Chapter 670: The Key Player
Manchester United launched another attack as Kanté passed the ball across the middle to Fred, who then sent it to Bruno. The United captain smoothly dragged the ball back and turned, effortlessly outmaneuvering Fabinho in one fluid motion.
Bruno feinted as if to head to the byline but suddenly cut the ball across to the middle. Harry Kane reached out to control it, intending to combine with Rashford nearby. However, just as Kane pulled the ball back and turned, he was pushed down by Keïta.
The referee's whistle blew, awarding United a free kick for the foul. It was a tactical foul, and Liverpool had nothing to lose. The distance from the goal was significant enough that the free kick posed little direct threat. Keïta escaped without a card or even a warning, effectively stopping United's counterattack without consequences.
Luke Shaw took the free kick, sending the ball into the box, but Koulibaly rose above everyone to head it clear. United recovered the second ball, but by then Liverpool's defense was already set, forcing United to pass the ball around the edge of the penalty area, searching for an opening.
Luke Shaw passed to Kanté.
Kanté controlled the ball but was deep in thought.
Earlier, Bruno had relayed Mourinho's instructions to focus on long-range shots. Bruno, Rashford, and even players like Mbappé, Fred, Kane, and Luke Shaw had all been given the green light to shoot from distance. But Kanté's name hadn't even been mentioned.
It was understandable. Kanté's shooting ability was widely acknowledged as poor. While he had scored a handful of goals in past seasons, those were rare exceptions that did little to mask his overall lack of scoring prowess.
Still, being overlooked—especially by the coach—left Kanté feeling a little frustrated.
As Kanté held the ball, Alisson shouted, "Close him down! Watch the shot!"
"He won't shoot!" Robertson said dismissively. "His shooting is terrible!"
Hearing this, Kanté, already irritated, pushed the ball forward, adjusted slightly, and unleashed a shot with his right foot.
"Wait, he's actually going for it!" Robertson smirked, unconcerned.
What?!
Robertson's smirk vanished as the ball left Kanté's foot like a white blur, rocketing toward the goal. The ball smashed off the underside of the crossbar and into the net before anyone could react.
Alisson stood frozen. He hadn't even moved.
2–1!
Kanté, the unlikely hero, had given Manchester United the lead again.
"What a goal! Incredible!"
"Manchester United takes the lead again, and the scorer is… Kanté?!"
"2–1! At such a crucial moment, the usually goal-shy Kanté has stunned us all with a magnificent strike. The power, the speed, the accuracy—everything about this goal is sensational."
"This is Kanté's first goal in all competitions this season, and what a way to score it—an absolute screamer!"
"Kanté rarely scores, but when he does, it's always something special and vital."
The commentators were ecstatic, marveling at the unexpected turn of events.
Even Mourinho, standing on the sidelines, looked momentarily stunned before erupting in celebration. The strategy to take more long shots had paid off sooner than expected—and in spectacular fashion.
"Damn it," Klopp muttered, clapping his hands in frustration. "How did that go in?"
It wasn't entirely Robertson's fault for not closing Kanté down quickly enough. After all, who could have anticipated Kanté taking a shot, let alone scoring with such quality?
Klopp sighed. "Give him that shot a hundred more times, and he'd never score like that again."
But the damage was done. 1–2.
Kanté's goal significantly upped the pressure on Liverpool. Klopp gestured furiously from the sideline, urging his players to push forward and increase their attacking intensity.
In the 43rd minute, Salah received the ball at the edge of the box. He tried to dribble past Kanté, but the Frenchman ignored the feints and timed a sliding tackle perfectly, cleanly dispossessing Salah.
Salah went down theatrically, screaming in pain, and Anfield erupted in boos.
The referee blew his whistle for a foul and issued a verbal warning to Kanté.
Both sides were displeased. Liverpool argued that Kanté's tackle warranted at least a yellow card, while United insisted it was a clean challenge.
Mourinho was livid, storming the touchline to protest. After being restrained by the fourth official, he crossed his arms and glared at the field.
The resulting free kick from Salah was disappointing, hitting the wall and deflecting out. Fabinho collected the rebound and lofted the ball back into the box, but Maguire headed it clear.
Kanté intercepted the second ball mid-air and sent it to Luke Shaw, who quickly passed it forward to Fred. Fred found Bruno, who barely let the ball settle before delivering a precise long pass to Kane.
Kane surged forward, scanning for options.
On the right flank, both Mbappé and Rashford were making runs, creating chaos for Liverpool's left-back Robertson.
Mbappé's blistering pace drew the attention of Robertson and Koulibaly, forcing them to focus on the young Frenchman.
As the newly crowned Golden Boy of European football, Mbappé's presence alone was enough to unsettle any defense.
(END CHAPTER)
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