After the match resumed, the on-field situation became a tense, tactical deadlock.
Neither side managed to create many clear chances, and time swiftly passed amid transitions between offense and defense.
The midfield was a battlefield, the ball pinging back and forth like a pinball.
During this period, Ling took the opportunity to observe Chelsea's tactics up close, combining his own pre-match research with real-time analysis.
'Conte's 3-4-3,' he thought, wiping rain from his eyes.
'It relies on the overload.'
The three-defender formation gained a significant advantage against four-defender systems largely due to the numerical superiority created by the wing-backs.
Their vertical movements near both penalty areas turned a back four into a back six in defense and a front five in attack.
This meant Azpiculeta and Alonso were the primary initiators.
Stop them, stop Chelsea.
Mourinho's pre-match "Mirror" tactic required Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young to man-mark Chelsea's wing-backs into submission.
As for Ling's own role? It was to form an inverted pressing triangle with Romelu Lukaku and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
Their job was to block the passing lanes to Cesc Fàbregas, disrupting Chelsea's build-up play from the back. In simple terms, it was about harassment.
Through their relentless running, Chelsea's midfield found it extremely difficult to mount effective advances.
However, Manchester United's attacks were equally stifled.
Whenever Ling received a pass from a teammate, he noticed a short, tireless figure instantly appearing nearby.
N'Golo Kanté.
The old joke ran through Ling's mind.
'70% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, the remaining 30% by N'Golo Kanté.'
That saying wasn't just empty words.
The Frenchman was everywhere.
He intercepted, he tackled, he hassled. Moreover, on the few occasions Ling managed to dribble past Kanté using his quick feet, Chelsea's center-backs clearly opted to press without committing, quickly regrouping to form a wall.
The match quickly became tedious for the neutrals, a game of chess played on grass.
Players from both sides tested each other's patience, resilience, and determination, striving to avoid mistakes while patiently waiting for their opponents to slip up.
It was Chelsea's frontcourt explosion versus Manchester United's physical power.
Soon, Antonio Conte made his first adjustment.
He was animated on the touchline, his hair transplant holding up well in the rain.
During a dead-ball situation, he shouted onto the field, waving his arms frantically.
"Bakayoko! Push forward! Aggressive! To the box!"
The aim was to overload the midfield, drawing Manchester United's defensive focus away from the real threats: Alvaro Morata and Eden Hazard.
In the 28th minute of the match, The plan worked.
Kanté, reading Mkhitaryan's intentions like a book, won the ball cleanly in the midfield.
He quickly turned and found Cesar Azpilicueta making a marauding, overlapping run down the right flank.
Azpilicueta, Chelsea's captain, was a typical attack-minded defender, known as the 'crossing maniac.'
His delivery was legendary.
Mourinho had once famously said, "If I had 11 Azpilicuetas, I could win the Champions League."
That statement reflected Azpilicueta's immense ability and versatility.
In the blink of an eye, Azpilicueta advanced into the 30-meter zone.
He didn't hesitate.
He decisively delivered a diagonal, 45-degree cross, whipped with pace and curl.
It was a nightmare ball for defenders—curling away from the keeper, towards the penalty spot.
Meanwhile, Manchester United's defensive coordination broke down.
Chris Smalling had been drawn out of position by Bakayoko's surging run.
That left a gap.
Alvaro Morata, Chelsea's record signing, saw it.
With his agile movement, he found a pocket of space inside the penalty area between Eric Bailly and Phil Jones.
The ball landed perfectly in that exact spot.
Although Morata was a two-footed player, the key point was he didn't use his feet.
He was the best header of the ball in the league.
He rose, unmarked. With a graceful, powerful flick of his neck muscles, he directed the ball into the far corner, back across the goal.
Bang!
Even David De Gea, as brilliant as he was, could do nothing.
He was rooted to the spot, watching helplessly as the ball brushed past his fingertips and nestled into the side netting.
1-0!
Chelsea broke the deadlock that had lasted for thirty minutes, securing an exhilarating lead against their former manager.
Whoosh!
The cheers at Stamford Bridge instantly intensified into a deafening roar.
The atmosphere turned from tense to triumphant.
