In Portsmouth, the television broadcast showed New Manchester United's players celebrating another goal on the pitch.
Harry Redknapp had to admit it.
This was a very strong team.
Just how strong?
Judging by this performance, Redknapp believed that even after reaching the Premier League, New Manchester United would immediately be capable of challenging for European qualification.
And their players were still incredibly young.
Their potential seemed almost limitless.
Among the Magic Four in attack, Drogba was already a well-known striker in English football.
His scoring rate was not particularly spectacular, but his tactical importance was enormous. He was exactly the kind of centre-forward almost any manager would love to have.
More importantly, his development over the previous two seasons had been remarkable.
Hleb was another player who had built an excellent reputation in England.
Several Premier League clubs, including Arsenal and Manchester United, were interested in him, while major clubs in Germany and Italy were also monitoring him.
He had been one of New Manchester United's most consistent performers over the previous few seasons.
And he was still very young.
Robben hardly needed an introduction.
The young Dutch winger had already attracted considerable attention in the Eredivisie before arriving in Manchester.
Although New Manchester United had not immediately made him an undisputed starter, that had largely been an attempt to protect him physically.
When healthy, Robben possessed exceptional pace and devastating one-on-one ability.
He could operate on either wing, and his development over the previous year had been obvious to everyone.
He was now regarded as one of the most exciting young wingers in European football.
Cristiano Ronaldo was another outstanding prospect.
The Portuguese winger possessed dazzling technique, but Mourinho's work with him that season had been extremely successful.
His game had become more direct and efficient.
His goalscoring ability was improving constantly.
There was every reason to believe his future achievements could rival Robben's.
Then there was Kaká.
Everyone in football already knew about the brilliant young Brazilian.
He was New Manchester United's attacking leader and one of the most sought-after young players in Europe.
Countless major clubs were watching him.
At the moment, he was arguably the hottest young star in European football.
Those players had formed the core of New Manchester United's attack throughout the season and had performed exceptionally well.
Yet only Kaká was starting against Millwall.
At first, that had pleased Redknapp.
He assumed Mourinho was conserving energy for the upcoming league match against Portsmouth.
But then he looked at Ribéry.
At Palacio.
And at Villa, the young Spanish striker replacing Drogba.
Were these really supposed to be reserves?
During the opening forty-five minutes, Villa completed a hat-trick.
Juninho and Palacio also scored once each.
At half-time, New Manchester United were leading Millwall 5-0.
Kaká had supplied three assists.
On the left, Ribéry and Philipp Lahm had completely torn apart Millwall's right flank.
Was this really a First Division match?
It looked more like a massacre.
Redknapp had to admit that New Manchester United's players had shown extraordinary quality and intensity.
Millwall, meanwhile, were performing poorly.
Their confidence had clearly been affected by the hostile atmosphere inside Old Trafford, preventing them from playing anywhere near their usual level.
Even so, conceding five goals in one half was unacceptable.
There was only one reasonable explanation.
New Manchester United were simply too strong.
"At half-time, Millwall seriously need to think about how they're going to slow this attack down," Redknapp's assistant said worriedly.
"Otherwise they're going to concede even more."
Portsmouth would face New Manchester United next.
Watching their next opponents produce such an astonishing performance was hardly reassuring.
And this was without several first-choice players.
"Slow them down?" Redknapp shook his head helplessly.
"How?
"Millwall are already defending with almost everyone behind the ball.
"Has it worked?"
Redknapp thought back to New Manchester United's fluid attacking football in the first half.
Their movement often appeared chaotic at first glance.
Players were constantly exchanging positions.
Constantly running.
Constantly appearing in different spaces.
But beneath all that movement was a clear structure.
Through those rotations, they attacked Millwall's defensive shape again and again.
And when Millwall had possession, New Manchester United continued moving.
Only then, the purpose changed.
Wherever Millwall moved the ball, two or three Red Rebels immediately appeared nearby.
One player pressured the man in possession.
The others moved to block the passing lanes around him.
Millwall's ball carrier was gradually isolated from his teammates.
Then New Manchester United won possession back.
It was a defensive system built around off-the-ball movement and control of space.
Even Lazio had struggled to break through New Manchester United when Mourinho instructed his players to defend collectively.
Millwall had little chance.
Redknapp suddenly remembered something Arrigo Sacchi had once said.
Great teams always possess a great identity.
It does not matter what era they belong to, how many trophies they have won, or what tactical system they use.
They impose themselves on matches.
With the ball, they control the tempo.
Without it, they control the space.
That was Sacchi's definition of a great team.
And in Redknapp's eyes, New Manchester United were beginning to show exactly those qualities.
The only thing they lacked was experience.
Most of their players were still extremely young.
This was a great team in the process of emerging.
For the first time, an uncomfortable thought entered Redknapp's mind.
Maybe Portsmouth really could lose the upcoming title showdown.
He would never say that aloud.
He buried the thought immediately.
Even if he privately doubted whether Portsmouth could win, he would still demand that his players fight with everything they had.
And if they lost, they would at least make New Manchester United earn it.
...
The second half began.
New Manchester United remained completely in control.
Their attacking intensity did not diminish at all.
Then, in the 47th minute and again in the 53rd, they suddenly accelerated on the counter-attack.
Millwall, who had expected the tempo to drop after half-time, were completely caught out.
Ribéry scored the first.
Palacio scored the second.
7-0.
