🕐 46' – Restart and Immediate Pressure
The whistle blows, and Spurs come flying out. Just as AVB demanded.
Dembele wins a loose ball early, finds Chadli, who cuts inside and rifles a low shot — saved sharply by De Gea. The White Hart Lane crowd roars, desperate for momentum.
Grant doesn't flinch. Arms crossed, eyes on Kroos.
🕐 50' – Tactical Patience
United settle again. Kroos and Carrick slow the tempo. They recycle possession — left, right, into Rooney, back out.
Kagawa drops deeper, almost forming a midfield box to help retain control.
🎙️ Neville (commentary):
"Mason Grant won't panic. This is by design. Invite the storm. Then play through it."
🕐 53' – Cancelo's Gamble
Cancelo takes a risk — flying forward on the overlap, skipping past Rose, and cutting a ball across.
Van Persie gets a touch — deflected! Just over the bar.
Grant claps slowly. "Again," he mutters. "Keep asking the question."
🕐 59' – Spurs Warning Shot
Eriksen finally slips one in behind — Kane spins off Ferdinand, left-footed strike!
De Gea saves with his feet. Spurs are inches from taking the lead.
Grant turns. No hesitation.
🕐 60' – Casemiro Comes On
Carrick jogs off to applause from the away end.
Casemiro enters — young, focused, and intense.Mason Grant walks beside him to the technical area, speaking directly into his ear:
"Do not chase the ball. Read it. Kroos is your tempo. You're the spine. Keep your head on Eriksen. When they get frustrated, they'll rush it. That's when you strike."
Casemiro nods.
"I've got it, míster."
The Brazilian jogs into midfield — a new era shadowing the old guard.
🕐 64' – Midfield Clampdown
With Casemiro now sitting in front of the back four, Spurs find it harder to play between the lines.
Eriksen is forced wider. Chadli comes short, but Casemiro tracks him tightly.
Grant's shape holds. Possession grows again — now it's United's turn to threaten.
🕐 71' – Nani Hits the Post
Kroos spreads it wide left. Nani cuts inside Walker and curls one from 20 yards — beats Lloris, but clangs off the near post!
Spurs hang on by inches. The home crowd gasps again.
Grant turns to his bench. The change is coming.
🕐 75' – Lukaku and Dybala Called
Both strikers stand by the fourth official, bibs off.They stretch in place, half watching the pitch, half listening.
Mason Grant crouches between them. Calm, low voice.
"Romelu — you run into channels. Drag Vertonghen wide. Pin him.Paulo — you play in the shadows. You wait. Two touches, max. Your job is the kill shot."
Lukaku nods, bouncing on his toes. Dybala breathes in, sharp and focused.
"If the gap opens, don't hesitate."
He looks at both.
"This is why you're here. Go take it."
🕐 77' – Substitutions
🔁 OFF: Van Persie, Kagawa🔛 ON: Lukaku, Dybala
United switch to a more direct 4-2-3-1:Rooney central, Dybala right but inverted, Nani on the left. Lukaku the tip of the spear.
Spurs respond with Sigurdsson for Chadli. The tension rises.
🕐 78' – A Shift in Tone
As the fourth official's board lit up, the tempo shifted.
Lukaku jogged into place with a storm in his stride, towering between Vertonghen and Dawson.Dybala was quiet — not shy, but surgical. He hovered behind Rooney, like a ghost between the lines.
🎙️ Martin Tyler (commentary):
"Lukaku and Dybala — pace and poison. Spurs will need to recalibrate quickly here."
🕐 81' – First Flash
A throw-in on the left. Rooney drops in, pivots, and threads a diagonal pass — skipping past two Spurs shirts.
Dybala meets it on the right. First touch kills it dead. Second touch inside. Left foot — shot!
Lloris dives low — saves. But the sharpness is felt.
🎙️ Neville:
"That's the danger. He only needs two touches."
🕐 83' – Lukaku's Shadow Game
Casemiro breaks up a Spurs move, pokes it to Kroos, who goes vertical — fast.
Lukaku drags Vertonghen into the left channel, takes it on his chest, and holds.
Suddenly three Spurs defenders are pulled out of shape.
He lays it off to Rooney, who dinks it wide for Nani — the crowd rises —
Cross into the box... Dybala darts near post...
...but Dawson stretches to intercept! Heroic.
🎙️ Tyler:
"That's United in full flow. Space manipulation. Movement. Precision."
🕐 86' – Spurs Look to Steal It
Tottenham surge — Kane finds Sigurdsson, who volleys on the turn — just over. The home crowd groans.
Casemiro again was just inches from getting a block.
Grant claps slowly from the technical area.
"Stay focused. One moment."
🕐 89' – The Moment
United regain the ball deep. Ferdinand plays it into Casemiro.
He pivots, threads it through to Kroos, who plays it one-touch to Rooney.
Rooney turns and sees Lukaku and Dybala both split wide, pulling defenders like magnets.
He chooses Dybala.
The Argentine cuts in again, this time fakes the shot — Vertonghen bites.Dybala glides past, left foot — GOAL.
Low, fizzed, bottom corner. Lloris rooted.
🎙️ Tyler explodes:
"And that... is why he's here! Paulo Dybala — cool as you like — and Manchester United lead at the death!"
🎙️ Neville (grinning):
"Told you. Poison."
🕐 FULL-TIME: Spurs 0–1 Manchester United
White Hart Lane groans. United's bench erupts.Grant simply folds his arms, nodding once.
Dybala points to the bench, no celebration — just focus.The game is won. The message is clear.