Chapter 536: Another Victory
Otamendi being sent off with a red card and coach Guardiola being banished to the stands significantly impacted the course of the game.
Before heading to the stands, Guardiola signaled his assistant, Arteta, to substitute Danilo to fill the defensive gap. He had given up on the League Cup, hoping to avoid another crushing defeat at Old Trafford. Consecutive heavy losses at Old Trafford would be more damaging to City than missing the League Cup final.
Simultaneously, Mourinho urged all his substitutes to warm up. Seeing Mata, Lingard, Fellaini, Herrera, Lindelof, and Darmian on the bench made him happy. These players had the quality to be starters at other Premier League clubs, but they were on United's bench. This depth was crucial for United's ability to compete on multiple fronts for consecutive seasons.
However, glancing at City's bench, Mourinho's mood dampened, realizing their substitutes were equally valuable, making City a formidable opponent.
...
City substituted Danilo, who had been signed from Real Madrid the previous summer, for Aguero. Aguero, shocked by his substitution, looked at the sidelines for confirmation, and upon seeing Arteta nod, walked off with a grim face. The camera followed him as he shook hands with Arteta despite his frustration.
City's strength was evident; even with ten men, they didn't collapse and managed to pull another goal back. In the 75th minute, De Bruyne's shot deflected off Kante's leg, winning City a corner. David Silva's corner found Stones, whose header was saved by Romero but fell to De Bruyne, who scored from a distance.
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLL!!!!!"
"De Bruyne makes it 2-3. This is City, always fighting, despite the referee's bias and being a man down!" the City commentator exclaimed.
...
Mourinho remained composed despite the goal. No team could guarantee not conceding against City; it was normal. After the goal, he immediately substituted Mbappe for Mahrez and Luke Shaw for Ashley Young.
Rather than defending a one-goal lead after City's goal, United launched a series of attacks, even pressing City back.
In the 86th minute, Gundogan's long-range shot forced a save from Bravo, earning United a corner. Mahrez took the corner, signaling with three fingers. Maguire and Van Dijk started moving in the box, causing chaos. The referee had to stop play twice to warn the players to calm down.
Finally, Rashford took the corner, Maguire's header was saved by Bravo, but the ball was headed back by Gundogan. Rashford tried another header, which deflected off a defender's back. Stones cleared it, but David Silva's chest control and attempted turn were interrupted as Valencia intercepted and passed to Mahrez, who sent it into the crowded box.
In the chaos, someone stabbed at the ball, sending it toward goal. Bravo saved it instinctively, but a United player got to the rebound before a City defender could clear it, leading to another scramble.
Mourinho, eyes wide, struggled to see through the crowd of players.
Then, a United player burst out of the crowd, arms spread wide, running toward the sidelines, followed by several teammates.
"Mahrez! Mahrez!! Mahrez!!!" the commentator shouted. "United scores again! It's 4-2! Riyad Mahrez, who just came on, scores!"
Mourinho punched the air in excitement. United players celebrated wildly, with Mahrez embraced by Bruno, Harry Kane, and even Rashford climbing on his back.
...
The replay showed the chaotic goal. Harry Kane's half-turn shot was saved by Bravo, Stones tried to clear but hit Danilo's back, and the ball fell to Mahrez. Mahrez reacted quickly, shooting just under the bar for a near-perfect goal.
At 87 minutes, Mahrez's goal made it 4-2, the final score. The last minutes saw jubilant United fans celebrating their certain victory.
Reaching the League Cup final was a delight for United, but eliminating City made it even sweeter. City's rapid rise in recent seasons turned them from noisy neighbors into a genuine threat to United's dominance. Another home victory against this strong rival doubled the fans' joy.
...
After the match, City's captain David Silva confronted the referee. The usually humble Spaniard was visibly upset, arguing passionately while the referee quickly left amid the overwhelming applause at Old Trafford. Fans appreciated the referee for not disadvantaging United, even giving them a slight edge.
...
At the post-match press conference, Guardiola harshly criticized the referee.
"From my perspective, we were denied a penalty. The penalty awarded against us shouldn't have been, and Otamendi's red card was undeserved. It was a textbook tackle, but some didn't see it that way," Guardiola said. "Facing inexplicable decisions, my players were understandably upset, which heavily influenced the result."
Guardiola's core message was that City lost to the referee, not United.
Mourinho, smiling, praised his players. "I'm very satisfied with our performance. Our opponents were City, and reaching the League Cup final for two consecutive years is deserving of any praise."
A journalist from The Times asked, "Mr. Mourinho, what's your view on the referee's decisions today?"
"It was a fantastic match, and Mr. Scott controlled the game well, earning praise from both sides. He did a great job," Mourinho replied.
Journalists were stunned, thinking Mourinho had no shame.
Guardiola, unable to hold back, retorted, "I never said such a thing."
Mourinho smiled but said nothing.
A reporter asked, "Don't you think the referee's decisions favored United today?"
"I don't see it that way," Mourinho said, shaking his head. "I believe the referee's decisions were fair. Anyone who knows me knows I have the utmost respect for referees."
"Well said," a pro-City journalist mocked.
Mourinho simply smiled and thanked him.
...
United's 4-2 home victory over City resulted in a 6-4 aggregate win in the League Cup semi-finals, sending them to the final.
The following day, Arsenal defeated Chelsea 2-1 at home, having drawn the first leg, securing the other spot in the final. United and Arsenal will compete for the League Cup title at Wembley on February 25.
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