Chapter 161: The Showdown at Old Trafford! Thank You, Sir—You're a Truly Good Man!
After completing the 25th round of the Premier League, the international players headed off to report to their national teams.
On February 11th, every national team had arranged friendly matches.
However, almost all of them were held in Europe this time.
Clearly, after the strong teams in the Premier League and several European giants kicked up a fuss last time, the effort had some effect.
Fortunately for Džeko, he managed to avoid this round due to injury.
Upon returning from international duty, the team faced the fifth round of the FA Cup.
Beisworth Chinese FC hosted Aston Villa at home.
Yang Cheng rested key players like Lewandowski and started Lambert instead.
Just 4 minutes into the game, Matić opened the scoring, netting the team's first goal.
It was also the Serbian youngster's first goal of the season.
But just four minutes later, James Milner equalized for Aston Villa.
Beisworth Chinese FC pressed on with their offense.
In the 24th minute, Lambert provided an assist, allowing Aaron Ramsey to put Beisworth Chinese FC ahead once again.
2–1!
After that, Beisworth Chinese FC held onto their lead.
Yang Cheng, conserving energy for the midweek makeup match, made no substitutions.
In the 76th minute of the second half, after a brilliant play between Matuidi and Hazard, the French midfielder sent a beautiful through ball, and Lambert finished clinically inside the box.
3–1!
Beisworth Chinese FC secured the win at home against Aston Villa, advancing smoothly to the FA Cup quarterfinals.
Manchester United, meanwhile, easily defeated Derby County away from home.
...
After finishing the FA Cup match on the 15th, the team faced a rescheduled Premier League match on the 18th.
Yang Cheng decided to arrive in Manchester a day early, on the night of the 17th.
However, somehow, word got out. Manchester United fans had caught wind of their arrival and were already gathered at the hotel entrance.
As soon as they spotted the Beisworth Chinese FC team bus, they went wild—like they'd been injected with adrenaline—and started chasing it relentlessly.
Some even threw stones and smashed the bus windows.
Fortunately, although Beisworth Chinese FC were notoriously frugal in many areas, their treatment of players was famously generous.
Not only were the meal standards high, but so were the lodging arrangements.
This time, they were staying at a four-star Hilton hotel, with solid security and good sound insulation.
Still, the Man United fans didn't give up.
Even after the team had checked in, the fans continued to make noise downstairs, trying to disturb the players' rest.
Luckily, Yang Cheng had long anticipated this tactic.
Back when selecting partner hotels in various cities, soundproofing was one of the key evaluation criteria he had personally insisted on.
At first, the United fans even tried throwing things at the windows.
But they had no idea which rooms the players were in, and ended up hitting the wrong windows.
The hotel immediately called the police, and it was said a few people got arrested.
After that, they stopped throwing things, but kept making a ruckus downstairs.
The hotel called the police again, but it didn't do much good.
This was Manchester, after all—United's turf!
"Tomorrow I've got to ask Ferguson—why does he keep coming up with these shady tactics?" Yang Cheng joked.
Brian Kidd shook his head, "Ferguson's a sly one, but he's above doing this kind of thing."
"I know, but if it happens in Manchester, I'm blaming him anyway," Yang Cheng said, quite self-righteously.
Everyone chuckled.
While the players had gone to rest, the coaching staff found it hard to sleep with the fans causing a stir outside.
So a few of them gathered in Yang Cheng's room to chat about the next day's match.
The makeup match was scheduled for 8 PM, and would be broadcast live globally.
It was said that Old Trafford would be packed with 76,000 fans—
And this was a Wednesday match!
"What kind of tactics do you guys think Ferguson will use?" Yang Cheng threw out a new topic.
His gaze first landed on Brian Kidd.
Having worked alongside Ferguson for over a decade, Brian Kidd knew him inside and out.
The United legend didn't hesitate for a second, blurting out, "Playing at home, Ferguson will never be conservative."
"He's a proud man—reckless, even. No matter the risk, he'll go on the offensive!"
He wanted to earn his victories standing tall!
Looking across European football, there aren't many managers bold enough to say that and actually pull it off.
But Ferguson was one of them.
