A wave of madness swept across the vast Wembley Stadium!
"Fight back! We're launching a counterattack!"
"Rooney! Lead United's charge!"
"We're going for the treble—how can we let a Championship team block our way?!"
From the stands, Manchester United fans roared with passion!
Now that United had substituted all their main starters…
A full-strength United, the same squad that dominated the Premier League all season, had taken the field.
The entire stadium erupted!
The Red Devils' fans rebuilt their mighty momentum.
Time was still on their side.
A two-goal deficit—they refused to accept it as a death sentence!
On the other side, Crystal Palace supporters held their breath.
Rooney was on the pitch.
Ever since Cristiano Ronaldo's departure to La Liga,
Rooney had naturally become United's biggest star—
their main attacking force under Sir Alex Ferguson.
Near the center circle, Vaughan glanced at the man across from him.
Wayne Rooney!
Back when Vaughan was still at Everton, Rooney had been his senior from the same club.
He knew exactly what Rooney was capable of.
Even during Vaughan's brief time being hailed as a "genius striker" by the media,
Rooney—only a few years older—had already made a name for himself in the Premier League and become the media's darling.
This season, despite injuries and signs of an aging lineup,
Manchester United had still made it this far.
Without a doubt, it was Rooney's heroic performances across all fronts
that carried United to the finals on all three fronts—league, FA Cup, and Champions League.
The stadium surged again with passionate energy.
At the center circle, the referee blew the whistle!
The match resumed!
A deafening roar erupted again across Wembley!
Rooney kicked off.
Chicharito received and laid the ball back.
United fans went wild.
Their iconic 4-4-2 strike partnership had returned to full form!
Rooney as the second striker,
paired up with Chicharito as the lone forward!
As soon as the ball was played from the center,
United's formation pressed across the halfway line.
Their offensive shape began systematically filling up Crystal Palace's half.
Cheers rang out across the stands from United supporters!
With Rooney on the pitch,
United's attacking formation and midfield link-up clearly leveled up from earlier.
And with Valencia now on the wing,
their flanks were finally unlocked.
Although the legendary "Devil's Wing" Ryan Giggs could no longer gallop down the sideline,
the young Valencia had now taken up the torch as their new wide attacker.
Once again, the post-Ronaldo era's dual-wing attack of Manchester United began to shine.
42nd minute!
A classic United move—build-up from the center to the wing!
Giggs and Carrick didn't let the ball linger in midfield.
Carrick timed it perfectly and swiftly passed to the right wing.
Valencia dribbled past the Crystal Palace fullback,
charging forward at full speed down the sideline!
United's formation naturally shifted toward Valencia's side in support.
Rooney cut diagonally toward the edge of Palace's box.
Chicharito dove straight into the far post area.
Crystal Palace fans in the stands clenched their fists in anxiety.
This full-strength United really was on another level—
their attacking intensity was far fiercer than before.
In front of them—Valencia didn't go all the way to the end line.
Instead, from the half-space near Palace's defensive gap,
he fired a sharp low cross across the face of goal!
Giggs arrived just in time.
With his left foot, he gently flicked the ball up.
As Palace's backline stepped forward to press—
Rooney leaped high with his stocky frame,
and headed the ball across toward the far post!
Chicharito, waiting at the back, controlled it with his thigh.
He took one touch to settle it,
then struck it hard from just inside the box!
The stands exploded with gasps—!
Just as the Crystal Palace fans were about to breathe a sigh of relief…
Chicharito's shot was a little too straight!
The Palace goalkeeper easily deflected it away from danger.
But then — a ghost-like figure suddenly emerged out of nowhere!
Rooney!
His tank-like build burst into the box, slamming in a rebound shot!
The Palace keeper had no time to reposition for a second save —
he could only watch the ball fly into the net!
1:2!
Just before the first half ended, Manchester United pulled one back!
Wembley erupted with a deafening roar from the Red Devils fans!
It was as if hope had been reignited!
Once United had subbed in their full starting lineup — especially with Rooney leading the charge —
their impact on the game was instant and visible!
Crystal Palace fans held their breath again.
This full-strength Manchester United team was simply too powerful.
Their attack was watertight, and the coordination between the wings and center was incredibly effective.
On the sidelines, manager Holloway began to pace nervously.
With this dominant United beginning to press hard,
how should Palace respond?
Their well-trained counterattack strategy was now struggling under United's classic English style of pressing!
Sir Alex Ferguson clapped calmly on the sideline.
He looked up at the scoreboard:
1:2.
This was only the beginning of United's comeback.
Although the squad was aging,
Their unyielding tactical discipline and Red Devil spirit etched into their bones
meant this season's United still remained unshakeable contenders across multiple competitions!
"In the locker room at halftime,"
Ferguson crossed his arms and said to the coaching staff,
"I'll stress the second-half strategy.
We need to equalize as soon as possible and do everything we can to avoid extra time."
The assistant coach nodded firmly:
"Exactly! We've still got an even tougher Champions League final at the end of the month!
Extra time will drain too much from our players.
We need to finish the fight in 90 minutes — equalize and turn it around!"
Now that they had gone all-in with their main squad,
the Manchester United coaching team was full of confidence!
This season, no Premier League team had been able to handle a full-strength Red Devils lineup.
Soon, the first half came to an end.
The referee blew the halftime whistle!
Amidst the noise, both teams walked down the tunnel and disappeared into their locker rooms.
Inside Manchester United's dressing room:
Ferguson and his assistants were hammering away at the tactical board,
giving detailed instructions for the second half.
The assistant looked toward Park Ji-sung and Carrick:
"Neither of you has a yellow card yet.
In the second half, you'll be our defensive anchors.
You have one job — shut down Crystal Palace's No. 10!"
Park Ji-sung took a deep breath and nodded.
"If necessary, don't hesitate to increase your physical pressure and make decisive fouls."
"It's obvious — Palace's entire attack revolves around him.
Cut him off, and we've cut off their chances of scoring again!"
As the assistant continued laying out plans,
Sir Alex Ferguson stood in the center of the locker room,
starting his halftime rally.
"Our goal this season is the treble.
Remember your mission!"
Ferguson's voice rose and fell with conviction,
stirring the fighting spirit in the United squad.
Meanwhile, in the Crystal Palace locker room:
Kai gathered all his teammates around him.
"This is the final battle, lads!"
The moment he spoke, the players were instantly recharged with fighting spirit!
Yes!!
It was time for the ultimate showdown!
This was their final match of the season.
And very likely, it was also the last time their young captain would stand in the Palace dressing room,
rallying the team before a match.
"No one knows better than us what this championship means.
We've fought step by step to get here —
and now, under the eyes of tens of thousands,
we have to give this turbulent yet glorious season the perfect ending!"
Kai's voice echoed through the locker room.
His teammates looked at him with blazing eyes,
focused entirely on their captain.
He pointed to the captain's armband on his arm:
"The moment I put this on, I understood the pressure of leadership
— and the responsibility of carrying everyone's hopes."
"We are destined to charge forward —
even if no one else dares to believe in the miracle we're chasing!"
~~----------------------
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