Chapter 685: Unstoppable Momentum
A red card and a penalty—this was practically Newcastle's death sentence.
Of course, it was still too early to declare victory, as there were nearly 30 minutes left in the match.
When the game resumed, Manchester United completely took control.
With Newcastle down a man, Hayden could no longer tightly mark Bruno Fernandes like before. This gave Bruno more space to move, allowing him to become more active and create frequent threats. Unfortunately, due to various reasons, neither Harry Kane nor Greenwood could capitalize on the opportunities.
At the 81st minute, Bruno moved to the right flank to receive the ball again.
Dalot delivered a precise pass to Bruno's feet. As he controlled the ball, Bruno turned and cut inside. With a light push from his left foot, he passed the ball to Gundogan in the center.
Just as Gundogan received the ball, Bruno, who had been running diagonally from the right towards the center, suddenly changed direction and darted into Lascelles' defensive zone.
Caught off guard, Hayden immediately tried to follow, but Bruno's speed left him trailing behind.
Gundogan's through ball was perfectly timed, threading past Lascelles. Bruno, like a speeding arrow, broke through Newcastle's defensive line and sprinted into the penalty area, catching up with the ball.
Newcastle's goalkeeper Dubravka decisively left his line, while Schär tightly marked Harry Kane in the center.
...
As Bruno reached the ball, everything around him became clear in his mind. In an instant, he made his decision.
First, he gestured towards the left, pretending to pass. Then, planting his left foot, he used his right foot to make a precise push shot.
Dubravka reacted quickly but was still a fraction of a second too late. The ball skimmed the grass and slid past the Slovak goalkeeper's lower-left side, smashing into the net!
3–0!
"GOOOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLLLL!!!!!!!"
"A brace! A brace!"
"Another fantastic goal from Manchester United's captain, Bruno Fernandes!"
"This goal undoubtedly seals the victory!"
Bruno, overcome with excitement, sprinted off the pitch, shaking off his teammates as they tried to celebrate with him. He ran straight to the corner flag, dropped to his knees, and looked up at the sea of roaring fans in the stands.
Manchester United players rushed over, engulfing Bruno in a jubilant group hug.
On the sidelines, Benítez could only spread his hands helplessly, frustration written all over his face. In sharp contrast, Mourinho was at the visiting bench, ecstatic and celebrating wildly.
This victory would send Manchester United back to the top of the Premier League table. Meanwhile, in just one day, Manchester United's two main rivals, Manchester City and Liverpool, would face each other at the Etihad Stadium.
The phrase "when the snipe and clam fight, the fisherman gains" seemed fitting—this time, Manchester United was the fisherman.
...
The following day, good news came from the Etihad Stadium. Guardiola's Manchester City defeated Klopp's Liverpool 2–1 at home, handing the Reds their first league loss of the season.
As a result, out of all 20 Premier League teams, Manchester United was now the only unbeaten team.
Thanks to their local rivals beating another rival, Manchester United climbed back to the top of the table, despite having played one game less.
This season's Premier League title race was fiercely competitive.
After 21 rounds, Manchester United, with one fewer match played, had 17 wins, 3 draws, and 54 points. After 10 days off the summit, they reclaimed the top spot.
Liverpool, in second place, had been outstanding this season. They remained unbeaten in their first 20 matches, with a record of 16 wins, 4 draws, and 1 loss, earning 52 points.
Manchester City had started the season strongly, holding first place for a significant period and staying close behind even after being overtaken by United. However, December proved challenging for the Blues.
They suffered a 0–2 loss to Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on December 8 in Round 16, followed by a shocking 2–3 defeat to Crystal Palace at home in Round 18 on December 22. Then came the Boxing Day clash, where City lost 1–2 to Leicester City at the King Power Stadium, marking two consecutive league defeats.
After recovering with two wins in the final matches of the congested festive schedule, City had 15 wins, 3 draws, and 3 losses, with 48 points, placing them third.
...
Behind them was Tottenham, led by Pochettino, with 15 wins, 1 draw, and 5 losses, earning 46 points.
Chelsea sat in fifth, with 13 wins, 4 draws, and 4 losses, collecting 43 points.
Arsenal, in sixth, had 12 wins, 4 draws, and 5 losses, earning 40 points.
From the standings, it was clear that the title race would come down to Manchester United, Liverpool, and Manchester City. Although Tottenham was only 2 points behind City, their squad depth made it unlikely they could close the gap with the Manchester clubs or Liverpool in the long run.
Moreover, with the FA Cup and Champions League knockout stages approaching, Tottenham's involvement in three competitions might soon see them fall further behind.
Among the top three, Manchester United appeared to have a slight advantage. While their lead didn't seem overwhelming, their game in hand made a significant difference.
United's postponed match was against relegation-threatened Cardiff City. With their superior quality, United was heavily favored to claim all three points.
If United won their rescheduled game, they would lead Liverpool by 5 points and Manchester City by a massive 9 points.
Given Manchester United's dominant form over the past two seasons, it would be incredibly challenging for either Liverpool or Manchester City to overtake them in the standings.
The First Weekend of 2019: The Third Round of the FA Cup (2018-2019 Season)
Manchester United's opponent in this round was Reading. The Biscuitmen were in terrible shape in the Championship, sitting second-to-last after 26 matches with only 20 points. Their relegation battle was intense, and they were unlikely to go all out in the FA Cup against Manchester United, likely choosing to strategically give up this match.
Although this was Manchester United's first home game at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, Mourinho opted for a heavily rotated squad. Romero started in goal, with Dalot, Darmian, Phil Jones, and Ashley Young forming the backline. The midfield trio consisted of Fred, Mata, and Lingard, while the front three included Rashford, McTominay, and Mahrez.