By the 55th minute, Mourinho finally decided it was time to make substitutions.
...
"We can see Mourinho preparing three changes," Andy Gray said.
"There are three players standing on the touchline.
"With New Manchester United leading 7-0, it looks as though he's going to give several youngsters a taste of first-team football.
"Let's see.
"Ishmael Miller from the academy.
"Lionel Messi.
"And the third is De Rossi."
Martin Tyler studied the substitutions.
"Those three are replacing David Villa, Palacio, and Juninho, all of whom have been outstanding today.
"Mourinho is clearly beginning to conserve energy for Saturday's match against Portsmouth.
"But the fact that he included two academy players who had never appeared for the first team on the bench today also tells you how confident he was coming into this match."
Gray continued.
"Ishmael Miller is a local Manchester boy.
"He's only sixteen years old and has never previously appeared for the first team.
"He's already represented England at youth level and is considered one of the country's most promising young strikers.
"In the academy, he and Messi have broken a remarkable number of goalscoring records together."
"And then there's Lionel Messi," Tyler added.
"The Argentine joined New Manchester United shortly after the club was founded.
"He suffered from a growth-related medical condition when he was younger, and the club helped arrange his treatment and kept him in the academy throughout the process.
"He's now eligible for first-team registration.
"We can see that he's going to play from the right, although he's naturally left-footed.
"Technically, he's exceptional."
Tyler continued.
"These two are probably the most talented youngsters in the academy at the moment.
"I suspect Mourinho is introducing them now simply to let them experience the atmosphere of senior football.
"They're still extremely young and obviously aren't ready to carry the burden of a full professional season yet.
"But I wouldn't be surprised to see both of them around the first-team squad more often next year."
...
After exchanging quick words with Villa and Palacio, the two academy players stepped onto the pitch.
Their teammates immediately offered encouragement.
"Leo!"
Essien grabbed Messi briefly before play restarted.
"Don't worry about anything.
"Keep making runs.
"Take players on.
"They're already trapped back there, and I'm behind you."
Messi smiled and nodded before giving Essien a quick hug.
As he turned away, he saw Curtis farther back.
Curtis raised a thumb towards him.
There had once been a time when Messi had looked at Curtis with envy.
Curtis was already starting regularly for the first team while Messi remained in the academy.
Now Messi had finally reached the senior side himself.
He was even making his first appearance.
The excitement was difficult to contain.
"Kill those bastards! Do it for the boss!" Ishmael shouted.
Then he sprinted straight towards the front line.
The match resumed.
Millwall took a throw-in.
New Manchester United immediately compressed the midfield.
Unable to find a way forward, Millwall were forced to circulate possession across their defensive line.
The moment Ishmael entered the match, he began pressing relentlessly.
He moved constantly between the two centre-backs, searching for opportunities like a striker who had been waiting all day to attack.
Messi stayed light on his feet on the right wing, tracking Millwall's left-back.
This was something the academy coaches had repeatedly drilled into him.
His defensive pressure could disrupt the full-back's control of possession.
More importantly, the moment New Manchester United regained the ball, Messi could immediately exploit his pace and technical superiority in a one-on-one situation.
Beat the defender.
Then attack the exposed defensive line behind him.
Millwall struggled to find an opening in their own half.
Under pressure from Ishmael, one of their centre-backs finally gave up and launched the ball long.
Curtis remained completely focused.
He read the flight early, moved into position, and headed the ball down towards De Rossi.
The Italian controlled it and immediately found Essien.
Essien had also been excellent throughout the match, repeatedly making forward runs whenever space appeared.
This time, he spotted Messi on the right and slid the ball towards him.
Millwall's left-back had originally been advancing.
Messi had tracked him.
The moment Essien's pass arrived, Messi adjusted quickly.
His feet were extraordinarily sharp.
The defender stepped in to tackle.
Messi simply nudged the ball between his legs.
Nutmeg.
Then he accelerated past him.
Old Trafford erupted.
The supporters immediately responded to the teenager's first successful dribble with a huge roar.
Messi carried the ball towards the edge of the penalty area.
A centre-back retreated in front of him.
Messi shaped as though he were going one way.
The defender shifted his weight.
That was enough.
Messi touched the ball into the small pocket of space he had created and curled a cross into the penalty area.
In the academy, Ishmael and Messi had combined like this countless times.
At 1.91 metres tall, Ishmael's powerful frame was one of his greatest weapons.
He was also excellent in the air.
Under Ethan's guidance, he had worked hard on his technique and finishing without neglecting his heading ability.
The understanding between the two youngsters was almost instinctive.
When Messi faced the centre-back, Ishmael had already begun accelerating towards goal.
He trusted Messi completely.
The cross would come.
And it did.
As Messi curled the ball into the box, Millwall's remaining centre-back tried to grab Ishmael and slow his run.
It was useless.
The young striker powered forward like a tank.
The defender simply could not hold him.
Ishmael attacked the cross at full speed.
He rose high above everyone around him.
Then he drove a powerful header towards the near post.
Goal!
8-0!
Ishmael exploded with excitement.
He and Messi ran together towards the stands.
Then both teenagers suddenly stopped.
They raised their hands awkwardly and stared towards the supporters.
Neither of them had known before the match whether they would actually get onto the pitch.
Naturally, they had never prepared a celebration.
For several seconds, they simply stood there looking almost lost.
The sight only made the supporters love them more.
Old Trafford erupted in another enormous cheer.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
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