Chapter 550: The Red Devils' Unyielding Comeback
When Cancelo headed the ball into the net, the commentators in Manchester went wild. Arsenal's offensive was gaining momentum, and the United fans were getting nervous. No one expected the team to secure the victory so quickly and decisively.
"Amazing Manchester United!" shouted Rio Ferdinand. "Just as Arsenal's attack was ramping up, they scored again! This goal seals the victory!"
"Mourinho's adjustments were spot on, with Rashford and Mahrez coordinating well," praised Lineker. "Mahrez's cross was beautiful, Ospina misjudged it, and Cancelo's timing was perfect at the back post."
The commentators had to shout to be heard over the roaring cheers from the crowd. United fans were ecstatic; Cancelo's goal had given everyone confidence. With a three-goal lead, Arsenal was done for.
Mourinho raised his right arm and celebrated with a powerful fist pump. "Well done!" "Great job!" The United bench erupted in joy. Injured Mbappe even rushed to the sidelines, cheering loudly, "That's it! Keep going! Don't stop!"
On the Arsenal side, it was a different story. Wenger was furious. He stormed to the sideline, yelling at his players, particularly unhappy with Ospina's decision to come out for the ball, which he deemed reckless.
Cancelo's goal had significant effects on both teams. Arsenal, feeling the pressure, became more desperate, throwing everything into attack. United, on the other hand, seemed overly excited and a bit disorganized under Arsenal's relentless assault.
Mourinho shouted instructions from the sideline, reminding his team to focus on defense. "Don't relax yet; the game isn't over."
Wenger, equally vocal, was frustrated with his team's chaotic attacking. He felt a pang of regret, realizing that while United was also disoriented, he hadn't made the necessary adjustments. He gambled that his team would handle the chaos better, but with United leading 3-0 past the 80-minute mark, it was clear his gamble hadn't paid off.
After four minutes of added time, the referee, Mike Dean, blew the final whistle. The massive New Wembley Stadium erupted in wild cheers. Mourinho was ecstatic, pumping his fists and jumping with joy like an excited rabbit.
"The match is over, and what a game it was! 3-0! Manchester United has defeated Arsenal to win their sixth League Cup, surpassing Aston Villa and Chelsea to become the team with the second-most League Cup wins, behind Liverpool's eight. Arsenal, on the other hand, has lost six out of their eight League Cup finals, becoming the team with the most League Cup runner-up finishes."
United's bench stormed onto the pitch, celebrating the victory with their teammates. Mourinho, instead of joining the on-field celebrations, composed himself and approached Wenger. The Frenchman, looking grim, shook Mourinho's hand with a complex expression. "Congratulations," Wenger said.
"Thank you," Mourinho replied, beaming.
After a brief trophy ceremony, Manchester United returned to Manchester without any celebrations, as they had a crucial match against Chelsea in just three days. This was a rescheduled match for the 28th round of the Premier League, delayed due to the League Cup final. Arsenal had a similar situation with their match against Manchester City also postponed.
Despite the intense match against Arsenal, Mourinho fielded his strongest lineup against Chelsea, except for the still-injured Mbappe and the reinstated De Gea. Nine players who started the League Cup final were in the starting lineup again.
Chelsea, well-rested, dominated the early stages at Old Trafford. In the 4th minute, they almost scored. Alonso's cross found Lukaku, whose shot hit the crossbar. Hazard's follow-up was tipped over by De Gea.
The game became a stalemate as United gradually gained control, but neither side created clear chances.
Chelsea broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute with a counter-attack. Willian's pass found Hazard, who set up Willian to score from 11 yards out.
United equalized in the 39th minute. After passes from Kante and Mahrez, Bruno shielded the ball and laid it off for Kane, who finished from 10 yards.
The second half saw missed chances for both sides. Lukaku's shot was blocked, and De Gea saved a long-range effort from Drinkwater. Willian and Bruno also missed the target.
Mourinho made a substitution, bringing on Lingard for Rashford. In the 76th minute, Bruno's through ball found Kane, who crossed for the unmarked Lingard to head home from 10 yards, sealing a 2-1 comeback win for United.
The next day, Manchester City thrashed Arsenal 3-0 in their rescheduled match, keeping the gap between United and City at eight points.
On March 5th, United faced Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park for their 29th league match. After tough games against Arsenal and Chelsea, and with a match against Liverpool coming up, Mourinho rotated his squad, resting several key players including Bruno.
Palace took the lead in the 11th minute. Benteke's pass set up Townsend, whose shot deflected off Lindelof into the net.
United struggled to respond, and the first half ended 1-0 to Palace. Early in the second half, Palace doubled their lead. Schlupp's quick free-kick found van Aanholt, who scored from a tight angle.
Mourinho, furious, made changes, bringing on Bruno and the fit-again Mbappe. The impact was immediate. In the 55th minute, Bruno's corner was cleared, but Valencia's cross found Smalling, who headed home to make it 2-1.
United continued to pressure Palace, targeting young right-back Wan-Bissaka, who struggled with his positioning. Bruno exploited this weakness, repeatedly passing into the space behind him.
In the 76th minute, Bruno's pass found Mbappe, whose shot was blocked, but Bruno followed up to score and level the match. It was his 34th league goal of the season.
In the 92nd minute, United completed the comeback. Mahrez's shot was blocked, but Bruno volleyed home from 25 yards to seal a 3-2 victory.
United had come from behind to win in consecutive matches, with Bruno scoring twice to reach 35 league goals for the season.
On March 10th, a Saturday lunchtime kickoff saw United host Liverpool at Old Trafford for their 30th league match. With a Champions League second leg against Shakhtar Donetsk looming, Mourinho rotated his squad again. Ashley Young, who had shut down Sanchez in the League Cup final, started at left-back, and Mata played alongside Bruno as dual attacking midfielders.
Klopp also rotated his Liverpool side, with Salah returning to the starting lineup, along with Chamberlain, Robertson, and Alexander-Arnold.
Both teams started cautiously, with Liverpool dominating possession in the first 10 minutes.
United took the lead in the 14th minute. De Gea's long clearance was headed on by Kane, allowing Rashford to cut inside Alexander-Arnold and score from 12 yards.
United doubled their lead in the 24th minute. Kane's pass was deflected to Mata, whose shot was blocked, but Rashford pounced to score from 12 yards again, making it 2-0.
The match grew more intense, but United's solid defense kept Liverpool at bay, maintaining the 2-0 lead until the final whistle.
Mourinho had a meticulous plan to neutralize Salah, involving tight marking and frequent double-teams. Ashley Young effectively contained Salah, and United's compact formation limited Liverpool's attacking space.
The Daily Mail awarded Ashley Young an 8/10 rating for his performance, highlighting his role in shutting down Liverpool's main threat and contributing to United's successful defense.
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