When Vardy stood on the sidelines, ready to come on as a substitute, Manchester United owner Ratcliffe sat in the presidential box with a furious expression.
He was especially enraged when he heard that quite a few Manchester United fans were applauding Vardy.
That applause was like a series of stinging slaps across his face.
Manchester United fans were humiliating him, using this moment to tell the world that Vardy was right not to join Manchester United.
As proof, the scoreboard at Old Trafford now read 0-6.
Manchester United had already conceded six goals.
What was even more disheartening was that, so far, the team showed no signs of turning things around.
On the contrary, Leeds United kept pressing forward with wave after wave of attacks.
And look at Haaland, who walked off the pitch reluctantly and awkwardly, as if complaining to the coach.
He felt he could score more, but Pochettino preferred to give him some rest.
That, too, was a further humiliation for Manchester United.
Bringing Vardy on at this moment felt like another slap in the face for Ratcliffe.
He had been mocked by Manchester United fans and the football world because of Vardy.
With 20 minutes still to play, nobody knew what might happen next.
"Jazz, why do you think we've suffered such heavy defeats this season?" Ratcliffe asked Ferguson, clearly disappointed by the situation.
Ferguson gave him a deep look, trying to determine whether the new Manchester United owner wanted to hear the truth or just needed comforting.
After hesitating for three seconds, Ferguson finally spoke.
"Actually, whether it's against Tottenham or tonight against Leeds United, such heavy defeats often have a degree of randomness. They're hard to predict or assess, especially tonight. After conceding the first goal, we quickly let in the second, and from there, we lost control of the game, which led to the collapse."
In the end, Ferguson didn't tell the whole truth.
"Many teams have suffered similar humiliating defeats, including Real Madrid's 0-5 loss to Barcelona, Barcelona being beaten 0-5 by Real Madrid, or Roma and Inter Milan. Even more so in the Premier League. Which team hasn't gone through something like this?"
Ferguson even forced a smile to appear relaxed.
Ratcliffe's expression eased, and a hint of a smile appeared.
This confirmed to Ferguson that Ratcliffe preferred comforting lies over harsh truths.
All owners are the same. They want to hear pleasant things.
"A heavy defeat is a heavy defeat. Do you think there's anything we need to fix over the winter break?" Ratcliffe asked.
Ferguson was momentarily stunned, then forced a wry smile and reminded him, "UEFA's punishment banned us from registering new players for two transfer windows."
That meant both the summer and winter windows. Manchester United was currently under a transfer ban.
Ratcliffe was startled for a moment, then laughed self-deprecatingly, "Look at my memory. I'm getting old."
In fact, no one had pointed out his mistake earlier.
That was the most awkward part.
"You already invested heavily in the summer. The results have been disappointing. We do need to strengthen the squad. I think we should consider bringing in strong attacking players or players who can make an immediate impact."
"You don't think Rodrigo is good enough?" Ratcliffe asked, his face darkening.
"No, no, Rodrigo is excellent. But one man alone isn't enough. You can see he's not in top form today, which is likely due to the heavy fixture load lately," Ferguson quickly explained.
He secretly vowed never to watch a match with this man again.
It was exhausting.
You had to choose your words with extreme care.
"Someone recommended Cristiano Ronaldo to me, from Juventus," Ratcliffe said.
Ferguson almost let out a spontaneous remark but held it back.
He guessed Mendes must be behind that recommendation.
What Manchester United needed now wasn't just Ronaldo.
But Ferguson didn't say much. He simply nodded and said, "He's still one of the best players in the world."
Ratcliffe nodded, clearly understanding the meaning behind those words.
"If I remember correctly, our club's worst defeat was 0-8, against Manchester City, right?" Ratcliffe asked again.
Ferguson's face instantly froze.
Damn it. Just because you're feeling awful, do you really have to stab me in the chest?
That was the biggest stain on my career.
And it was all that damn Gao Shen's fault!
But now, you're even worse than Gao Shen!
Does reopening old wounds make you feel better?
You're in your sixties, I'm in my seventies. Why so cruel?
"Yes, just a few years ago," someone nearby answered for Ferguson.