That reminded Yang Cheng of Ferguson's autobiography, which he'd read in his past life, and a few chats he'd had with the man after his retirement.
Yang Cheng once asked him why, in the 2009 Champions League final, he chose such an aggressive tactic.
Ferguson had replied:
"I've already proven that you can beat Barcelona with a defensive strategy."
"That kind of negative football—I've used it once, and it worked. But I don't want to use it again. I want to beat Barcelona fair and square with a more attacking style!"
The "fair and square" here reflected Ferguson's personal football philosophy.
To him, overly passive, defensive tactics weren't honorable enough.
Back then, United were aiming to defend their title, so naturally, they wanted to take down Barcelona with a more proactive game plan.
Under Ferguson, United almost never used counter-attacking tactics in the Premier League, regardless of their opponent.
That was Ferguson.
That was Manchester United's pride!
Especially at home.
"The strongest version of Ronaldo was during the 06/07 season. Sure, he scored a ton last season, but his overall game became too goal-focused, losing the all-around quality he had back in 06/07."
Saad Forsyth picked up where Brian Kidd left off.
"From what we've seen this season, Ronaldo's performance has clearly dropped off. Personally, I think it's just temporary—once he gets through this slump, he'll reach an even higher peak."
"But for now, he's definitely not playing as well as last season. The main reason is just overuse."
Players are human, not machines.
You can't just refuel them and expect them to come back fully recharged.
It's like a person working continuously without a break—even if their body holds up, they mentally burn out and start to underperform.
If a company gives you single weekends off, that's fine. Double weekends? Even better.
Work just four and a half days a week, with a paid vacation every year? That's heaven.
Right now, Ronaldo's problem is that he worked nonstop last season and is mentally drained.
He also played in the Euro Cup during the summer of 2008, then got injured. After recovering, he had to jump straight back into playing twice a week.
So it's totally normal that his form has dipped.
And it's not just Ronaldo—Rooney too.
Both of them have had a rough season.
Let's not forget, last season Ferguson played his trident—Ronaldo, Rooney, and Tevez—in almost every single match.
Those three were his untouchables.
Calling it overuse isn't exaggerating.
Ironically, Tevez is now in the best shape.
But he's already lost his starting spot this season, replaced by Berbatov. With all the rest he's had, his form is naturally better.
Still, Tevez is currently at odds with United over his contract renewal.
United fans aren't happy with him—
On one hand, they think his buyout fee is too high.
On the other, Tevez is asking for a hefty wage.
The Argentine striker believes that the buyout fee was something Manchester United negotiated with his agents when they loaned him—nothing to do with him personally.
Ferguson promised to buy him outright, so Tevez has always been committed to staying.
Otherwise, Given His Situation, How Could He Willingly Sit on the Bench at Manchester United?
Besides, with the pound depreciating so heavily and taxes set to increase, is it really unreasonable for him to ask for a higher wage?
In any case, this issue had stirred up quite a storm.
This is precisely why Yang Cheng still insisted on rotating Di María, Gareth Bale, and Walcott.
With three players rotating, plus Hazard for the cup matches, it ensured the players could perform consistently over the long haul.
More importantly, Gareth Bale and Walcott weren't as durable as Ronaldo, Rooney, or Tevez.
If overused, those two kids would turn fragile in no time.
So for now, Beisworth Chinese FC's current squad configuration and rotation strategy was working well.
Yang Cheng speculated that United would likely still go with their familiar front three: Berbatov, Rooney, and Ronaldo.
As for midfield, Fletcher was doing decently, but Hargreaves had long been ruled out for the season, and Anderson had recently injured his ankle—not a chance he'd make it for this game.
United's midfield was essentially running on fumes.
That was why both Yang Cheng and Brian Kidd believed that United would press forward hard at home.
"To be honest, I really don't know what Ferguson's thinking anymore,"
Yang Cheng said, clearly puzzled.
Anyone with eyes could see that Manchester United's midfield was critically understaffed.
After Hargreaves was ruled out, Fletcher remained inconsistent, Scholes was aging, and Anderson—originally a talented attacking midfielder—had been molded into a workhorse and wasn't reliable either.
So under these circumstances, why didn't Ferguson even consider buying anyone?
