Chapter 168: Into the Final! Fierce Brawls and the Bidding War League!
April 19th, afternoon, Wembley Stadium, London.
According to FA Cup semifinal rules, the match was played at a neutral venue—Wembley.
Beisworth Chinese FC faced Manchester United.
24 minutes and 12 seconds into the match.
Ferdinand carried the ball up the right side of the midfield circle in United's half.
From the opening whistle, both sides had been locked in a fast-paced, back-and-forth battle.
Beisworth Chinese FC quickly dropped into shape to form a tight defensive line.
Once Ferdinand crossed the halfway line,
he didn't wait for Gareth Bale to close down and fired a through ball forward.
Tevez, cutting in from the wing, brought it down with his back to goal, spun past Matuidi, and angled inward.
The Argentine "Beast" charged like a raging bull into the final third.
Just outside Beisworth's 30-meter area,
Tevez sent a through ball before Matić could engage.
Rooney, waiting near the top of the arc, played a one-two with Tevez,
who burst forward again, now to the right edge of the box.
Feigning a shot, he fooled the defenders,
then slipped the ball to the right.
Cristiano Ronaldo struck it first time from the right edge of the penalty area.
But Kompany and Piszczek closed down like twin towers, sealing the angle.
CR7's shot deflected off Kompany's leg.
The Belgian defender calmly cleared the ball to the edge of the area.
Piszczek shifted wide and picked it up, charging forward along the right sideline.
The Polish fullback flew past midfield.
Ahead of him, Lewandowski raised his hand, signaling for the ball.
Piszczek delivered a diagonal pass toward Lewandowski's head.
Near the 30-meter mark in United's half,
Lewandowski backed into Vidić, then jumped to flick the header left.
Bale, sprinting down the left, chased the flick-on with blistering speed.
He reached it just before O'Shea, nudged the ball forward,
and made the Irish defender completely miss his clearance.
The stadium erupted in gasps.
Then—Bale exploded into full sprint, surging down the left wing.
O'Shea had to turn before he could chase—no contest.
Bale flew into the box.
Ferdinand, the last man back, rushed over.
But Bale, quicker still, beat him clean.
On the left edge of the area, even with Ferdinand hassling him,
Bale got his left foot on the ball and whipped a diagonal pass across the box—
toward the right edge of the six-yard area.
A red blur flashed in—
Walcott, timing his run perfectly, met it with a clean side-foot finish.
GOAL.
"GOAL!!!!!!"
"24th minute! Walcott opens the scoring for Beisworth Chinese FC!"
Walcott sprinted off wildly, racing to the corner in euphoric celebration.
Behind him, Bale, Piszczek, Lewandowski, and Ramsey all chased to join in.
The players mobbed together at the corner flag, celebrating the crucial breakthrough.
"1–0!"
"United's defense finally cracked under the relentless pressure from Beisworth's young guns!"
"Ferguson fielded a full-strength lineup today."
"But despite that, United look less cohesive than Yang Cheng's youthful side."
"Once again, Yang Cheng kept his promise—fielding a young XI."
"And it's those same youngsters who lost the final to United last season who are shining bright at Wembley today!"
"They've come out full throttle and never stopped pushing."
"United's back line has been under constant pressure."
...
Beisworth's opening goal sparked fury among United's traveling fans.
They roared from the stands, rallying behind their team.
But Beisworth Chinese FC kept their cool,
especially defensive midfielder Matić,
who covered ground and intercepted brilliantly.
Sitting on the bench, Ferguson's face reflected a hint of nostalgia.
They say the older you get, the more you reminisce.
Ferguson never used to believe that.
But lately, the past crept into his thoughts more and more.
"Mike, remember the FA Cup semifinal in '95–96?"
Ferguson's sudden question caught his assistant Mike Phelan off guard.
There was a pause—he didn't respond right away.
Seeing his hesitation, Ferguson added,
"The one at Villa Park—we played Chelsea."
Phelan looked sheepish.
"Sir, by that time I was already with West Brom."
Ferguson blinked—
His memory was tangled.
