Wembley Stadium, located in the western suburbs of London, was packed to capacity.
This was the FA Cup final, a clash between Leeds United and Arsenal.
"Shoot the White Roses!" This was the slogan chanted by media outlets close to Arsenal before the match.
It showed Arsenal's determination in this match.
They wanted a championship.
Arsenal had not won a title since Wenger left, and this season had been particularly disastrous.
After Emery was sacked, Ljungberg briefly served as interim manager. Now, Arteta was Arsenal's third manager this season, and the FA Cup was his only chance to win silverware.
The Premier League season had concluded, and Arsenal finished only eighth, behind both Wolverhampton Wanderers and North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur.
With poor league results and an early exit from the League Cup, all hopes rested on the FA Cup.
Even during Wenger's era, Arsenal had long lacked league competitiveness, with the FA Cup often serving as a consolation. Now, every Gunners fan hoped Arsenal could continue their tradition of FA Cup success.
The same applied to Arteta.
But the Spanish coach knew well that Leeds United were no easy opponent.
Despite selling 10 key players last summer, the White Roses still managed to finish second in the Premier League this season, just behind Manchester City. That achievement was no fluke.
Even in the FA Cup final, Jamie Vardy, this season's Premier League Golden Boot winner, was not included in the starting lineup, which reflected Pochettino's confidence in his players.
Because he had a super genius who struck fear across the football world, Majin Buu Haaland.
Up front, Leeds United fielded a formidable attacking trident of Rashford, Haaland, and Sancho.
The midfield was anchored by Enzo Fernandez and Valverde, with Jon Amené playing in a deeper role.
This was also part of a rotation.
Bruno Fernandes, the Portuguese midfield maestro who had shone this season, started on the bench, and Declan Rice was not in the starting lineup either.
The defense featured Alphonso Davies, Gvardiol, Militao, and Reece James. It was a very young backline, with the oldest, Militao, only 22 years old.
The goalkeeper was Ramsdale.
Don't mistake this for Leeds United throwing the game against Arsenal.
In fact, this was Leeds United's regular lineup in cup competitions.
Many of these players had played crucial roles in the team's journey to the FA Cup final. Under such circumstances, benching them now would be the same as discarding them after they had served their purpose.
That was why Pochettino fielded this starting lineup for the match.
Arsenal's approach was similar.
Arteta clearly understood that to contain Leeds United, he needed to control the midfield and keep up with their pace. So, he opted for a 4-2-3-1 formation, attempting to use a numerical advantage in midfield to suppress Leeds United.
Furthermore, Arsenal's midfield and attacking lines were composed mainly of young players.
Saka, just 18 years old, started on the right wing. Willock, 20, played as the number 10. Guendouzi and Xhaka formed the double pivot in midfield, and 21-year-old Nketiah partnered Aubameyang up front. Arsenal's entire midfield and attack were characterized by youth and agility.
Arteta also crafted specific tactics for the team.
Previously, Leeds United's left flank, manned by Alphonso Davies, had frequently been breached by opponents. Arteta aimed to exploit this weakness, carefully arranging for Aubameyang and Nketiah to break in behind Leeds United's defense.
The midfield and forward line, led by Saka, Willock, Guendouzi, and Xhaka, employed a pressing strategy against Leeds United's midfield. They pressed high and tried to choke Leeds United's buildup.
Saka, the young left winger, had been Arsenal's biggest breakthrough this season. Arteta had high hopes for him, expecting him to attack behind Leeds United's lines and create chances for Aubameyang and Nketiah.
From the lineup alone, Arteta showed his pragmatism. He placed Arsenal in a lower position and even benched Lacazette, who had performed well in the league, leaving him ready to come on as a substitute.
...
The FA Cup final kicked off with a long-range shot from Sancho.
It happened in the 56th second of the match.
The game then settled into a stalemate.
Arteta's pragmatic tactics effectively contained Leeds United.
Especially in midfield.
The Enzo Fernandez and Valverde pairing had appeared several times this season, but it wasn't fixed. Enzo, only 19, was still young. Under Arsenal's intense midfield pressure, the Argentine seemed somewhat hesitant.
Valverde was better at attacking and pressing. When Enzo was contained, Leeds United's midfield became passive and didn't adapt well to the high-tempo press.
This was quite normal.
Pochettino wasn't worried at all on the sidelines. Leeds United were no strangers to this kind of tactic.
Not only did they often employ such pressing themselves, they were also frequently targeted by opponents in the same way.
Some Premier League teams even resorted to rough tactics.