Facing a Reading side that lacked the will to fight, United played a relaxed game.
In the 23rd minute, Mata scored directly from a free kick to give United the lead.
During first-half injury time, Reading defender Richards lost the ball on the left flank while attempting a one-two pass with a teammate. Rashford counterattacked quickly down the left and sent a pass into the box, where McTominay evaded Yiadom and finished with a tight-angle shot into an empty net.
2–0!
United's backup lineup had sealed the win by halftime.
The final score remained 2–0, as neither side scored in the second half.
With the victory, Manchester United advanced to the fourth round of the FA Cup. However, the subsequent draw wasn't favorable, pairing them with Arsenal.
Two of the most successful teams in FA Cup history would clash in the Round of 16.
...
January 9: A Unique Local Derby at Cardiff City Stadium
Due to Old Trafford's renovation, Manchester United would use Cardiff's Millennium Stadium as their temporary home for the next two years. This made their match against Cardiff City something of a derby.
Currently stuck in the relegation zone, Cardiff City was clearly no match for Manchester United.
Just three minutes after kickoff, Rashford forced a free kick with a strong run down the right. Bruno Fernandes took the free kick and scored, beating Etheridge in goal.
1–0! A dream start for United!
In the 29th minute, Bruno assisted Rashford, who struck a powerful right-footed shot from outside the box into the top-right corner.
Cardiff City 0–2 Manchester United.
With a two-goal cushion, United settled into their rhythm.
Bruno didn't limit himself to playing centrally. He frequently moved to the right and occasionally switched to the left.
In the 41st minute, Bruno shifted to the left wing, received a pass from Luke Shaw, cut inside, and unleashed a curling shot with his right foot that found the net once again.
3–0!
In the 55th minute, Mbappé was fouled in the box, earning United a penalty. Bruno stepped up and calmly converted, completing his hat-trick and extending United's lead to four goals.
In the 90th minute, Bruno provided a through ball to Lingard, who scored with a right-footed shot from the center of the box.
Final score: Manchester United 5–0 Cardiff City.
After 21 Premier League rounds, United led Liverpool by 5 points and Manchester City by 9.
...
January 13: Premier League Matchday 22
United traveled to the new Wembley Stadium to face Tottenham.
The first half ended in a hard-fought 0–0 draw. However, just four minutes into the second half, Bruno assisted Rashford, who scored to give United the lead.
That turned out to be the only goal of the game. United edged out Spurs 1–0.
Despite the win, United couldn't extend their lead at the top, as both Liverpool and Manchester City also won their respective matches.
...
One Week Later: Premier League Matchday 23
United hosted Brighton, with Bruno once again starting.
Brighton defended well, focusing their efforts on marking Bruno, but he still managed to create several chances for his teammates, who unfortunately failed to capitalize.
With Brighton's defense focused on Bruno, the flanks found opportunities.
In the 26th minute, Bruno passed the ball wide to Mbappé, who entered the box and was shoved by defender Gaëtan. The referee awarded a penalty, and Bruno converted it with ease, giving United a 1–0 lead.
In the 42nd minute, Dalot made a brilliant run down the left flank and delivered a cross into the box. Rashford controlled the ball, dribbled past a defender, and scored with a curled shot into the top-right corner.
At halftime, United led 2–0.
In the 73rd minute, Brighton pulled one back. Pröpper crossed from the left, and Groß controlled the ball in the box before smashing it off the crossbar and into the net. De Gea couldn't stop it.
Brighton 1–2 Manchester United.
...
January 25: FA Cup Fourth Round
United faced Arsenal away in the Round of 16.
Within 10 minutes, United's defense made a critical error. Iwobi's pass released Ramsey down the left, who crossed for Lacazette. His shot deflected, and Aubameyang finished from close range to give Arsenal the lead.
United struggled briefly after conceding but soon regained control thanks to Bruno and Kante.
In the 36th minute, Bruno and Gundogan combined for a one-two, with Gundogan assisting Mbappé to level the score.
Seven minutes later, Bruno powered down the right wing and crossed for Harry Kane, who scored with a header to put United ahead.
In the second half, Harry Kane returned the favor. His header set up Bruno, who slotted home to secure the win.
Final score: Manchester United 3–1 Arsenal.
...
January 29: The Last Match of the Month
United hosted Burnley in their final match of January.
Relegation-threatened Burnley parked the bus, making it difficult for United to create chances. Bruno often found himself isolated in the attack.
Despite relentless efforts and enthusiastic support from the fans, United struggled to break through. The clock ticked past 50, 70, and 80 minutes, and still, the score remained 0–0.
By the 89th minute, it seemed inevitable that Burnley would hold United to a draw.
In stoppage time, Bruno received a pass from Gundogan on the right and laid it off to Cancelo. The Portuguese fullback delivered a precise cross into the box, finding McTominay.
McTominay shielded the ball and passed it back to Bruno, who made a diagonal run into the box. With a burst of speed, Bruno bypassed two defenders and fired a left-footed rocket past the keeper.
"Bruno beats two defenders… shoots!"
"GOAAAAAAL!!!!"
"Bruno, in the dying moments, rescues Manchester United!"
1–0!
Bruno's goal sent the 70,000-strong crowd into a frenzy.
"Bruno! Bruno!! Bruno!!!"
United players rushed to embrace him in celebration.
This crucial goal not only secured three points but also extended United's unbeaten streak in the top five leagues to an incredible 64 matches.
Manchester United are unstoppable!
(END CHAPTER)
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