Sometimes, Ferguson seemed like a cunning strategist.
But other times, he was unbelievably stubborn.
He had his own internal logic for everything he did, and no one could really figure him out.
Kind of like how no one could understand why Benítez, despite having a world-class midfield trio, insisted on making such baffling choices.
"If you asked Ferguson about it, I bet he'd just shoot back, 'Is Modrić or Yaya Touré for sale?'"
Brian Kidd suddenly quipped, drawing laughter from everyone in the room.
Ferguson had been eyeing Beisworth Chinese FC's midfield for a long time.
Naturally, Yang Cheng had no intention of letting that happen.
Still, he had a nagging feeling that this match at Old Trafford could end up being the defining moment of the Premier League title race.
If Beisworth Chinese FC lost, things would get a lot more complicated.
But if they managed to win away at Old Trafford, then it would basically pave the way toward the title.
Of course, a draw would be an outcome both sides could live with.
That way, the title chase would drag on a bit longer.
But Beisworth Chinese FC would still hold onto their lead, and United dropping points at home would be as good as a partial defeat.
At the very least, Ferguson wouldn't have achieved his seasonal strategic goal.
Yang Cheng had his own plans.
If possible, he absolutely wanted to seize the initiative in the title race early.
That way, the team could take on the Champions League and FA Cup matches with more freedom and less pressure.
...
February 18th, Night — Old Trafford, Manchester.
20:03:46
In the opening minutes of the match, during a fast and aggressive United attack, Rooney delivered a cross from the left to the right side of the box.
Cristiano Ronaldo had slipped away from Leighton Baines on the right and darted diagonally into the box, beating Thiago Silva to the spot.
With the outside of his left foot, he redirected Rooney's pass toward the center.
The Portuguese winger quickly changed direction, trying to catch up to his own deflection.
Everyone could see that if Ronaldo got to the ball, he'd take a left-footed shot straight away.
Thiago Silva reacted quickly, turned and chased, sticking tight to Ronaldo.
The two battled physically as they chased down the ball.
Just as Ronaldo went to strike, Thiago Silva lunged in with a sliding tackle.
But unexpectedly, Ronaldo pulled the ball back with his left foot, and Silva's tackle caught him square on the foot.
Ronaldo lost his balance immediately and went down inside Beisworth Chinese FC's box.
Old Trafford erupted in thunderous cheers.
"Penalty!"
"Referee Howard Webb didn't hesitate—he pointed straight to the spot!"
"Just over three minutes into the game, before Beisworth Chinese FC could even organize a proper attack, Manchester United earned a penalty."
"Thiago Silva has been shown a yellow card."
"You have to admit, Ronaldo is still Ronaldo—his footwork is quick, and his reactions are razor-sharp."
"Honestly, it looked like he went into the box expecting to draw a penalty."
"Thiago Silva's defending wasn't necessarily bad—it's just that he happened to be going up against Ronaldo."
Thiago Silva punched the grass in frustration before being pulled up by Pepe.
The entire stadium was still roaring with excitement.
The Brazilian center-back instinctively turned toward the sideline, looking to the visitors' bench.
Yang Cheng was looking right back at him. He didn't say anything, just gave him a thumbs-up and followed with a strong round of applause.
That gesture warmed Thiago Silva's heart.
He couldn't understand how he had misjudged so badly just now.
But a mistake was a mistake.
Silva jogged over to Neuer, slapped hands with him—almost as if entrusting the moment to the German keeper.
But moments later, Ronaldo took a quick run-up and coolly slotted the ball into the net.
Neuer guessed wrong.
1–0!
Old Trafford exploded once more!
...
At that moment, Yang Cheng just wanted to cry out to the fans:
The news lied to you—I'm not your prince!
All that hype about Lehmann's penalty notes in the World Cup? Total myth!
At least, it didn't help much against Ronaldo just now.
Real penalty experts constantly change their shooting style and direction.
In the end, saving a penalty is all about guessing.
Yang Cheng turned his head and saw Ferguson by the home bench, arms spread wide, celebrating ecstatically.
He really wanted to walk over and remind the old Scot:
Don't get too excited—you're still chewing gum!
What if you accidentally swallow it?
Come on, it's just a goal.