Chelsea fans leaped to their feet, roaring thunderously, and then the taunting session began in earnest.
"MOURINHO! WHERE'S YOUR ARROGANCE NOW?!"
"YOU TRAITOR! YOU'LL NEVER WIN AT THE BRIDGE AGAIN!"
"MATIC! DO YOU REGRET IT NOW? JUDAS!"
"WHO NEEDS LUKAKU? WE'VE GOT MORATA!"
After scoring, Morata sprinted wildly toward the corner flag, lowering his head to kiss the badge on his chest, expressing his love for Chelsea to the fans.
After all, he had dreamed of playing for Chelsea (or at least a big club in London) since his childhood, and now he had finally realized that dream, scoring a crucial goal in a key match.
It was truly thrilling.
The Manchester United players seemed a bit dazed amidst the piercing boos.
What does it feel like to be mocked by tens of thousands of fans who used to cheer your name? Nemanja Matić looked up at the stands, his face unreadable.
Ling only felt the rage in his chest.
It was ready to erupt at any moment, yet it was as calm as the eye of a storm.
He clapped his hands violently.
"Heads up!" he shouted to his teammates, his voice cutting through the noise.
"There's still plenty of time! 60 minutes! We equalize! We take the lead! Let's go!"
Football is an intense sport, and players' emotions are more volatile than those of ordinary people.
But the mental fortitude of this Manchester United squad was generally top-notch.
Veterans like Phil Jones, Valencia, and Ashley Young had seen it all—what kind of storms hadn't they weathered? As for Matić, he wouldn't harbor any negative emotions that would affect his game; he didn't need to prove anything to the Chelsea fans.
He had helped them win two Premier League titles.
If they couldn't respect that, he couldn't care less.
Matić forcefully patted Ling on the shoulder and roared at the defense, "Mark their forwards tightly! No more slip-ups! We respond with goals!"
"Let's go!!!"
The Manchester United players, snapping out of their daze, roared back in anger.
The fight was on.
....
Meanwhile, chaos erupted on the sidelines.
When the goal went in, the Chelsea bench exploded.
Marco Ianni, one of Chelsea's assistant coaches, didn't just celebrate.
He ran down the touchline, right past Mourinho.
He punched the air in celebration, screaming, and didn't even hide the mockery on his face.
He even kicked a water bottle away from the United substitutes' bench.
For Mourinho, this was an unprecedented insult.
Combined with the incessant taunts from the crowd, the "Judas" chants, and the pressure of the game, the fury in his heart erupted like a volcano.
The calm, pragmatic manager vanished.
He immediately stood up from his seat and charged forward, eyes blazing.
He wanted to teach the disrespectful junior a proper lesson with his fists.
"YOU! HEY! YOU!" Mourinho roared, chasing Ianni down the tunnel entrance.
Fortunately, Rui Faria reacted in time.
He grabbed Mourinho around the waist, wrestling him back.
The fourth official and stadium security rushed in. The chaos was palpable. Players from both benches surged forward.
It was a melee.
The situation gradually subsided only after the intervention of the staff and a stern talking-to from the referee.
A while later, Mourinho sat back on the coach's bench, his chest heaving rapidly as he struggled to suppress his emotions.
He adjusted his coat, his eyes still burning with a cold fire.
"Boss," Faria whispered, leaning in. "Don't get too angry. It's not worth it. He wants a reaction."
Seeing this, Faria sighed helplessly.
He knew Mourinho still held special, complicated feelings for Chelsea.
That was why the betrayal hurt so much. That was why he had lost control.
Faria cast a deep, disgusted glance at the assistant coach on the opposing side.
Marco Ianni.
A nobody.
A former youth coach who had once been criticized by Mourinho over tactical disagreements years ago.
So today, he seized this opportunity to retaliate—truly embodying the phrase "small men swollen with success."
'But honestly, who do you think you are?'
On the other side, Antonio Conte made no comment on his staff's behavior.
He merely ran his hand through his thick, transplanted hair, looking intense.
He continued to direct his players to press the attack.
A one-goal lead wasn't safe. Not against United.
He aimed to use a resounding victory to restore his image in Abramovich's eyes, boost Chelsea's morale, and propel them toward the goal of defending their title.
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