The pitch often presents unexpected situations, and there's no time to pause.
Players must learn to tackle new difficulties while resolving the last one.
The Man United players quickly regained their composure, waiting for Chelsea to finish celebrating before restarting the game.
There were no accusations or criticisms among them.
Mourinho shook his arm and glanced sideways at his substitutes' bench.
After Hazard was substituted for Pedro, the defensive pressure on Man United's right side dropped sharply.
So, after a brief warm-up, Luke Shaw came onto the pitch.
...
What Mourinho did next made Sarri curse out loud in Italian.
Man United's attacking play became incredibly straightforward: win the ball back and quickly deliver it into the final third.
There, Ling and Pogba positioned themselves diagonally.
Pogba excelled in tight-space ball retention, while Ling was unmatched in close-quarters dribbling and explosive pace.
Their coordination was seamless.
Occasionally, Ling would drop deeper to organize play, allowing Pogba to push into the box.
Their constant interchanging exhausted Chelsea's defenders physically and mentally.
Chelsea knew exactly what was coming but couldn't find a way to stop it.
Less than five minutes after Chelsea's goal, Luke Shaw intercepted Pedro on the flank and charged down the touchline into Chelsea's half.
Kanté's defensive coverage remained immense.
Anticipating Man United's attacking intent, Kanté sprinted over to make a fierce, blindside tackle.
However, after hearing Herrera's shout of warning, Shaw quickly played a horizontal pass to Pogba, who had dropped centrally to receive.
Jorginho immediately closed down Pogba.
Though not physically dominant like Matić, Jorginho made up for it with exceptional reading of the game.
He anticipated Pogba's intention to switch play and moved early to intercept. But Pogba used his long legs to stretch out, poking the ball forward while falling to the grass.
The ball rolled precisely into the space between Ling and Rüdiger.
Both rushed toward it simultaneously.
Rüdiger instinctively raised his knee as he sprinted.
In truth, he had a strange habit of high-kneeing during acceleration, claiming it made him faster—though whether he meant it as a physical provocation here, only he truly knew.
Thud!
A jarring sound of colliding muscles echoed. Rüdiger felt as if he'd been rammed by a rhinoceros. He used all his strength just to maintain his balance and avoid falling.
He looked at Ling in shock.
'This kid doesn't look particularly massive, so how does he have such a powerful physical force?!'
Ling's years of high-intensity training had continuously increased his muscle density, turning him into an unreasonable football monster!
After stumbling for two steps, Ling regained his balance, collected the ball and looked up.
Mahrez and Rashford were making diagonal runs into the penalty area from the wings, drawing the attention of Chelsea's fullbacks.
Gary Cahill, positioned closest to Ling, quickly shifted sideways to block the shooting angle.
Ling possessed considerable long-range shooting ability—allowing him to shoot from the edge of the box was far too dangerous.
But Ling had now switched to playmaker mode.
The moment Cahill vacated the space on the right, Ling's raised foot gently came down.
A shot fake into a pass!
The convincing feint carried shades of Ibrahimović's famous camera dummy, deceiving most of the Chelsea players—including Marcos Alonso, who was supposed to be marking Mahrez.
Alonso thought Ling wouldn't pass up a shooting opportunity.
Forwards are usually the most selfish players on the pitch, especially young players like Ling chasing the Golden Boot.
But then Alonso sensed a rush of wind beside him.
'Mahrez?!' Alonso instantly realized his mistake and hurriedly accelerated to chase the Algerian winger!
Peter Drury: "Ling shapes to shoot... no, a disguised pass! A roll of the sole, and he slips it through to Mahrez!"
Jim Beglin: "Beautiful! That pass has found its way right into Mahrez's heart. So comfortable that minimal adjustment is needed!"
Kepa slightly lowered his center of gravity, prepared for battle.
He knew Mahrez was predominantly left-footed—he only needed to focus on that left foot!
When he saw Mahrez shape to shoot, Kepa did not hesitate to dive towards the far corner!
But Mahrez had used a simple hesitation move that completely sold the €80 million goalkeeper.
Peter Drury: "Mahrez cuts inside... Kepa commits... AND HE STROKES IT IN AT THE NEAR POST! The Algerian King strikes! Manchester United re-establish their two-goal cushion, and the blue balloon of hope is popped!"
Jim Beglin: "It looks simple, Peter, but that requires excellent rhythm and superb ball control. Mahrez is no less skilled than Ling in those tight areas. That's why he's a former Premier League Season MVP!"
