Upon hearing the referee's whistle signaling halftime, Ling relaxed his body and adjusted his breathing rhythm. It had been an exhausting first half.
Because of Manchester United's disconnected midfield transitions, he had been forced to frequently make deep runs just to create space and receive passes from his teammates.
However, this also led to a glaring problem: there was no one left up top to press Liverpool's defensive line.
He had considered using his individual ability to force breakthroughs, but Liverpool's high pressing, combined with their physical intensity, made it incredibly difficult for him to complete consecutive dribbles.
After all, he was just a player, not a god.
The Manchester United players were equally exhausted, quickly heading toward the tunnel to rest and recover as much as possible.
On the touchline, Jose Mourinho and Jurgen Klopp had gotten into a heated argument, naturally disputing the missed penalty call on Ling from moments earlier.
Each had their own perspective and neither could convince the other.
"Martin! My player clearly completed his turn and was closer to the ball!" Mourinho shouted at referee Martin Atkinson.
"If being knocked down like that isn't a penalty, then I have to question your officiating standards!"
Mourinho's tone was anything but polite.
Atkinson offered no explanation, instead sternly warning the manager. "If you question my decision, you can appeal to the FA after the match. But for today's game, what I say goes! If you want to insult a referee, I promise you'll be sent to the stands very soon!"
Mourinho couldn't hold back and was about to unleash a tirade on the spot.
Rui Faria and the other coaches quickly intervened, using both hands and feet to physically pull Mourinho back down the tunnel.
They couldn't afford to have the head coach sent off during a match of this magnitude, as the tactical adjustments would then fall solely to Faria.
"Boss, calm down! Stay calm!" Faria pleaded.
He didn't believe he could shoulder Mourinho's massive responsibilities, and if they lost the match, he would likely be blamed.
Back in the away dressing room, Mourinho made a concerted effort to control his emotions and began reviewing the first half.
"Liverpool's pressing and tackling in the attacking third were excellent, with the key being the coordination between their players," Mourinho analyzed. "So, we need to play tougher and disrupt the rhythm of their game even more! Then, we find opportunities to attack from the chaos!"
Ling looked at the markers on the tactical board, running simulations in his mind.
According to Mourinho's current approach, it would indeed alleviate defensive pressure, but it would also severely hinder their attacking play.
It wasn't the best solution.
After hesitating for a moment, Ling tentatively spoke up. "Boss, I have an idea. I'm not sure if I should mention it?"
"Go ahead, no pressure," Mourinho nodded.
After the dressing room conflicts he had experienced at Real Madrid and Chelsea, he had gradually learned to listen to his players' thoughts and was no longer as stubbornly dictatorial as before.
Moreover, Ling was now the vital link between him and the dressing room.
"Our two wingers are definitely stronger individually than Georginio Wijnaldum and Naby Keïta," Ling explained, quickly walking to the tactical board and adjusting the positions of several markers.
"So why not give them more freedom and use attack to contain their attack? Make Liverpool, like us in the first half, experience a disconnect between their forward line and their midfield and defense. That way, to maintain their shape, Liverpool's defensive line will inevitably have to push higher, exposing the space behind them."
As Ling explained the strategy, Paul Pogba's expression grew increasingly excited, because this was exactly the role he had played so successfully at Juventus.
It was only after returning to Manchester United that he had been burdened with heavy defensive shackles.
Mourinho stroked his chin, deep in thought.
Ling's tactical approach should prove effective.
Not only could it minimize the harm caused by Pogba's defensive weaknesses, but having the wingers hold the ball more often—even if it slowed the play slightly—could help regulate the tempo of the attack.
As long as they could break through the initial press, they could directly face Liverpool's defensive line, linking their own forwards and midfielders.
"Luke, Aaron, you need to reduce the frequency of your forward runs to cover the back," Mourinho commanded, his mind made up.
"Nemanja, focus on pressing immediately after losing possession, and don't hesitate to commit tactical fouls."
"Jeremy, don't worry! I won't let you down!" Pogba whispered to Ling.
"Me too!" Mateo Kovačić nodded vigorously.
...
Meanwhile, in the home team's locker room, Klopp's motivational skills were in full flow.
"If you want to join a truly passionate club, a place where you can genuinely engage from the depths of your heart—not just join from the outside—then you must become a part of Liverpool!" Klopp roared, his animated gestures pumping up every player.
"You must give your all on the pitch! Dedicate everything to Liverpool! Though I hate to admit it, we're facing possibly the best team in the world today. They won the Champions League and the Premier League Title last season! But precisely because of that, if we can defeat them today, it proves we are the best!"
...
Fifteen minutes later.
The Liverpool players charged out of the tunnel roaring, while the Manchester United players were equally fired up.
Amid the deafening cheers at Anfield, the referee blew his whistle and the second half began!
Liverpool started with the ball.
Roberto Firmino passed it back. Liverpool circulated the ball briefly at the back before launching a fierce attack. Klopp was no advocate of a 1-0 mentality.
Moreover, facing their century-old rivals, Liverpool couldn't afford to play defensively for a pragmatic result.
They needed a comprehensive, convincing victory!
"Allez! Allez! Allez!" Tens of thousands of Liverpool fans chanted in unison, spurring on the Reds.