I'll spot you one, alright?
With that thought, Yang Cheng briskly walked to the touchline and called over Modrić and Yaya Touré, giving them two quick instructions.
Yaya Touré was to reinforce the back line more—cut down on forward runs.
Meanwhile, Modrić and Matuidi were to put more pressure on Carrick and Scholes.
Rakitić had picked up a knock before the match, so Yang Cheng had left him in London.
France international Matuidi started this game in midfield.
As for United, they were actually playing in a 4-4-2 formation.
Their midfield, from left to right, consisted of Ashley Young, Carrick, Scholes, and Ronaldo.
Up front, the strike duo was Rooney and Berbatov.
At the back, they had Evra, Vidić, Ferdinand, and O'Shea.
That old fox Ferguson sure was bold.
Against Beisworth Chinese FC, he had the guts to pair Carrick and Scholes in midfield.
Yang Cheng thought for a moment, then stepped back to the sideline and signaled to Gareth Bale and Walcott to cut more toward the inside lanes.
He wanted his players to attack the space between United's defenders—
Specifically, the gaps between Evra and Vidić, and between O'Shea and Ferdinand.
He felt that Carrick and Scholes didn't provide enough cover in those areas—
Especially Scholes' side.
And with Ronaldo focused on attacking up front, there was no way he'd be of any use defensively out wide.
But Ferguson Clearly Knew Where His Problems Lay
So Manchester United's strategy was simple: attack to defend.
Even after taking an early lead, Ferguson's team kept pressing forward.
It was an aggressive, high-risk style of play—and completely unexpected.
At the very least, that early penalty caught Beisworth Chinese FC off guard, and probably Ferguson too.
Of course, Howard Webb had no hesitation whatsoever.
Just over three minutes into the match, and he awarded a penalty.
He couldn't have been more eager to turn this into a full-blown attacking battle!
...
Beisworth Chinese FC's first real attack came in the 7th minute.
Walcott received a pass from Maicon on the right and suddenly accelerated.
Facing Evra, Carrick, and Vidić, the Little Tiger boldly charged forward with the ball, breaking through the crowd of United defenders and into the box.
Vidić leaned in and used his body to nudge Walcott off balance.
The Little Tiger couldn't handle the contact and went down in the box.
But Howard Webb didn't blow the whistle.
His reasoning: Vidić's challenge was within the bounds of legal play.
Just six minutes later, again from the right flank.
Maicon made an overlapping run and sent a diagonal pass toward the right edge of the penalty area, where Walcott was waiting.
Walcott attempted to beat Vidić head-on.
The ball slipped past the defender, and Walcott did too—but just a fraction too late.
Van der Sar had already charged off his line decisively and scooped up the ball.
Beisworth Chinese FC kept pressing forward, but Manchester United weren't backing down either.
Even with a one-goal lead, Ferguson's Red Devils played with zero caution.
At home, United had fully engaged in a high-tempo, end-to-end battle with Beisworth Chinese FC.
First, Scholes delivered a brilliant through ball, Berbatov turned and laid it off, and Ronaldo fired a sudden long-range shot from the right corner of the box.
But it sailed high.
Moments later, Ronaldo broke past Leighton Baines on the right and whipped in a cross.
Rooney met it at the far post with a volley.
The shot ricocheted off Pepe's leg and went out for a corner.
On the ensuing corner, Ronaldo rose high for a header but couldn't keep it down—it flew over the bar again.
This back-and-forth, attacking spectacle had the fans on their feet.
Especially since United were leading 1–0.
The atmosphere at Old Trafford was absolutely electric.
Just like Ferguson had said during the pre-match press conference:
Win this game, close the gap, and launch an all-out assault on the Premier League title!
Whether in terms of player motivation or the stadium's intensity, United had reached their peak.
But on the pitch, once Beisworth Chinese FC settled down, they began to seize control of midfield.
Matuidi and Modrić started putting heavy pressure on Scholes and Carrick.
From the 15th minute on, Carrick could no longer get comfortable on the ball.
Nearly every time he received possession, Modrić was right there.
Scholes managed a few decent passes, but under Matuidi's constant disruption, he struggled to dictate the tempo.