Compared to that, Arsenal's approach was relatively civilized.
Pochettino believed his players would gradually adapt to the rhythm and pressure.
So, from the start, Leeds United played steadily, trying to adjust to the opponent.
Seeing Arsenal pressing forward, Pochettino simply went with the flow and gradually pulled back his formation, letting Arsenal take the initiative to push up.
Whether it was Arteta's laissez-faire attitude or a lack of awareness within the Arsenal squad, the Gunners began to push higher up the pitch. Especially after a few minutes of probing revealed that Leeds United were playing cautiously, Arsenal started to relax.
The most typical example came in the 8th minute, when Arsenal pressed directly into Leeds United's penalty area.
Gvardiol's back pass nearly led to a mistake by Ramsdale.
The Croatian center-back had many strengths, but he often grew impatient when passing under pressure.
This was a common issue with young players.
When Gvardiol first joined Leeds United, his passing ability was average. Not terrible, but not good either. It wasn't suited to Leeds United's style or modern football development.
So, while polishing his defensive skills, Leeds United also focused on developing his passing and ball control.
The weaknesses had been addressed, but progress couldn't be rushed. Otherwise, mistakes would follow.
Just now, under pressure from Aubameyang, Gvardiol almost put his team in danger.
Leeds United weren't too worried, though. After all, he was only 18.
With more experience and increased stability on the pitch, this problem would gradually be resolved.
Having found success, Arsenal started pushing forward more frequently.
Aubameyang hovered around Leeds United's two center-backs, waiting for another opportunity.
Leeds United dropped their entire team into their own half.
Arsenal even created a chance when Saka made a strong run down the left and delivered a cross. Aubameyang nearly connected, but Gvardiol made a crucial clearance from inside the box.
This key intervention earned loud cheers from Leeds United fans.
The game seemed to tilt in Leeds United's favor, especially as Arsenal's 4-2-3-1 effectively shut down their midfield, forcing them back.
Young players against young players, but Arsenal had the numbers.
But just over 20 minutes in, Leeds United's midfield suddenly made a steal.
As Xhaka carried the ball forward, Enzo Fernandez closely followed. Seizing the opportunity, he suddenly slid in, tripping Xhaka but also winning the ball.
After winning possession, Enzo passed to Jon Amené, who quickly laid it off to Valverde.
The referee didn't blow his whistle.
Valverde carried the ball forward. Seeing players ahead making runs and Haaland trailing slightly, he passed the ball to him.
The ball had already crossed the halfway line.
Haaland turned sideways, used his body to shield Guendouzi, then passed with his right foot to Sancho on the right. He quickly cut diagonally between Guendouzi and Mustafi toward the left edge of the penalty area.
Sancho and Haaland had played together for a long time and had great chemistry. Sancho suddenly stopped on the right side of the box, feigned an inside cut, drew the defender's attention, then played a diagonal pass with his right foot.
Arsenal's two center-backs stopped abruptly when Sancho paused, and Mustafi tried to intercept but failed.
Sancho had anticipated the move.
The ball passed diagonally between Mustafi and Guendouzi to the left side of the box. Haaland chased it down and entered the area with his left foot, quickly setting up a one-on-one.
Haaland burst into the left side of the penalty area and, facing Arsenal's German keeper Leno, chipped with his left foot. The ball bounced past Leno's outstretched leg and into the back of the net.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!"
"In the 21st minute, Haaland breaks the deadlock for Leeds United!!!"
"It's Majin Buu Haaland again!"
The entire stadium erupted.
Leeds United fans were screaming at the top of their lungs.
After scoring, Haaland looked like he already knew it would go in. Full of confidence, he turned and ran off the pitch straight to the Leeds United supporters. He sat down cross-legged with both hands raised to the sky.
Five hearts facing the sky. His signature celebration.
His teammates quickly surrounded him in celebration.
"Leeds United were passive early in the match, but at the key moment, they used a classic counter-attack to break down Arsenal's defense."
"The Gunners pressed too far forward."
"Clearly, Leeds United's deliberate show of weakness lulled Arsenal into a false sense of security, causing them to become overconfident and push too far up, giving Leeds United the space to hit on the break."
"1-0!"
"Arsenal concede in the 21st minute and now find themselves in a tough spot."
The broadcast cut to the stands. Arsenal fans were silent, while Leeds United supporters were going wild with celebration.
Meanwhile, in the VIP box, the cameras caught Gao Shen speaking with FA officials and government representatives in attendance.
(To be continued.)