December 26, Boxing Day, Leeds Amazon Stadium.
In the 15th round of the Premier League, Leeds United hosted Burnley at home.
To better prepare for the demanding fixture schedule, Pochettino had to rotate the squad.
Just one minute into the match, Vinicius cut in from the left wing and delivered a diagonal pass. Haaland burst into the box and, with a shot-like motion, slotted the ball into Burnley's net, giving Leeds the lead.
1-0!
In the 14th minute, Ruben Dias sent a long ball from the back, accurately finding the left side of the attacking third.
Burnley center-back Tarkowski, running side by side with Haaland, tried to clear the ball but missed. Haaland took possession, surged into the left side of the penalty area, and calmly finished a one-on-one to make it 2-0.
In the 30th minute, Nuno Mendes delivered a diagonal cross from the left to the far post. Foden chested the ball down and fired a left-footed shot to add another goal, making it 3-0.
After the second half started, Vinicius again broke through on the left and sent a diagonal pass to the right side of the penalty arc. Haaland, unmarked, controlled it with his left foot, shifted slightly to his left, and curled a shot into the far corner.
4-0!
Haaland completed his hat-trick.
Leeds United made substitutions while maintaining pressure on Burnley, but failed to score again.
In the end, the White Roses secured a dominant 4-0 victory at home, with a hat-trick from Haaland and a goal from Foden.
...
On December 29, in the 16th round of the Premier League, Leeds United traveled to face West Bromwich Albion.
Just eight minutes into the match, Leeds made a costly back pass error under their high press. Vardy pounced, caught up to the ball, and chipped it over the onrushing keeper to give Leeds the lead.
1-0!
After that, both sides entered a deadlock for more than 20 minutes.
But starting from the 31st minute, Leeds reignited their attack.
First, Alphonso Davies struck a stunning left-footed goal to extend the lead. Then, Vardy assisted Rashford to score, and Sancho latched onto a brilliant pass from Hakimi on the right flank to widen the gap further.
By halftime, Leeds were already up 4-0.
In the second half, Leeds made several substitutions. In the 72nd minute, Alvarez scored again, this time receiving a sublime pass from Argentine midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
Rodrygo and Kvaratskhelia were active after coming on, but neither could find the net to extend the lead.
Still, Leeds United cruised to a 5-0 away win over West Bromwich Albion.
...
A 9-0 away demolition of Manchester United, a 4-0 home win over Burnley, and a 5-0 away thrashing of West Bromwich Albion.
Leeds United unleashed a goal frenzy in three straight matches while keeping clean sheets in all of them.
Observers were stunned by Leeds United's terrifying form.
The White Roses were on a winning streak, making them arguably the most in-form team in the Premier League.
Moreover, several Leeds players were featured in annual rankings by major European media outlets.
For example, in Marca's list of the 100 greatest footballers of 2020, Real Madrid's Kylian Mbappé ranked first, which no one disputed.
In second place was Leeds United's young star Erling Haaland, who had been on fire in the Premier League this season, followed by Bayern Munich's Robert Lewandowski in third.
Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian star Neymar came fourth.
Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo was ranked fifth, while Barcelona's Lionel Messi had dropped to tenth due to his team's overall decline. Many even believed Messi's career had entered a downward trajectory.
Among the 100 players, 14 were from Leeds United, more than any other club in Europe. Once again, this proved the influence of Leeds United.
But just as they were flying high, Leeds United suffered a heavy blow at White Hart Lane in North London.
In their first match of 2021, Leeds faced Tottenham Hotspur away from home.
Leeds made significant rotations again, and the relentless schedule had left the White Roses' players visibly fatigued.
Mourinho's team, having rested and prepared thoroughly, adopted a defensive counter-attacking approach against Leeds.
The two sides battled intensely for 80 minutes.
Leeds dominated possession but could not break through the solid defensive pairing of Thiago Silva and Alderweireld. Haaland was tightly marked by Thiago Silva and failed to score.
Leeds had 68% possession, yet failed to convert it into goals.
On the contrary, in the 81st minute, Ramsdale made a mistake under pressure from Abraham. After receiving a back pass, his clearance went astray. Højbjerg intercepted it and immediately switched play to the right, feeding Lucas Moura.
Nuno Mendes misjudged the play and was easily beaten by Lucas, who charged into the penalty area. Gvardiol brought him down with a reckless challenge. After consulting VAR, the referee awarded Spurs a penalty.