Most of his passes had to be quick one-touches.
As a result, United's attacking rhythm became very rushed.
It was all quick two- or three-pass combinations, launched over the top toward Beisworth Chinese FC's backline, hoping their front three could latch on.
But this style of play came with a major flaw—it turned their attacks into one-off efforts.
At the end of the day, with their midfield overrun and unable to hold possession, they had no choice but to play this way.
So while United looked aggressive, in reality, they didn't create many truly dangerous chances.
Ronaldo and Rooney's form remained inconsistent.
And it showed—their attacking efficiency was poor.
The most obvious example came in the 21st minute.
United had a free kick about 30 meters from goal.
Ronaldo stepped up and blasted it.
He did have the ability to score from that range, but this time it was wildly off target.
Rooney also seemed impatient.
All season long, United's two biggest stars had failed to hit their peak.
Of course, "underperforming" in this context meant "not living up to sky-high expectations under intense marking."
Ease up on the marking even a little?
They'd destroy you in seconds.
Still, whether it was the fans at the stadium, the viewers watching at home, or even the Sky Sports commentators—
Everyone agreed that Manchester United were playing well.
They were attacking hard.
The only problem? Lack of efficiency.
But it was precisely in this kind of atmosphere, in this kind of situation, that United's back line kept pushing further up.
26th minute.
United attempted another through ball down the right channel—Beisworth Chinese FC's left side—hoping Ronaldo would chase it down.
Thiago Silva was a step ahead.
He used his body to shield Ronaldo just outside the box and intercepted the ball with a clean touch.
Then, he carried it laterally across the baseline.
Berbatov didn't immediately press to help Ronaldo—
That was classic Berbatov.
A man who had elegance and flair etched into his very bones. His football mantra: Heads can be broken, but the hair must stay perfect.
Close-contact pressing with a bunch of sweaty dudes? That's not Berbatov's style.
After taking a couple lateral steps inside his own penalty area and seeing that no one was pressing him, Thiago Silva lifted his head.
He took aim and launched a long ball with his right foot.
It wasn't the highest or longest of passes—
But it sailed cleanly from near Beisworth Chinese FC's goal line, over the halfway line, and into United's final third.
The problem was: United's defense had pushed up too high.
Vidić, Ferdinand, and the rest immediately turned to sprint back.
But Gareth Bale and Walcott had already been waiting to pounce.
Especially Gareth Bale!
The Welshman immediately recognized that the ball was coming his way.
And so, he exploded forward.
Two United center-backs in red jerseys retreated frantically, while Gareth Bale, in Beisworth Chinese FC's desert-gold strip, sprinted after them.
Everyone could see it with their own eyes—
Bale was rapidly closing the distance.
From behind, to neck and neck, to surging ahead.
Inside United's 30-meter zone, Bale beat Ferdinand to the ball and nodded Thiago Silva's long pass forward.
Ferdinand, trying to recover, lost balance under Bale's pressure and fell to the ground—completely out of the play.
And to everyone's amazement, the Welsh winger kept accelerating!
"Oh my God, he can go even faster!"
Gareth Bale tore toward United's penalty area like a hurricane.
Before the trailing Vidić could intervene, he pushed the ball into the left side of the box and zoomed past him.
He was like a gust of wind!
Before the eyes of 76,000 stunned fans at Old Trafford, Gareth Bale stormed into the box, caught up to his own knock-on, and got to the ball before Van der Sar could close him down—
Left-footed shot!
After such an electrifying run, the final strike felt even more devastating.
The ball slipped past the advancing Van der Sar and nestled into the net behind the Dutch keeper.
1–1!
"GOAL!!!!"
"Gareth Bale!"
"What a magnificent goal!!!"
"We just witnessed Gareth Bale sprinting from distance with unbelievable speed!!"
"Manchester United's defenders threw everything at him—but they couldn't stop the Welshman's charge!"
"I honestly don't even know how to describe this attack… or this goal!"
"All I Can Say Is, The Moment Gareth Bale Scored, I Felt the Urge to Worship Him!"
"He's definitely going to be a superstar!"
"I swear, from this day on, I'm his fan!"
"Remember this name—Gareth Bale!"
All of Old Trafford let out a collective groan of anguish.
