Chapter 666: Two Record-Breaking Challenges
Despite two well-intentioned attempts, Manchester United failed to create any meaningful threats.
On the sidelines, Mourinho grew restless and made a substitution. Riyad Mahrez, who was in top form recently, replaced an underperforming Kylian Mbappé.
The swap was positional, leaving the formation and tactics largely unchanged. However, with Mahrez's introduction, Mourinho pushed İlkay Gündoğan forward to join Bruno Fernandes as dual attacking midfielders, while N'Golo Kanté was tasked with anchoring the midfield alone.
It was a clear message—Mourinho wanted his team to play more aggressively and create better chances.
The clock ticked into the 73rd minute, leaving less than 20 minutes to change the game. Bruno, now with more freedom in midfield, expanded his movement, running tirelessly in search of opportunities. However, Southampton's defenders closely shadowed him, making it hard for him to make an impact.
A Stubborn Southampton
As the match crossed the 80-minute mark, the hopeful Manchester United fans began to temper their expectations, realizing just how resilient Southampton was proving to be.
What could be done? Mourinho had no more moves left. The players on the pitch represented his strongest attacking options. If even Bruno couldn't find a breakthrough, there seemed to be no way forward.
Southampton, meanwhile, grew more confident with each passing minute.
A 2-2 draw wouldn't break Manchester United's unbeaten run, but for Southampton, it would feel like a victory. Holding the mighty Manchester United to a draw was no small feat.
In the 14 games of the new season so far, only Tottenham and Manchester City had managed to draw against United. Other top teams like Chelsea and Everton had fallen to the Red Devils.
Southampton was on the verge of becoming only the third team to deny United a win this season. Even a single point from this game would lift Southampton out of the relegation zone, surpassing Burnley.
Both Southampton's players and fans could sense that victory—or rather, salvation—was within reach.
Bruno Takes Control
United, however, remained patient, continuing to search for opportunities. Bruno's defining strength was his composure under pressure.
Recognizing that right-back João Cancelo wasn't providing Bruno enough support, Mourinho instructed him to push further forward.
With Cancelo advancing, Bruno found himself under less pressure. The previously predictable link between Gündoğan and Bruno now had an additional outlet, forming a triangular passing pattern. This made it much harder for Southampton to defend.
Soon, this tactical adjustment yielded an opportunity.
A Critical Moment
Receiving a pass from Marcus Rashford on the right flank, Bruno found himself crowded out. He passed back to Gündoğan and stayed close, shadowing Southampton's Højbjerg.
Gündoğan, growing increasingly attuned to Bruno's intentions, realized that Bruno wanted to exploit the space behind Højbjerg. Directly passing to Bruno, however, would be too obvious and easy to intercept.
Instead, Gündoğan sent the ball to Cancelo, signaling him to deliver a diagonal pass to Bruno.
As Cancelo's ball came through, Bruno sprinted forward, cutting inside from Højbjerg's right. However, the pass was overhit, heading straight toward the byline.
Bruno had no choice but to chase it at full speed.
Never Giving Up
"Cancelo's pass is too heavy, but Bruno isn't giving up. Højbjerg is chasing him closely!"
Bruno knew Højbjerg was on his tail but couldn't afford to hesitate. If he didn't reach the ball, it would go out of play.
Just before the ball crossed the line, Bruno reached it. Højbjerg, meanwhile, was caught off guard and overshot, stumbling out of bounds.
Bruno quickly pulled the ball back from the byline and shifted it sideways into the penalty area, using his body to shield it from Højbjerg, who was now out of position.
Southampton's goalkeeper, McCarthy, rushed to cover the near post, with a center-back returning to guard the goal line. Bruno was left with no shooting angle.
A Stroke of Genius
Despite the tight angle, Bruno didn't hesitate. Dribbling laterally toward the six-yard box, he feinted a shot, forcing the center-back to commit. At the last second, he deftly slipped the ball through the defender's legs.
The ball rolled perfectly to Harry Kane, who instinctively tapped it into the net.
3:2!
For a moment, Kane looked stunned. But the 2,000 traveling Manchester United fans behind the goal erupted in wild celebration.
The Decisive Goal
"GOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!!"
"In the 87th minute, Manchester United finally breaks through!"
"What a brilliant individual effort by Bruno Fernandes. Despite Cancelo's overhit pass, Bruno chased it down, outmaneuvered Højbjerg, and carried the ball into the box. With the angle closed down by the goalkeeper and defender, Bruno's clever feint created just enough space to deliver a nutmeg pass to Harry Kane."
"Kane had the simplest job of all—tapping the ball into an empty net. But the credit belongs to Bruno, whose incredible creativity and determination saved the day for Manchester United."
"3:2! The Red Devils lead!"
A Record-Setting Run
United fans in the stands chanted Bruno's name as their team extended its Premier League unbeaten streak to 54 matches.
This hard-fought victory against Southampton marked United's sixth comeback win of the season in league play—and their seventh overall across competitions.
Though the match ended in a narrow 3:2 victory, it reinforced United's reputation as a team capable of digging deep to secure results.
With their unbeaten run intact, United edged closer to AC Milan's legendary 58-match unbeaten record in Europe's top five leagues.
However, challenges loomed large.
The Road Ahead
To match AC Milan's record, United would need to avoid defeat in four more league matches.
Key fixtures included:
December 5: Arsenal at Old Trafford.December 8: Fulham at Old Trafford.December 16: Liverpool at Anfield.
The match against Cardiff City in Round 18 had already been postponed due to the FIFA Club World Cup.
If United remained unbeaten, their 58th match would come on Boxing Day against Huddersfield Town at home.
However, both Arsenal and Liverpool posed significant threats. Neither would make it easy for United to achieve history.
As the pressure mounted, one thing was clear—Manchester United was willing to fight for their place in history.
Get 30% off on my Patreon and enjoy early access to new chapters.
You can also purchase the next 100 chapters of the novel directly from my Patreon page.
Hurry up! The promotion ends on March 2, 2026.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10