3-1!
Mahrez waved to his teammates as they ran toward the touchline.
Ling, Rashford, Maguire, and Pogba all sat side by side on the electronic advertising boards, their faces filled with happy smiles.
Manchester United fans in the away end enthusiastically took photos with their phones.
Looking at this vibrant young generation—the 19-year-old Ling, 21-year-old Rashford, and 25-year-old Maguire—reminded them of the legendary Class of '92.
The current Man United players loved playing with adventure and enjoyment.
If they could maintain this form, what kind of legendary story might they ultimately write?
...
Back on the touchline, Mourinho walked to the substitute bench and sat beside young Scott McTominay.
"Does it feel regrettable not being able to participate out there today?" Mourinho asked earnestly.
"Yeah," McTominay replied, unable to hide the disappointment in his eyes.
"Do you know why I awarded you the 'Manager's Player of the Year' before?" Mourinho asked.
McTominay's thoughts drifted back to the club's end-of-season awards ceremony.
Every player had received an award except him, leaving him empty-handed and utterly embarrassed.
In the final moments of the event, Mourinho had spontaneously created an additional award just for him.
McTominay believed it was out of pity, so he didn't know how to respond now.
"You know? It's unacceptable for a midfielder to walk away empty-handed," Mourinho said, patting McTominay's shoulder.
"But at that time, I held another belief: this kid possesses everything I want in a player. Since you've chosen to stay at Man United, you must fight for your place. If someday you feel tired and want to give up—"
Before Mourinho could finish, McTominay interrupted, looking intently into his manager's eyes.
"Boss, I will never give up. I can't do that at Man United. I've been here since I was five. I understand this club better than anyone."
McTominay clenched his fists. "I know my performance in some areas has been poor. People say I basically have no potential for growth. Maybe I'll never reach Jeremy's level... but whether on the pitch or the bench, I'll give my absolute all."
The determination in McTominay's tone made Mourinho momentarily pause.
The comfort in his smile grew deeper.
"Actually, many in our team were far less capable than you in their youth—like Mahrez and Ashley Young," Mourinho said softly.
"They were rejected and mocked by fans, but eventually earned respect through step-by-step hard work. Not every player has to become Jeremy. Everyone has their own unique role. Low-profile individuals may not become the center of attention, but I believe they still have the chance to become legends."
Mourinho ruffled McTominay's hair and stood up. "Go warm up quickly. Your teammates need you."
McTominay wiped his face, put on his training vest and ran to the warm-up area.
He believed Mourinho was right—he didn't need to become Jeremy.
He just needed to become the best version of Scott McTominay!
....
After the match resumed, McTominay replaced Herrera, while Aaron Wan-Bissaka came on for Valencia.
Man United's defensive solidity immediately improved significantly.
McTominay didn't unleash some hidden superpower; he simply executed Mourinho's instructions meticulously.
His play was so ordinary and functional that fans didn't pay him much attention.
Yet he found joy in it, standing tall like resilient grass revealed by strong winds.
Chelsea's midfield configuration was inherently defensive with Jorginho, Kanté, and Barkley, forcing Willian to drift centrally as a false nine to create chances.
But Willian suddenly found himself man-marked by McTominay.
Willian possessed typical Brazilian flair—refined technique, an agile style, and subtle movements.
McTominay struggled to contain him skillfully, but he made up for it by remaining tireless in his relentless running.
Willian felt like he was being chased by a mad dog.
He became extremely awkward when handling the ball, and with his stamina severely depleted, he failed to create any further threat.
In the 87th minute, McTominay and Matić combined on defense, aggressively snatching the ball from Kanté's feet.
After a quick one-two with Pogba, McTominay boldly played a low through ball down the left flank.
Rashford received it, cut inside, and shot, but the ball went slightly over the crossbar.
In the final moments of stoppage time, Mahrez sent a corner kick to the far post.
Maguire out-jumped Azpilicueta to head the ball back across the face of goal and McTominay followed up with a thunderous direct volley!
Kepa finally showed his 80-million-euro worth, diving quickly to parry the certain goal away with one strong hand.
Beep—Beep—BEEEEEP!
The final whistle blew at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea 1 - 3 Manchester United.
The frustration of missing the late chance dissipated from McTominay's face as he ran over to join Ling and his teammates in celebration.
He firmly believed he hadn't chosen the wrong path.
If he persisted and worked hard, he would eventually conquer the Man United fans, making them cheer and applaud his name too!
------
McTominay my GOAT!