The lead United had built right after kickoff had been completely shattered by Gareth Bale's lightning counterattack!
Yang Cheng leapt to his feet, shouting and cheering in excitement.
When he turned to look again, he saw Ferguson shaking his head in frustration, his face filled with pain.
...
That goal from Gareth Bale completely ignited Beisworth Chinese FC's fighting spirit—
And at the same time, it infuriated Manchester United.
The intensity between the two teams rose even higher than in the opening stages.
The pace of the game accelerated.
Between the 28th and 30th minute alone, United earned two corners and a free kick just outside the penalty area.
But none of those three set pieces managed to threaten the goal.
Meanwhile, Beisworth Chinese FC kept launching counterattacks.
The back-and-forth tempo between the two sides had the fans absolutely loving it.
Even the Sky Sports commentators were saying, "This is the most thrilling first half of the Premier League this season!"
Both Maicon and Ferdinand received yellow cards while defending against Rooney and Bale, respectively.
But if you watched closely, it was clear—
Manchester United's attack was mostly reliant on long shots and set pieces.
The Red Devils couldn't find an effective way to break into Beisworth Chinese FC's penalty area.
With their midfield overrun, they were often forced to push the ball forward quickly and rely on the individual skills of their forwards.
Like in the 38th minute, when Ronaldo, after failing to beat his man, laid it off to Carrick.
Carrick stepped up and fired a shot from 25 meters out—
But it flew ridiculously high.
Yang Cheng also noticed that Ashley Young wasn't contributing much in United's current setup.
In fact, he might have been less effective than Park Ji-sung or Giggs.
Ferguson was definitely going to make changes in the second half—
The only question was when, and who.
Then in the 40th minute, United tried once more to play a through pass behind the defense.
But Pepe intercepted it around the 30-meter line and cleared it.
The ball crossed the halfway line and dropped into United's half.
Lewandowski had tracked back near the center circle and headed it down to the left, toward Gareth Bale.
If you froze time at that moment, you'd clearly see—
Walcott had already started to sprint.
Evra had noticed, but the Frenchman had been fixated on Lewandowski and hadn't noticed that Walcott had shifted slightly toward the center, preparing to exploit the space between Evra and Vidić.
The ball landed on the left side of the center circle.
Bale, sprinting diagonally in from the wing, barely adjusted—he ran onto the falling ball and, with his left foot, curled a diagonal through pass.
The ball cut at high speed between Ferdinand and Vidić and into the space behind United's back line.
And almost simultaneously, Walcott burst forward, slicing through the gap between Evra and Vidić—executing a perfect offside trap break.
The Little Tiger's timing and spatial awareness were absolutely elite.
Once he was through, there were no defenders behind him.
Walcott, like a bolt of lightning, caught up to Bale's pass near the edge of the penalty arc.
He knocked the ball to the left side of the box, immediately neutralizing Van der Sar's charge.
He reached the ball again just as it rolled ahead of him, and with a clean left-footed strike, sent it into United's wide-open net.
Still at full speed, he raced off the field, shouting with joy.
"Another goal!!"
"Beisworth Chinese FC scores again!"
"2–1!"
"A goal by the Little Tiger—Walcott!"
"A beautiful counterattack—quick and decisive!"
"Lewandowski with the header, Bale with the diagonal pass behind the defense, Walcott cutting in diagonally—perfect timing for a one-on-one finish."
"Beisworth Chinese FC's lightning counterattack sliced right through Manchester United's back line!"
"It's a comeback!"
"Beisworth Chinese FC have turned it around in the first half!"
"United's offensive efficiency just isn't good enough!"
...
"Manchester United's Achilles' heel is their midfield!"
Returning to the dressing room with a 2–1 lead, Yang Cheng didn't hesitate to point out United's biggest issue.
"I'm guessing Ferguson will make substitutions in the second half, but I estimate the earliest will be around the 60th minute."
"Maybe even later."
"So we need to act fast in the second half. Before they adjust, we need to strike again and extend our lead!"
Yang Cheng pulled over the tactical board and pointed out several defensive gaps that Manchester United had shown in the first half.
Ferguson's tactical setup for this match had been too aggressive—borderline overconfident.