Bruno Fernandes stepped up and calmly converted.
It was the only goal of the game.
Leeds United suffered a 0-1 defeat at White Hart Lane.
...
"I have to say, Gao, your team is just too strong!"
In the stands at White Hart Lane, Sheikh Jassim, head of the Qatari consortium who had flown in from the Middle East to watch the match, expressed his admiration to Gao Shen, who was seated beside him.
Although both are from Qatari consortiums, and the two clubs have close ties, Tottenham Hotspur is currently led by Sheikh Jassim, who is not associated with Paris Saint-Germain.
Of course, anyone with eyes could see what was really going on.
Sheikh Jassim claimed to have supported Spurs during his time studying in the UK and had a particular fondness for the North London club.
That was the official explanation.
If they had acquired Manchester United instead, he probably would've said he had always been a United fan.
"But I still lost to you," Gao Shen replied with a helpless smile.
In truth, Leeds United played the better football. But sometimes, that's just how the game goes.
The better-performing team doesn't always win.
Besides, Tottenham's defensive display was truly outstanding, and Thiago Silva had completely shut down Haaland.
"But you're still top of the table," Jassim said enviously.
Gao Shen smiled.
This defeat might not be a bad thing for Leeds.
They had been on a relentless winning run this season. Morale was sky-high, but too much success can be dangerous. Being hit hard by Tottenham served as a wake-up call, a valuable lesson for the players.
Especially for Haaland.
Thiago Silva gave him a masterclass.
From a developmental perspective, it was actually a good thing. Thiago Silva is the world's best center-back. Being neutralized by him is no shame.
On the contrary, this could help Haaland learn and grow.
Recently, he had been relying heavily on his physique, technique, and speed to tear through defenses across Europe. While impressive, it had bred a bit of arrogance.
Given Haaland's personality, being schooled by Thiago Silva would only drive him to work harder, be more self-disciplined, and focus on refining his skills.
"Speaking of which, I really should thank you, Gao," Sheikh Jassim said with a smile.
"When our bid to acquire Manchester United failed, your advice was spot on. Honestly, we're very satisfied with everything so far."
Back then, after the Qatari consortium failed in their attempt to buy Manchester United, Gao Shen suggested they shift their focus to Tottenham.
The logic was simple. Tottenham's price was around £1 billion, primarily because their new stadium hadn't broken ground yet and the club's performances had dipped, making Levy's asking price far lower than in Gao Shen's previous life.
Gao Shen once ran the numbers for Sheikh Jassim: rather than spend £6 billion to buy United, they could spend £1 billion on Spurs, another £1 billion to build a new stadium, and use the remaining £4 billion on transfers.
With annual investments of £300–500 million, how could they not become title contenders?
Over time, surely they could match Manchester United.
Gao Shen had assured Sheikh Jassim that he could build a highly competitive team.
And now?
Looking back, Gao Shen had spent just over £200 million, yet Tottenham's performances had been transformed.
Next, the club would only need some targeted signings, possibly a few superstars, to take another step forward. At that point, Tottenham's performance could climb even higher.
Though Spurs don't have Manchester United's global brand, they've built a solid foundation in the Premier League and made strides in global markets in recent years. Their brand visibility and reach are very much intact.
With Gao Shen handling football operations, the Qatari consortium could simply focus on managing the club and expanding its global marketing.
All in all, it was a far better deal than the astronomical price it would've taken to acquire Manchester United.
If the Qataris had bought all of United's shares, then built a new training facility, and either renovated or rebuilt Old Trafford, it would've cost at least £7–8 billion.
Sheikh Jassim had done the math and was deeply grateful to Gao Shen.
Especially now, watching Lord Ratcliffe stuck in United's mess, struggling to get anything done, Jassim couldn't help but feel lucky.
He had listened to Gao Shen's advice and avoided the massive sinkhole that was Manchester United.
As for Tottenham, construction on their new stadium was already underway. Once nearly completed, the team would temporarily relocate to Wembley for matches.
Once the stadium is finished, Tottenham will have the infrastructure of a true powerhouse.
With the financial backing of the Qatari consortium and the foundation of the club, they will be well equipped to compete with Premier League giants like Leeds United and Manchester City, and even make waves in the Champions League.
(To be continued.)