments later, the second half got underway.
Wearing the number 29 shirt, Leo Lin stepped onto the pitch and was immediately met by a wave of deafening boos from the Watford home crowd.
"You think you can stop our midfield? Keep dreaming!"
"Beating kids in youth football is one thing—taking on Doucouré is another!"
"I'm calling it now, Watford have won this already. No need to play the next forty-five minutes!"
Leo Lin turned toward the taunting fans and smiled confidently.
"Looks like Leo Lin isn't afraid at all. This kid's got real nerve," Jon Champion remarked.
Liverpool supporters still had their doubts, but they also hoped Leo Lin could produce something special.
"Stay steady," Lovren said, patting Leo Lin on the shoulder.
"We all believe in you."
Leo Lin nodded with a smile.
After the restart, Leo Lin immediately began roaming the midfield, staying close to Henderson to help stabilize Liverpool's defensive shape.
But Doucouré clearly had a plan, repeatedly carrying the ball toward Leo Lin's side.
"You can see it clearly—since the second half began, Doucouré has been deliberately driving at Leo Lin's channel, trying to find space there. Henderson has been covering well so far."
55th minute!
Doucouré drove forward again. As Henderson stepped in to cover, Doucouré suddenly played a sideways pass—his usual way of dealing with pressure, using quick combinations.
Doucouré exchanged a one-two with Cleverley and slipped past Henderson!
As Liverpool's final shield in midfield, Henderson was crucial—but now he'd been taken out of the play.
Doucouré received the return ball, turned, and surged forward. Only Leo Lin stood between him and a clear attacking chance.
Beat Leo Lin, and Watford could strike again.
A golden opportunity.
"Here's Doucouré!"
"One-on-one with Leo Lin—if he gets past him, Watford are in again!"
Leo Lin was fully focused, eyes locked on the ball at Doucouré's feet. He refused to bite on any feints.
Doucouré threw in two quick fake moves, then suddenly changed direction, ready to muscle past him. In his mind, this was just a kid fresh out of the youth setup.
What could this kid possibly do against him?
Then, in the next instant—
Leo Lin read it perfectly. He shifted with the move and smashed straight into Doucouré.
Doucouré was stunned. He tried to power through, attempting to shove Leo Lin aside.
But…
He quickly realized something was wrong.
Leo Lin was unbelievably strong. No matter how hard he drove, he couldn't budge him. Then the young midfielder forced Doucouré completely off the ball and cleanly won possession.
Jon Champion, who had been mid-warning, froze.
"Leo Lin needs to be careful—Doucouré is very strong…"
"Strong—"
"Oh my word!"
"What a tackle!"
"A powerful tackle!"
"A ferocious challenge!"
"Leo Lin wins it back from Doucouré—clean, timely, absolutely superb!"
In the Premier League studio, Neville instinctively grabbed his head. He couldn't believe what he'd just seen.
On the pitch, Leo Lin cushioned the ball, turned in one fluid motion, and instantly launched a counterattack.
No hesitation. No delay. The tempo shot up immediately.
"Leo Lin wins it!"
"Liverpool are breaking!"
In a heartbeat, attack and defense were flipped.
"Leo Lin drives forward with real conviction. Doucouré is chasing back, but pace isn't his strength!"
Leo Lin surged ahead relentlessly, charging through midfield as if no one were there, eyes fixed on the penalty area.
With no space left to retreat, the center-back had to step out.
"Britos steps up—that's a risky decision. Watford's box is opening up."
As a center-back, Britos committed fully, prepared for the ball to beat him—even if the man didn't.
Leo Lin carried the ball while scanning the pitch. Both wings were tightly marked. Ahead of him, Firmino looked ready to make a run in behind.
Leo Lin gave a subtle signal. Firmino understood instantly.
Instead of continuing the offside run, Firmino suddenly dropped off, shaking his marker and moving to Leo Lin's right.
Thump!
Leo Lin slid the pass across.
Firmino took it and laid it straight back.
"A wall pass!"
"A one-two!"
"And it's back to Leo Lin!"
Leo Lin had the ball, with only the goalkeeper left.
A chance like this—how could he miss?
No hesitation.
From close range, but struck with terrifying power.
Leo Lin unleashed a thunderous shot, driven with sheer force.
The stadium fell silent.
Every eye locked onto Leo Lin.
Liverpool fans were already throwing their arms into the air.
BOOM!
The explosion of sound shattered the silence.
And then the cheers erupted—Liverpool supporters roaring as one.
They couldn't stay quiet.
Jon Champion leapt to his feet, shouting:
"What a strike!"
"A thunderous, unstoppable hit!"
"Leo Lin!"
"He scores on his debut!"
"When Liverpool needed someone to stand up—he answered!"
"Leo Lin has equalized for Liverpool!"