Phelan had played midfield,
signed from Norwich—but the exact year?
Ferguson couldn't quite recall.
"I officially retired in summer '96, but I started coaching Norwich's youth team in December '95," Phelan said with a chuckle.
"I left United in '94."
Ferguson nodded as the pieces clicked back into place.
"That's right—we were starting a new youth revolution then."
"Exactly," Phelan said.
"Our team was young—Giggs, Gary Neville, Nicky Butt, Scholes, Beckham... all in their early 20s."
"Phil Neville was only 19.
Steve Bruce was still captain.
And King Cantona was still here."
With the memories flowing, Ferguson leaned in.
"At the time, our biggest league threat was Newcastle.
Arsenal and Chelsea? Bunch of nobodies back then!"
He burst out laughing.
"The '95 title went to Blackburn.
Souness was in charge," Phelan added.
"Yep. Nottingham Forest, Leeds United, Wimbledon, Coventry—those were the big sides back then."
Ferguson let out a sigh.
A long coaching career had its downsides—
you remembered more than anyone else.
But sometimes, those memories got jumbled.
In his mind, those clubs were still powerful rivals.
But in reality, many had faded into obscurity.
If he didn't check the league tables, he wouldn't even know what division they played in now.
"And back then, Beisworth Chinese FC?
They were probably still just a little amateur team near Chinatown."
Phelan smirked, with just a hint of sarcasm.
Ferguson neither confirmed nor denied it.
"This current Beisworth Chinese FC reminds me of that 1995–96 United side. Same group of young players, same unstoppable run in the league—but they're doing it even better than we did back then."
That season's FA Cup was legendary.
The semifinalists were Manchester United vs. Chelsea, and Liverpool vs. Aston Villa.
United and Liverpool eventually met in the final.
So why did Ferguson suddenly recall that particular season and that semifinal?
Because back in the 1995–96 FA Cup semifinal against Chelsea, United also went down by a goal in the first half.
Gullit had scored first for Chelsea.
But in the second half, Cantona assisted Andy Cole for the equalizer in the 54th minute,
and five minutes later, Beckham scored the winner.
Back then, even when trailing, Ferguson was never worried.
His team was young, full of energy and spirit.
But now? After conceding one, he couldn't relax.
To him, Beisworth Chinese FC looked more like that version of United than United did today.
Suddenly, Ferguson started to miss Beckham.
He even felt a flicker of regret.
If only he hadn't been so hard on him...
If only he hadn't interfered in his personal life so much...
If only he hadn't kicked that boot…
Maybe Beckham would still be wearing United red, still running on the pitch.
Ferguson turned his gaze toward the opposing bench.
His old partner, Brian Kidd, now sat among the enemy.
If Kidd hadn't left back then, maybe the two of them would be reminiscing right now, sharing old stories.
He and Manchester United... had grown old.
...
Of course, knowing Ferguson, he wasn't going to dwell on sentiment for long.
The first half ended with Beisworth Chinese FC leading 1–0 thanks to Walcott's goal.
After the restart, Ferguson went on the offensive.
In the 60th minute, he subbed on Ashley Young for Scholes and shifted the team to a 4-4-2 formation.
Rooney and Tevez paired up front, while Ashley Young and Ronaldo played the wings.
In the center, only Carrick and Anderson remained.
But Beisworth Chinese FC quickly found their rhythm again.
In the 65th minute, after passing out from the back,
they forced United to retreat to their own 30-meter zone.
Matić, receiving a pass from Thiago Silva on the left, shook off Tevez and pushed forward.
Attracting Ronaldo, he fed the ball to Marcelo on the wing.
Ronaldo didn't track back, allowing Marcelo to charge upfield untouched, all the way to the edge of United's box.
Anderson scrambled to cover,
but Marcelo picked the perfect moment to slide a ball down the outside to the byline.
Bale beat O'Shea to it, then cut a low cross to the edge of the six-yard box.
Lewandowski and Ferdinand both missed it—
but on the far side, Walcott arrived.
