Chapter 526: Total Victory
Mata pulled out wide, helping Darmian by distracting Burnley's defense. With this distraction, Darmian had no defensive pressure at all.
"What a beautiful through ball!" the commentator shouted. "Great pass! This is Manchester United's best chance since the start of the game!"
The cheers from Old Trafford suddenly grew louder.
Burnley's right-back, Bardsley, turned to chase from the outside, but it was too late. Goalkeeper Pope quickly came out to block Darmian's shot angle.
Despite the excellent opportunity, Darmian didn't get greedy. When he saw the goalkeeper coming out, he chipped the ball just over the head of the returning center-back, Kevin Long, and naturally over the advancing goalkeeper, Pope.
Following Bruno's through ball, McTominay, who had been running forward, saw his chance. He leaped up and, under the interference of the other center-back, Ben Mee, headed the ball into Burnley's net!
"Goal! Goal! Manchester United scores! It's McTominay!" the commentator roared.
"Manchester United pulls one back! Only one minute and twenty-three seconds into the second half!"
"That was quick! Manchester United's attack was so fast!"
McTominay didn't celebrate much after scoring, knowing United was still behind and it wasn't the time to celebrate yet.
The game quickly resumed.
Burnley's players were frustrated. They hadn't expected to concede a goal just one minute into the second half. This wasn't part of their half-time plan.
Even their coach, Sean Dyche, hadn't expected his team to concede so quickly. This goal completely disrupted their plan, leaving some players confused and those with weaker mental strength blank-minded.
After restarting the match, United didn't relax just because they scored. They continued to press and look for more scoring opportunities.
Burnley, not willing to see their good position slip away, fought hard to regain control. However, their overall strength couldn't match United's, and they struggled to cope with United's relentless and stormy pace.
Throughout the second half, Burnley found themselves in a passive situation. Every attempt to attack was thwarted by United's intense pressure, leading them to eventually resort to just defending, hoping to hold onto their 2-1 lead until the end.
Only Gudmundsson was unhappy with this state, continuously seeking opportunities up front. However, his limited ability meant he couldn't single-handedly pull Burnley out of their predicament.
Gudmundsson worked hard but was often left looking clumsy against Herrera and Ashley Young.
Bruno focused on organizing attacks, driving United's every move forward.
United's constant pressure delighted the fans, as the cheers at Old Trafford grew louder and more frequent.
...
Finally, in the 68th minute, United's relentless attacks paid off.
Bruno made a sudden forward run, drawing a foul from Burnley's midfielder, Jack Cork, earning United a free kick from the right.
Mata crossed with his left foot, sending the ball in a curling path towards the back post.
Bruno leaped and headed the ball with power, but it was a bit too direct and Pope managed to save it.
United's attack wasn't over yet. Their layered attacking style meant they always had multiple threats. Alongside Bruno, Mata, Lingard, McTominay, and Rashford were ready to capitalize.
When Pope parried Bruno's header, Lingard arrived swiftly. Despite his small stature, Lingard held his ground against Kevin Long and slotted the ball into Burnley's net!
Pope, already on the ground, couldn't get up in time to make another save, watching helplessly as Lingard scored.
"2-2! Lingard scores! This is his third Premier League goal and his seventh goal in all competitions this season!"
After United spent 100 million euros to sign Mbappe, Lingard lost his starting position. But with United's packed schedule and many matches, Lingard still got plenty of chances to play and score.
"Lingard goal! Lingard goal!" the commentator shouted excitedly. "He equalizes for Manchester United! 2-2! The game is back on level terms!"
...
Burnley's players were still trying to understand what went wrong. How had their perfect first half turned into such a struggle in the second half? They were completely out of sync and at the mercy of United's game.
Sean Dyche had to adjust, switching to a defensive counter-attack strategy. They needed to stop conceding and slow the game down.
During United's goal celebration, Dyche called a few players to the sideline and instructed, "We need to control the tempo! They play fast, so we slow it down! When we have the ball, don't rush. Avoid risky passes and slow the game down!"
After the game restarted, Burnley tried to slow the pace, but United didn't give them the chance.
Football is about who controls the tempo. Control the tempo, and you control the game. Conversely, falling into the opponent's tempo often leads to defeat.
As Burnley tried to slow down, United responded with intense pressing and tackles.
If the opponent wants to slow down, force them to speed up. Pressing is an effective method. Under pressure, opponents often make instinctive decisions without much thought, leading to cumulative mistakes and panic.
...
In the 77th minute, United made a beautiful series of plays after winning the ball in defense.
Herrera passed to Bruno, who had moved to the flank. Rashford and McTominay sprinted forward, drawing Burnley's defenders' attention.
Meanwhile, Lingard shifted from the right to the center, going unnoticed.
Bruno, receiving the pass from Herrera, didn't drive forward but used a backheel to pass to the trailing Ashley Young. Bruno then made a cutting run forward along the flank.
Ashley Young passed the ball ahead to Bruno, who had now reached Burnley's final third. The ball rolled behind him, with the opposing full-back closing in, while the center-backs were occupied with the forwards.
Bruno lightly nudged the ball with his right foot to the middle. The ball slid past the defending full-back.
At that moment, Lingard ran in and pushed the ball past the gap between the full-back and center-back!
"Beautiful!" the commentator and fans cheered together.
United fans eagerly anticipated a third goal.
Seeing Lingard take the ball into the box, Ben Mee abandoned marking Rashford and rushed to defend.
Facing the goalkeeper and the center-back, Lingard didn't pass but took the ball towards the byline!
...
"So reckless…" the commentator began but then saw Lingard chip the ball with his right foot past the goalkeeper and into the far corner!
"So reckless… goal! Goal!" the commentator corrected himself, shouting excitedly. "Lingard! Jesse Lingard! He scores a brace! A beautiful goal, stemming from a fantastic team move! Look at United's attack—so clear and enjoyable!"
"3-2! Unbelievable! Unbelievable! Manchester United, after being two goals down in the first half, have scored three in the second half to take the lead!"
"No comeback, no Red Devils! The fearsome team is back!!"
...
Whether at the stadium or in the studio, commentators exclaimed in amazement.
When United were two goals down at halftime, many thought their winning streak in the Premier League would end on Boxing Day. The Christmas schedule, notorious for upsets, seemed set to halt even the mighty United.
But halftime became a turning point, giving United a chance to regroup.
With Mourinho decisively bringing on Bruno at halftime, United regained their command, and the invincible United returned with Bruno's presence.
...
As the referee blew the final whistle, Old Trafford erupted in celebration, everyone cheering except for the away fans.
"Game over! Game over!! Manchester United, after being two goals down at halftime, have scored three in the second half for a comeback win!"
"This is their 20th Premier League victory this season, extending their record to 21 consecutive wins in the top five European leagues!"
"Burnley once saw hope in ending United's streak, but with Bruno Fernandes entering in the second half, United returned to their winning ways!"
"With this home comeback against Burnley, United have now defeated all 19 other Premier League teams this season."
"Though they aren't the first to beat all other teams in a season, they are the fastest to do so, achieving it in just 20 games. In fact, had they faced Burnley in the first half of the season, they would have accomplished this feat by midseason!"
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