Chapter 541: A Battle of Wits and Courage
Manchester United players started celebrating, but Tottenham's coach, Pochettino, was furious. He yelled angrily at the field, venting his frustration. The person he was upset with was Mousa Dembélé. He hadn't instructed Dembélé to mark Gündoğan, but the Belgian took it upon himself, leaving Bruno unmarked.
Leaving such a dangerous player unmarked was asking for trouble. Pochettino knew this well, which is why he didn't tell Dembélé to mark anyone else. However, he hadn't explained this clearly to Dembélé, leading the latter to make his own decisions…
"Don't give him any room!" Pochettino spread his hands in frustration towards Dembélé. Facing his coach's scolding, Dembélé could only lower his head in silence. He had no defense; the problem was indeed his. If he had continued to follow Bruno, someone would have been assigned to Gündoğan, or the coach would have adjusted accordingly. These were things he shouldn't have worried about. Now they were paying the price.
...
Harry Kane's goal gave United the lead, but it didn't throw Spurs off balance. They were still determined; they knew they could end United's winning streak by scoring one more goal to make it 2-2. Ending United's 25-match winning streak would be a significant achievement. It was a record for the top five European leagues. Whenever people mentioned United's 25-match winning streak, they'd also remember that it was Spurs who ended it.
For a team like Spurs, scoring one goal in over twenty minutes wasn't too difficult. They increased their offensive efforts but didn't go all out, keeping a close eye on key United players. Dembélé stuck to Bruno closely, not letting him make any threatening passes. Bruno realized that organizing an attack was again problematic. Even though United's lead wasn't safe, he had no choice but to adapt.
With Spurs pushing hard right after the restart, Mourinho decided to pull back and play defensively. Not because he was conservative, but the situation demanded it. Spurs' offensive capabilities were formidable, and if United engaged in an open exchange, they might lose their lead. Spurs were motivated to score another goal, which would change the game entirely.
Mourinho planned to defend solidly for at least five minutes. If they could hold out, Spurs' morale would dip, allowing United to strike back. In the final ten minutes, if the score remained 2-1, Spurs would become anxious and launch an all-out attack, trying to equalize. Ten minutes was enough time for them to push hard but not so long that United couldn't counter-attack effectively.
...
The game proceeded as Mourinho had planned. Spurs launched fierce attacks for five minutes but couldn't break through. Worried about counter-attacks, Spurs began to pull back. United, too, shifted from pure defense to counter-attacking. However, Bruno, as the team's playmaker, was cautious about risky plays. Both teams engaged in a midfield tug-of-war, occasionally creating scoring chances, but both sides squandered them.
By the 80th minute, Pochettino signaled for an all-out attack. Time was running out. Simultaneously, Mourinho decided to make a substitution, bringing on center-back Lindelöf for Kane and shifting to a 5-3-2 formation. Rashford and Mbappe stayed up front due to their speed and dribbling skills, suitable for counter-attacks. Adding a center-back was to strengthen the defense, creating a robust backline to fend off attacks.
...
When Kane was substituted, he faced a barrage of boos from the Spurs fans. Once their hero, Kane had left when they needed him most, making them feel betrayed. The more they had loved him before, the more they hated him now. Adding to their anger, Kane had scored the go-ahead goal and celebrated it.
Ignoring the boos, Kane walked off slowly, high-fived Lindelöf, and hugged Mourinho. "You did great, Harry. Now go rest," Mourinho comforted him. Back on the bench, Kane exchanged high-fives with his teammates. Leading with ten minutes left, the mood was good.
However, the players on the field didn't share this lightheartedness. The final ten minutes were a grueling test, needing them to hold off Spurs' onslaught and look for counter-attacking opportunities. Bruno controlled the tempo, only launching attacks when the chances were good, avoiding unnecessary risks.
Alli, now playing upfront, signaled for the ball. Valencia, wary of the young player who had caused him trouble throughout the match, kept a close eye on him.
...
As Valencia focused, Alli suddenly moved. Seeing Spurs pass the ball his way, Valencia decided to press forward, confident that the three center-backs could handle the defense. Alli, turning to receive the ball, collided with the pressing Valencia and fell, losing the ball. Valencia quickly cleared it while Alli appealed for a foul, which annoyed Valencia.
"Stop pretending, kid! I know what you're up to. This is a game, not a playground!" he yelled at Alli, who retorted, "You did kick my ankle. I'm not faking!" Their argument drew attention from the nearby United fans, who started booing Alli.
...
United organized an attack, and Spurs retreated. Bruno received Valencia's pass, executed a one-two with Kanté, and took advantage of the space created to pass the ball to Mbappe on the wing. Alli, seeing the danger, turned and ran back, while Valencia continued to argue.
United earned a free kick from Mbappe's shot, which Lloris miraculously saved, drawing praise from the Spurs commentators.
...
United got a corner, a crucial chance in a defensive setup. Scoring from this set piece would crush Spurs' hopes of a comeback. Turning a 2-1 lead into 3-1 with just five minutes left would be insurmountable for any team. United's defenders, Van Dijk, Maguire, and Lindelöf, moved up to challenge for the header.
Spurs, despite their desperate need for a goal, couldn't afford to neglect their defense. Conceding another goal would seal their fate. Hence, they put significant effort into defending the corner.
Friends can now purchase any novel with a 25% discount. This promotion ends on October 7th.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10