He stopped the ball, slammed on the brakes, cut inside with his left foot,
glided past Vidić, and hammered a left-footed strike into the near post.
Van der Sar had no chance.
2–0!
Wembley erupted into a sea of red—Beisworth red.
More than 30,000 United fans, who had come south for the match, were left stunned.
Their team—at their "home away from home"—was losing like this?
United rallied desperately.
In the 83rd minute, Ashley Young cut inside from the left, skipped past Piszczek, and curled a cross to the far post.
Cristiano Ronaldo ghosted in, outjumped José Fonte, and headed it home.
2–1!
United poured everything forward in the final minutes,
but Beisworth Chinese FC countered aggressively in response.
Neither side could score again.
Final score: 2–1.
Walcott's brace sent Beisworth Chinese FC into the FA Cup Final.
Their second straight FA Cup Final appearance!
...
"I'm guessing Brian's cursed me out more than a few times?"
Back in that familiar post-match room at Wembley,
Yang Cheng hosted Ferguson with a good meal—
and the wine that Ferguson himself had gifted him.
"He praises and curses you equally," Yang Cheng laughed.
"He praises me?" Ferguson was surprised. "I don't believe that."
"You're underestimating him. He always speaks highly of your strengths."
Of course, he didn't shy away from calling out the flaws either—especially past missteps.
Ferguson looked a lot happier after hearing that.
He didn't even know why—
but somehow, Yang Cheng's words made him feel warm.
"You've done an amazing job developing Bale and Walcott. Far better than how Liverpool developed Owen."
When Liverpool came up, Yang Cheng treaded more carefully.
Michael Owen had come through Liverpool's academy, but unlike Gerrard and Carragher,
he had only joined their youth system at 15—he was a half-developed talent when he arrived.
At the time, Owen's explosion had ignited a nationwide tug-of-war.
United and Liverpool were the fiercest suitors, but in the end, Owen chose Liverpool.
"You probably don't know—I once invited Owen to Carrington. We talked for hours in my office.
But because of the rivalry between the clubs, he refused to join United."
Even after all these years, Ferguson's admiration for the English forward still lingered.
"He and I both felt Liverpool used him poorly.
They overused him at a young age, pushed him too hard."
"Tactically and developmentally, they relied too much on his pace and didn't improve his technique."
"Did you know? After a full club season, he'd still go to every England camp.
He never had time to recover or work on his technical skills."
Yang Cheng nodded. "Yeah, Owen was a real shame."
That bit of agreement gave Ferguson the fuel to let it out.
He still couldn't let go of the fact that Liverpool snatched Owen away.
It was a fair fight, and United had lost.
But it still stung.
Liverpool, at the time, couldn't offer what United could.
And the managers—from Evans to Houllier—were impatient with Owen,
treating him as the club's golden goose.
They pushed him too hard—and he paid the price with injury after injury.
But then again, wasn't Ferguson guilty of the same last season with his front three?
Ronaldo and Rooney's form this season had noticeably dipped.
The difference?
Ronaldo and Rooney were tougher, more durable, and had avoided Owen's kind of injuries.
But Yang Cheng agreed on one point—
Owen missed the window to improve his technical game.
From the time he made the first team, his role was too singular, too one-dimensional.
Over time, Owen's training and playing habits gradually became increasingly one-dimensional.
This, in truth, is an inevitability in professional football.
Take Drogba as an example.
Many remember how raw he looked early on—how poor his finishing was.
Later, he seemed to evolve suddenly.
But that's just the surface.
What lies underneath is the influence of the manager's usage,
and how players, in order to fulfill their roles, are forced to adapt their training and playing habits accordingly.
The same could be said of Essien.
In the early Mourinho and Hiddink years, he was known for physicality and ball-winning.
Yet under Ancelotti, his passing and playmaking emerged out of nowhere.
Or players like Mikel and Anderson, who gradually became water-carriers,
their technical edge dulled by constant tactical discipline.
The most typical example? Cristiano Ronaldo.
When he moved to Real Madrid, he deliberately downplayed his winger-style dribbling
and focused on scoring and physical dominance.