Did he really believe that a midfield pairing of Carrick and Scholes could hold off Beisworth Chinese FC at Old Trafford?
"Our strategy is simple—we keep hitting their flanks, especially on both wings."
"At the start of the second half, don't hold back—go on the offensive!"
"Keep the same pressure in midfield. Keep supplying ammunition to the front line!"
"Whatever United's second-half tactics are, I only have one demand—score as fast as possible and cement our lead."
"Think about how United came at us in the opening minutes—
I want to see you repay that with ten times the aggression, a hundred times the fire!"
Yang Cheng's orders were crystal clear—and brutally simple.
Attack.
Relentless, uncompromising attack!
Because he had a strategic goal—
To psychologically crush Manchester United.
You Red Devils think you're all that?
You think you're aggressive and bold?
Fielding Carrick and Scholes as your midfield duo at Old Trafford and calling that a fortress?
Fine. I'll take that so-called strength of yours and use it to break you.
...
As soon as the whistle blew to start the second half, United's players realized something was off.
That first-half comeback had already shaken their morale—
Especially their confidence.
Ferguson had tried to rally them during halftime and made some tactical adjustments—
But the overall strategy remained the same.
Start the second half strong, attack hard, get the equalizer.
Then, Ferguson would bring on fresh legs, increase pressure, and go all out to finish off Beisworth Chinese FC.
It was a familiar rhythm.
A method United and Ferguson had used countless times over the years.
They were veterans at this.
But this time, they were facing Beisworth Chinese FC.
Not even three minutes into the second half, Gareth Bale bulldozed past O'Shea on the left and whipped in a cross.
Van der Sar charged out, trying to challenge Lewandowski and Vidić for the ball—
But fumbled it.
Walcott almost capitalized on the rebound with a close-range shot.
The danger at their goal left United rattled.
Beisworth Chinese FC had clearly found United's defensive weakness.
O'Shea.
So they kept sending the ball down the left flank.
And Bale kept targeting O'Shea, running at him over and over—
Making the United fullback look completely overwhelmed and out of sorts.
The Welshman Had More Than Just Speed—He Had Skill, Strength, and a Cannon for a Left Foot
That combination made it incredibly difficult—and frankly miserable—for O'Shea to defend against him.
In those opening minutes of the second half, United were completely pinned back, unable to even mount a single attack.
It was practically a repeat of the game's opening phase.
Then, in the 53rd minute, Beisworth Chinese FC suddenly switched the direction of their attack.
Modrić swung the ball across to the right flank.
Maicon came up from deep, took the pass, drove forward, and tried to send a diagonal ball to Walcott.
The Little Tiger received it in the right half-space, looking to burst through—still aiming to attack the seam between Evra and Vidić.
But this time, Carrick reacted quickly, closed down immediately, and committed a deliberate foul.
United's holding midfielder received a yellow card and gave away a free kick about 20 meters from goal.
Ferguson immediately grew tense.
He walked to the touchline, shouting for his players to stay alert.
Van der Sar looked on edge as well, barking out orders and organizing the wall.
Gareth Bale and Leighton Baines stood over the ball together.
Both were left-footed. Both had excellent free-kick technique.
A right-side set piece like this was ideal for them.
Once the United wall was set, the two set-piece takers exchanged a glance.
Howard Webb blew his whistle.
Baines didn't move.
Instead, Gareth Bale took off with a swift run-up.
Everyone assumed he was just the decoy—the one who fakes the shot to throw off the defense.
No one expected Bale to actually strike it.
But that's exactly what he did.
With his left foot, he bent the ball over the wall in a deadly arc.
The ball curved perfectly over the defenders and into the right corner of the goal.
Van der Sar, having positioned himself more centrally after setting the wall, barely managed a step to the right before the ball was in the net.
He didn't even have time to dive.
Brace!
3–1!
"Gareth Bale again!"
"This time it's a direct free kick!"
"A beautiful curler—absolutely lethal!"
"Van der Sar didn't even move!"
"The Welsh youngster has a brace tonight!"
"What an electrifying night this is turning out to be!"
"I'm sure no one will forget it—especially fans across Britain."
"Because tonight, we're witnessing the rise of a new twin-star duo—Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott!"