Ratcliffe glanced at Ferguson again and nodded. "It can't be worse than this score, can it?"
Ferguson, standing there, nearly spat blood.
This is outrageous.
You get humiliated and you drag me down with you?
You're not just breaking the pot, you're smashing the whole kitchen!
But just then, something unexpected happened on the pitch.
...
In a Leeds United midfield attack, Enzo Fernández received a cross from Alphonso Davies on the left wing, suddenly accelerated forward, and passed the ball across the top of the box to Valverde before continuing his run.
Valverde understood immediately and returned the ball with a quick one-two.
Enzo took it in stride, broke into the penalty area, and under pressure from Matić, faced Lindelöf directly before slipping the ball to Maguire's right.
Vardy stepped in, gently poked the ball past Maguire, and instantly fired a right-footed shot.
The ball rocketed into the bottom right corner of Manchester United's net.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!"
"Vardy!"
"Just seven minutes after coming on, Vardy scores again for Leeds United!"
"7-0!"
"My God. Leeds United are truly on a rampage tonight!"
"This now equals the second-largest defeat in Manchester United's history!"
"Their worst defeat was an 8-0 thrashing at the hands of Manchester City, and the managers that day were Gao Shen and Ferguson. Are we about to witness another miracle tonight?"
...
Less than three minutes after Vardy's goal, Leeds United won possession again in midfield.
Camavinga, who had just replaced Enzo, successfully dispossessed Lingard.
The United midfielder went down after a physical challenge, claiming a foul, but referee Anthony Taylor did not blow the whistle.
Camavinga carried the ball forward, then passed it to Valverde.
Valverde took a touch, then played a long, low through ball behind the defense.
Vardy broke past the United backline, chased down the pass, and slotted it calmly into the net past the onrushing De Gea.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!"
"Just 10 minutes after coming on, Vardy scores his second!"
"8-0!"
"Manchester United have completely collapsed!"
"It's clear now that United players have lost all confidence. Whether they're attacking or pressing, they look completely defeated."
"It's a hopeless situation, and it shows how badly their morale has crumbled."
"Leeds United are playing exceptional football tonight."
"Manchester United have suffered another humiliating defeat at home."
"8-0. This equals the club's worst defeat in history."
"United fans have already started leaving the stadium early, and those remaining are booing."
"It's clear they're all deeply unhappy with this result."
...
Gao Shen sat in the presidential box, occasionally glancing toward Ratcliffe, seated not far away.
The latter had been restless for a while.
If Gao Shen hadn't been watching, he would probably have left by now.
Gao Shen was also prepared to intercept him if he tried to leave early.
He still hoped to build a relationship with this Manchester United tycoon.
Ratcliffe clearly noticed Gao Shen watching him and chose to remain seated, trying to look composed and unaffected by the scoreline.
On the pitch, Pochettino made his third substitution.
De Ligt was about to come on for Sancho.
After the change, the tempo of the match gradually slowed.
The Leeds substitutes were full of energy, eager to prove themselves.
In the 87th minute, Rashford dropped deep to receive a pass from Alphonso Davies. Upon receiving the ball, he spotted Camavinga making a diagonal run toward the left edge of the box.
Before the defense could close down, Rashford chipped the ball over the top to the left side of the penalty area.
Camavinga sprinted into the box and met the pass with a left-footed volley.
The pass was smooth, and the ball dropped right at the far post.
Rodrygo, who had just come on, surged forward, beat Maguire to the spot, and tapped it into the right side of the net from close range.
De Gea had no chance against a finish from that distance.
At that moment, everyone inside the stadium, including the fans who had gotten up to leave, stood frozen, staring in disbelief.
9-0!
Good God!
Manchester United had just suffered the worst defeat in club history at home.
And it was against Leeds United, their fiercest rivals in the Roses Derby.
Nobody could believe it.
Even Gao Shen, who had been confident from the first half, was stunned by how the second half unfolded.
He had expected a big scoreline, but never imagined it would break a historical record.
It was simply unbelievable.
Who could have imagined Manchester United losing like this?
(To be continued.)