These were conscious choices.
Look at Messi at Barcelona—
he's been constantly adjusting his style.
Had he continued playing the way he did when he debuted,
Yang Cheng believed he too would have faded.
In the end, a club's vision for a young player truly affects the trajectory of their entire career.
With Bale and Walcott, Yang Cheng chose a different path from Liverpool's with Owen—
even from how Arsenal or Spurs developed players in his past life.
Yang Cheng was confident:
his method best tapped into their full potential.
Of course, it would take more time,
and demanded more patience.
"By the way, Sir, are you planning any summer signings?" Yang Cheng suddenly asked.
Ferguson instantly tensed.
"What, you want me to help drive prices up now?"
Price-Boosting League?
Was the nickname going to start with him?
"I'm just looking out for you.
At this rate, if you can't find the money, next season you might not even make top four," Yang Cheng joked.
Ferguson scoffed. "You should worry about yourselves.
If you get gutted in the summer, you're done next season."
"Afraid of what?" Yang Cheng laughed.
"I know exactly what we're worth.
If we were going to get gutted, it would've happened already—not now."
Ferguson was struck by Yang Cheng's self-assurance.
He really wanted to ask him—
how do you pick players so well?
How is your eye so sharp?
"Hah, didn't I already tell you?
Barça's Busquets—he's a sure bet.
If you get him, you won't have to worry about your midfield for years."
Then Yang Cheng added, half-teasing,
"Just like how you nearly signed Guardiola back in the day."
And it was true—Ferguson had almost signed Guardiola
when the Spaniard decided to leave Barça.
Ferguson was tempted again.
But this guy Yang Cheng—so full of tricks—was probably trying to set him up,
egging United into a head-on collision with Barça.
Yang Cheng genuinely believed:
of Barça's midfield trio, the only one remotely poachable was Busquets.
If United snatched him away—
Barça would weep.
Once Yang Cheng completed his own "midfield of ceremony",
he'd sweep through Europe like a storm.
And if Busquets really did join United...
Well, that would be something to watch.
Still, after a while, Ferguson could only sigh.
Obviously, he couldn't find the money.
How damaging was the Glazer family to United?
Let's just say—immeasurably.
As many fans asked in 2024,
"United's results are in shambles—don't the Glazers care?"
But that's the thing—they don't.
How much is a trophy worth?
Whether United wins or not doesn't matter to them,
as long as their profits aren't affected.
The fans care about trophies.
The Glazers care about cash.
Everyone knows—they bought United with debt,
and passed that debt onto the club.
Is that all?
No, no.
All three Glazer brothers hold positions at United and collect fat salaries.
They also draw over £10 million annually in dividends.
Still not done.
There are consulting fees, management fees—
a dozen ways to bleed the club.
Every year.
United not only services their debt,
but also gets sucked dry by them.
Do they care about trophies?
Not one bit.
Only when results start affecting revenue
will they even look up.
Want money for transfers?
Sure—
but only after the Glazers have had their fill and the debts are paid.
Sacrifice their profits?
Dream on.
...
Because of the FA Cup semis,
matches involving Beisworth Chinese FC, United, Chelsea, and Arsenal were pushed to midweek.
Chelsea, after going down a goal, came back with goals from Malouda and Drogba,
winning 2–1 against Arsenal and reaching the FA Cup Final.
The final?
Beisworth Chinese FC vs. Chelsea—a West London Derby.
Notably, Arsenal didn't start Arshavin in the FA Cup semifinal.
But in the midweek Premier League Matchday 33,
he exploded at Anfield with four goals,
earning Arsenal a 4–4 draw against Liverpool.
Chelsea drew 0–0 at home with Everton.
United came from behind with goals from Tevez and Carrick to beat Wigan 2–1.
Beisworth Chinese FC, on the other hand,
won 1–0 away at Middlesbrough, with a goal from Džeko.
Manchester City beat West Brom 4–2,
pulling away from Chelsea in the standings.
City and Liverpool were now level on points,
but Liverpool had the edge on goal difference.
But everyone could see—
City were gaining momentum.