"They're lighting up the night sky at Old Trafford!"
...
Just as Yang Cheng predicted—
That third goal from Beisworth Chinese FC dealt a devastating blow to Manchester United.
Old Trafford fell into a collective state of despair.
For the United fans, this match had become sheer agony.
Earlier in the match, they were fired up, confident, ready to roar.
But now, they were completely deflated.
Down 3–1. Could they really come back?
The answer was obvious: highly unlikely.
In the 68th minute, Ferguson made two substitutions.
He brought on Giggs for Ashley Young, and Fletcher for Scholes.
Three minutes later, he used his final substitution—
Tevez came on for Berbatov.
It was a clear attempt to revert to the tactical style of last season, hoping to recapture that old glory.
But times had changed.
United couldn't turn back the clock.
Giggs and Scholes were both a year older.
And for players their age, one year could make a world of difference.
Fletcher wasn't in great form either—
Otherwise, Ferguson would've started him.
As for Tevez—once he came on, United lost their most stable hold-up presence in attack.
Sure, Berbatov didn't move much, but he wasn't lazy.
And with his strong frame and excellent footwork, he was great at holding up play.
Subbing off Berbatov for Tevez raised a serious question:
Who's going to hold up the ball now?
That problem became very clear after the substitution.
United's midfield still couldn't function properly.
Beisworth Chinese FC completely dominated the middle of the pitch.
With no one to hold the ball up front, United kept getting caught out on the counter.
In the 79th minute, another counterattack came from deep.
Thiago Silva sent a long ball forward.
Gareth Bale sprinted ahead with blistering speed, catching up to the ball on the left wing and going one-on-one with O'Shea.
A few feints confused O'Shea, then Bale knocked the ball down the line and suddenly burst past him.
It was like passing to his future self three seconds ahead.
Even the United fans at Old Trafford couldn't help but gasp in awe.
Their cheers said it all.
Bale reached the ball, glanced up, and sent a low cross into the center.
Lewandowski made a sharp run and met it just outside the six-yard box, calmly slotting it past Van der Sar.
Ferdinand, Vidić, and Van der Sar were powerless to stop it.
4–1!
Old Trafford fell completely silent.
Manchester United had no answer for Beisworth Chinese FC's rampage.
On the sideline, Yang Cheng was cheering wildly.
He started making substitutions, slowing the tempo to kill time.
When the final whistle blew, Beisworth Chinese FC had pulled off a stunning 4–1 comeback over Manchester United—
At Old Trafford.
...
As soon as Webb blew the final whistle, Yang Cheng couldn't help but shout for joy.
What a match!
Every single player had performed to perfection!
All that preparation had paid off!
More importantly, United clearly had glaring weaknesses in their lineup,
And Ferguson's overly aggressive tactics at home had backfired—both in team selection and approach.
When Ferguson finally walked over for the post-match handshake, Yang Cheng was ready this time.
He didn't reach for the handshake right away—
Instead, he grinned and asked, "Didn't you say before the game you were going to treat me to drinks afterward?"
That cheeky smile nearly made Ferguson lose it.
He looked like he was about to throw a punch.
But he held back—he knew he was too old now to win that fight.
He had only himself to blame for talking so big before the match.
"I'll send you a case. Take it home and enjoy it slowly," Ferguson growled through gritted teeth.
But what he didn't expect—
Was that this shameless bastard Yang Cheng just laughed and held up two fingers.
"Not enough. This time, I want two cases."
Why two? Ferguson had a brief moment of curiosity—
But now wasn't the time.
He was too furious.
Asking questions about the booze now would only make it worse.
Whatever. It's just two cases of wine.
He could afford it.
"Fine. Two cases. They're yours!"
Ferguson thrust out his hand, clearly fuming.
Yang Cheng grabbed it with a firm shake.
"Thank you, Sir. You're a truly good man!"
Ferguson nearly lost it—he shook off Yang Cheng's hand and stormed off.
His assistants, however, lit up the moment they heard he was sending Yang Cheng two cases.
They swarmed over as Ferguson left in a rage.
But Yang Cheng knew this bunch all too well.
"Don't even try it. That wine's all for me!"
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