Faced with Liverpool's overwhelming, wave-like attack, Manchester United compressed their formation and defended passively, looking for gaps in Liverpool's passing in the final third as per the halftime tactical plan.
After a series of passes, the ball reached Wijnaldum.
He wanted to link up with Mo Salah ahead, but noticed Luke Shaw lurking right behind Salah, ready to press the moment he passed.
So, Wijnaldum cut inside toward the center.
But United's compact defense severely compressed the space, and Pogba and Matić immediately pressed him together.
Wijnaldum had no choice but to make a hurried pass toward Firmino.
Peter Drury: "Maguire steps up! His timing on the press was perfect! He doesn't give Firmino an inch to receive the ball! Straight to Kovačić on the right!"
Jim Beglin: "Manchester United instantly transition from defense to attack! Let's see how Kovačić handles Keïta's press here."
Although Keïta's defensive ability wasn't as strong as Fabinho's, he excelled at the high press and sudden physical challenges.
How would Kovačić respond? As Luka Modrić's successor for the national team, Kovačić possessed formidable acceleration and dribbling ability.
He shot out like an arrow from a bow, cleanly bypassing Keïta!
Following Manchester United's halftime adjustments, Kovačić didn't make a hasty pass.
Instead, he waited for the other Liverpool players to press him, creating exploitable space for his teammates.
Fabinho charged in from the side to cover!
Peter Drury: "Pogba penetrates into Liverpool's defensive heartland—drifting right into the space left open by Fabinho! Manchester United clearly planned this!"
Jim Beglin: "And Kovačić delightfully threads the pass right into that pocket!"
Jeremy Ling immediately exploded forward toward the right side of the penalty area—attacking the space right behind Van Dijk.
His intention was obvious: Will you follow me or not?
Van Dijk didn't hesitate for a moment.
He pivoted and quickly tracked back. In Manchester United's attacking system, Ling was the most crucial point, he absolutely could not be allowed to roam freely.
For this reason, Van Dijk was willing to concede the space in front of the penalty area.
"Lovren, step up!" Van Dijk shouted to his defensive partner while marking Ling.
Seeing an opening for a shot at the edge of the box, Pogba didn't hesitate—he unleashed a fierce strike!
Boom!!!
The ball grazed Dejan Lovren's shin, deflected and skimmed just past the post, rolling out for a corner!
"Well done! Keep it up! Get fired up, everyone!" Ling waved vigorously toward his teammates.
The facts proved that Manchester United's tactics were effective.
From here on, they just needed to execute them resolutely, and they would surely find opportunities to equalize.
"Let's go!" the Manchester United players roared.
Peter Drury: "Manchester United's momentum is building! That is the beauty of football—sometimes just one brilliant attack can ignite a team's spirit!"
Jim Beglin: "From that last attack, we can see that young Jeremy has put immense mental pressure on Liverpool's defense by pulling Van Dijk away. Let's see this corner opportunity."
Seeing Ling's hand signal, Riyad Mahrez decisively whipped the ball toward the near post.
Ling feinted a move backward before explosively surging forward, catching Van Dijk completely off guard.
Leveraging his positional advantage, he soared high into the air, glancing a header back toward the far corner of the goal!
Anfield erupted in gasps of astonishment!
Smack!
The ball struck the top of the crossbar and bounced over for a goal kick.
Ling shook his arm in frustration.
His luck seemed particularly poor today—he had already come close to scoring several times.
But as long as the match wasn't over, there were still opportunities.
Gradually, Manchester United found their attacking rhythm, utilizing the formidable driving ability of their wingers to dictate the game.
Ling, meanwhile, drifted constantly through Liverpool's defensive lines, using his intelligent movement to disrupt Van Dijk and Lovren, preventing them from supporting their fullbacks on the flanks.
Liverpool fans were surprised to find that Manchester United had gained the upper hand, orchestrating several threatening attacks in succession.
"Manchester United's attacking direction is opposite to Ling's movement—just one person needs to mark him!" Klopp could no longer stay seated.
He strode to the technical area, waving his arms and shouting.
If this continued, Liverpool's defense would inevitably collapse.
"Trent, go warm up!" Klopp ordered, turning to the bench.
"Yes, boss!" Trent Alexander-Arnold immediately pulled on a training vest and excitedly ran to the warm-up area.
He had waited far too long for today.
Unfortunately, he hadn't started the match, but now he finally had a chance to make an impact!
Beside him in the opposing technical area, Mourinho wore a solemn expression.
With a more far-sighted tactical vision than Ling, he realized that the effectiveness of Manchester United's current tactics relied heavily on Liverpool maintaining their high press.
But would Klopp continue to do that? Clearly not.
As the match entered the 60th minute, Liverpool's formation suddenly compressed backward, establishing a complete defensive low block in their own half.
Although the high-pressing tactic was effective, it had an unavoidable flaw: by the 65th minute, players' stamina would significantly decline, making it impossible to sustain the intensity.
Thus, most teams would switch to a low block defense in advance, conserving energy for one final push before the match ended. Liverpool was no exception.
Manchester United's offensive momentum immediately stalled against the parked bus.
Even if the wingers could break through with individual skill, finding suitable passing lanes became increasingly difficult.
The Manchester United players grew more anxious, and their challenges became increasingly reckless.
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