...
Weekend—Matchday 34.
City beat Everton 2–1 away, thanks to goals from Robinho and Kaká.
Liverpool beat Hull 3–1, with Xabi Alonso and a Kuyt brace.
Chelsea edged West Ham 1–0, with a goal from Kalou.
United pulled off a stunning comeback—
down 0–2, they roared back with a Ronaldo and Rooney brace each,
winning 5–2 over Spurs.
Arsenal beat Middlesbrough 2–0 at home, led by a Fabregas double.
And Beisworth Chinese FC?
They smashed Stoke City 5–0 at home—
a Džeko hat trick, plus goals from Maicon and Di María.
Stoke weren't terrible—12th in the table and safe from relegation.
But in just 20 minutes, they shipped three goals.
At halftime, it was already 5–0.
In the second half, Yang Cheng basically shifted focus to the upcoming Champions League semifinal.
...
Three Lions vs. Barça!
That's how the global media dubbed this year's Champions League semifinals.
And remarkably—
for the third straight season, three English clubs made it to the final four.
After Premier League Matchday 34, Ferguson finally admitted that Manchester United's dream of a quadruple was over.
However, he believed that falling out of the title race and FA Cup actually made the entire club hungrier for the Champions League.
As for Beisworth Chinese FC, Ferguson stated bluntly:
"They're the best-performing team in European football right now!"
He emphasized that no team could expect to beat them easily.
"We know Beisworth Chinese FC very well, just as they know us. We're aware of each other's strengths and weaknesses, so this match on Wednesday won't be a decisive one."
Ferguson pointed out that both squads were in great form, with no significant injuries.
The only uncertainty would be who could truly neutralize the other on the pitch.
"If we want to qualify, we have to win at home—and not concede."
He stressed that keeping a clean sheet at Old Trafford was vital.
"Chelsea's two-legged loss taught us that losing at home is lethal."
This echoed what Hiddink said after the quarterfinal loss:
Losing and getting shut out at Wembley had doomed Chelsea's chances.
But how do you suppress Beisworth's attack?
Ferguson admitted—it was extremely difficult.
"Gareth Bale, Walcott, and Di María are still young, but they're the fastest wide attackers in the Premier League."
"And they've got arguably the best midfield trio in England—if not Europe."
He openly admitted the match would be tough, and that United had to give everything.
"A player might play flawlessly one game and make multiple mistakes the next—that's football. We can't be too harsh."
"But against Beisworth Chinese FC, we have to minimize mistakes."
"Every mistake could mean a goal."
Ferguson also brought up Tevez,
who was in frightening form.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney had also rediscovered their rhythm.
Though he admitted there were some complications with Tevez's contract renewal,
Ferguson was confident:
"He'll stay at United."
To outsiders, this all suggested Ferguson would approach the two-legged semifinal with caution.
Meanwhile, at his own pre-match press conference,
Yang Cheng announced his 18-man squad heading to Manchester, and said their top priority in the first leg was to score an away goal.
"We're the defending champions. We should go for it—take some risks."
"At this level, in a Champions League semifinal, you have to be bold but meticulous, especially away from home."
"Everyone knows the value of an away goal—we'll fight for it with everything we've got."
When asked about tactics, Yang Cheng didn't say much—
but he did stress:
"Beisworth Chinese FC will stick to our usual playing style."
"We won't change our tactics just because we're playing Manchester United, or because it's an away match. That's not who we are."
But of course—both Yang Cheng and Ferguson were famously unpredictable with their lineups.
They each made statements—one to defend, the other to attack—
But when the whistle blew, who could say what would really happen?
...
April 29th, evening — Old Trafford, Manchester.
Champions League semifinal, first leg.
Beisworth Chinese FC away to Manchester United.
The match had reached the 70th minute—
the score still 1–0.
As per convention, the home team is listed first.
Manchester United had taken the lead in the 27th minute,
when Cristiano Ronaldo buried a 30-meter direct free kick into Neuer's net.
After that, neither team had managed to score.
And surprisingly, both Yang Cheng and Ferguson had stuck to their pre-match words.
Ferguson said the priority was to shut out Beisworth Chinese FC at home.
And that's exactly what he tried to do.
He fielded United's most in-form front three—dropping Berbatov and starting Tevez.
But the real story was the midfield:
Anderson, Carrick, and Fletcher.
Veterans like Scholes and Giggs were left on the bench.
From that starting XI, Ferguson's game plan was clear:
One word—fierce.
From kickoff, United had gone full-throttle.
Since they couldn't defend well enough or win a shootout, they chose to fight dirty.
Rooney, Anderson, Tevez, and Fletcher pressed like madmen.
They ran non-stop, tackled hard, and disrupted Beisworth's passing game relentlessly.
And it didn't stop there—
they sought out physical contact at every opportunity.
In midfield, Anderson and Fletcher bullied Rakitić and Modrić.
In defense, United's backline was just as physical.
Evra, in particular, was targeted as a weak link.
But tonight, he stuck tight to Walcott, engaging in constant duels and tactical fouls.
Walcott couldn't get anything going.
On the left, Gareth Bale was dominating O'Shea.
But on the right, Evra shut down Walcott with pace and aggression—
and Anderson provided cover, sealing that side off.
Dropping Berbatov and starting the beastly Tevez,
Ferguson crafted a ruthless, combative team from front to back.
And with the referee being a little lenient at Old Trafford,
United's aggressive style was amplified.
To be fair, United's strategy did disrupt Beisworth's attacking rhythm,
but their own offense wasn't clicking either—
it was all down to individual moments of brilliance.
Beisworth Chinese FC's back line wasn't flustered.
Only Leighton Baines struggled slightly against Ronaldo, who played on the right.
In the first half, Baines fouled him,
giving United the free kick that led to the goal.
Ronaldo's strike had incredible dip and curve—
a classic knuckleball.
Neuer couldn't do anything about it.
From then on, the match became a tense, aggressive chess match.
Neither side found a breakthrough.
Yang Cheng didn't make any substitutions—
he stood firm.
Ferguson also kept his lineup unchanged.
...
At the 70-minute mark, Yang Cheng glanced at the clock and headed back to the bench.
He signaled several players—including Di María—to start warming up.
Brian Kidd handed him a report—fresh from Gianni Vio's analysis team.
"Can you believe this? We're actually dead even!"
Yang Cheng scanned the stats and grinned.
Possession: 48.8% vs. 51.2%.
Tackles: 27 vs. 26.
Tackle success rate: 74% to 73%.
Passes completed: 391 to 495.
Yellow cards: 1 to 0.
Fouls: 9 to 8.
Shots: 9 to 9.
Shots on target: 4 to 4.
Yang Cheng glanced over the data and found it hard to believe.
If this weren't a Champions League semifinal, he'd suspect the stats were fabricated—
they were that close.
But not everything was.
Passing totals, for instance.
And time spent in each half.
55.9% of the match had been played in Manchester United's half.
That alone proved Beisworth Chinese FC had more control overall,
even if the stats didn't quite reflect it.
"They're dragging us into the mud through sheer physicality—burning energy, contesting every inch."
To borrow a modern phrase,
Manchester United had pulled technically superior Beisworth Chinese FC down to their level—
then used brute strength to try and control the battle.
And yes, it was a valid strategy.
It just consumed an enormous amount of stamina.
Which is why Yang Cheng hadn't moved.
"So, what now?" Brian Kidd asked, concerned.
Yang Cheng handed the report back to Gianni Vio and looked out onto the pitch.
The United fans were louder than ever, generating intense pressure from the stands.
They were desperate for their team to hold on to the 1–0 lead.
It wasn't a huge lead, but a clean sheet at home meant everything.
It gave United more leverage in the return leg.
"Push a little harder. They'll break. They won't hold up physically," Yang Cheng said with certainty.
Then he turned to Gianni Vio.
"Gianni, keep tracking United's physical output—especially the back line. That's where they'll crack."
Yang Cheng had always said United's depth was thin.
Ferguson's usual method? Squeeze everything out of what he had.
Last season, he ran his front three—Ronaldo, Rooney, Tevez—into the ground.
This season, even with Berbatov added, things weren't much better.
But now the issue was defense.
With injuries to Gary Neville and Wes Brown, and Evans underwhelming,
Ferguson had leaned heavily on Vidić, Evra, and Ferdinand.
There were no other options.
Other managers could have avoided this.
Brown was injury-prone, Neville was 34.
But Ferguson refused to sign anyone.
Same with the midfield.
Hargreaves was out for the season, Fletcher had frequent knocks,
and yet Ferguson just kept rolling with Carrick.
Now, late in the season, neither United nor Beisworth had any rest.
But Beisworth had a rotation plan.
United did not.
FA Cup, Champions League, Premier League—
Ferguson was using the same lineup for everything.
Yang Cheng didn't buy it.
There's no way those players were machines.
"Should we sub now?"
Kidd asked again, clearly worried.
Yang Cheng shook his head.
"Wait. I bet he's waiting for us to make the first move."
He meant Ferguson.
"Their players will break before ours."
Yang Cheng was completely certain.
...
After the 70th minute, the pace visibly dropped.
Late April—everyone was drained.
And Ferguson continuing with this kind of aggressive play?
It was risky.
By the 72nd minute, United players were showing signs of fatigue.
Ferguson made two subs.
Scholes on for Anderson.
The Brazilian had worked hard—covering ground, defending fiercely.
And yes, he'd committed quite a few fouls.
So far, the only yellow card was shown to Tevez
—who'd fouled Thiago Silva on a counterpress in Beisworth's half.
The second sub: Tevez off, Berbatov on.
Yang Cheng walked back to the bench and asked Gianni Vio,
"Who's gassed more—Evra or O'Shea?"
Years ago, when Yang Cheng hired Sad Forsyth,
they built a full-fledged performance monitoring system.
Today, Beisworth's staff—especially the sports science team—
used that system, along with real-time match data, to assess stamina usage.
Of course, it was only an estimate.
Some players hide their fatigue well.
"Evra's more fatigued. He's logged more minutes this season."
That was all Yang Cheng needed to hear.
He turned to the bench and waved over Di María.
"Ángel, come here."
Di María threw off his jacket and jogged over.
"You're going in for Rakitić.
Let Luka support you."
"Work the channels—especially between Evra and Vidić.
Help the winger and the striker. Get into space."
Then Yang Cheng grabbed Di María by the neck and pulled him close.
He looked him in the eye, speaking clearly:
"Ángel, it's up to you to break their back line. Got it?"
"Got it!" Di María nodded firmly.
"If you see a chance, push forward.
If you see a shot, take it—don't hesitate!"
"Understood!"
Yang Cheng clapped him on the shoulder.
"Go. Get ready."
...
"Di María's coming in."
On the home bench, Mike Phelan had been watching Yang Cheng's every move.
The moment he saw Di María warming up, he alerted Ferguson.
Ferguson nodded.
"Who's he taking off?"
Before he could finish, the fourth official raised the board:
Di María on, Rakitić off.
Ferguson frowned.
Another surprise from Yang Cheng.
First was Bale suppressing O'Shea,
when Ferguson had expected Yang Cheng to target the right with Walcott.
Now Di María wasn't coming on for Walcott—
but for Rakitić.
"He's pushing for more attacks—especially down the channels."
Ferguson knew Yang Cheng too well.
They'd clashed season after season.
He knew exactly what this move meant.
But now, he had a problem:
One sub left.
Use it or save it?
He glanced at the bench.
There weren't many options left.
Giggs?
Park Ji-sung?
They'd be okay—but nothing special.
In defense, only Evans remained.
But Ferguson had to be wary of Ferdinand.
His injuries this season had been worrying.
Could he go the full 90?
Ferguson hesitated, then sighed inwardly.
He walked to the sideline,
gave Carrick, Scholes, and Fletcher a few quick instructions—
watch Di María. Track him tight.
As for the last sub?
He'd save it.
Just in case.
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