The match continued.
Manchester United did not attack hysterically like Liverpool. Instead, they combined wing play with central penetration and short passes, striving to regain more midfield space.
Additionally, they deliberately lured Liverpool into pressing.
Liverpool prided itself on teamwork. If the pressing failed to form a complete system, numerous gaps would inevitably appear.
That was Manchester United's opportunity.
However, Klopp's tactical adjustments were equally timely, shifting the overall formation toward the deeper and central areas.
Peter Drury: "Liverpool is allowing Manchester United to attack down the flanks. Lingard drives down the byline and delivers a cross. The delivery is decent! Jeremy Ling is there!"
Jim Beglin: "Unfortunately, sandwiched between Van Dijk and Lovren, he couldn't fully generate power, and the ball is collected safely by Alisson."
Due to Manchester United's substitution strategy, the number of aerial targets in the attacking third decreased.
Liverpool could allocate significant defensive resources specifically to mark Ling.
'Truly a tough nut to crack,' Ling thought as he jogged back.
How could he get on the ball? Aerial routes were hardly feasible.
Under the tight marking of Van Dijk and Lovren, even Jurgen Klinsmann would struggle to win headers.
Even if he managed to win one by luck, he would not be able to generate sufficient power.
Ground play remained the only option, preferably avoiding those two defenders.
Ling turned his gaze toward Robertson.
This guy had poor defensive awareness and often left gaps on the flanks.
Arnold was similar.
Could they use overlapping runs and positional swaps to disrupt Liverpool's defensive line? As long as they could create one-on-one situations on the flanks, Ling was confident he could dribble past Arnold and Robertson like a sieve.
After all, his "Highway 66" nickname was earned for a reason.
"Jesse, Riyad, later we..."
During a stoppage in play, Ling found Lingard and Riyad Mahrez to discuss the plan.
Not far away, Van Dijk noticed this, and his right eyelid twitched.
He solemnly warned his teammates. "Do not let him out of your sight."
In last season's Champions League final, under desperate circumstances, Ling had managed to score a hat-trick.
Was Liverpool stronger than last season's Real Madrid? While team strength was hard to compare directly, it reflected Ling's ability to seize opportunities from the side.
With players like him, you could not afford to give them any chance.
You could not even let them touch the ball.
Otherwise, you could never predict what he might do the next second.
It might be an ordinary shot, or a stunning world-class strike to seal the game.
The psychological pressure on Liverpool's players increased.
They felt Ling was like the Sword of Damocles, hanging over their heads and ready to fall at any moment.
Ling seemed to sense something and glanced over. He showed no particular emotion, nor did he make any provocative gestures.
He simply withdrew his gaze quietly.
As Manchester United's attacking focal point, he was long accustomed to being targeted. If he only played within his comfort zone, he would never grow into a football superstar.
As the old saying goes, how well a player handles the ball under uncomfortable circumstances separates the great from the ordinary.
Ling felt a surge of excitement, and his fatigue seemed to fade away. It was a kind of mental exhilaration.
Mourinho noticed the change in Ling and reflected on how right Zlatan Ibrahimovic had been.
Both of them were like passionate, energetic youths who never seemed to tire.
All they wanted was victory and trophies, always striving to turn the impossible into reality and create more miracles.
To have such a disciple, Mourinho considered himself fortunate.
Next door, Klopp was on edge. He unconsciously took off his baseball cap to reveal hair that had not been washed for days.
The thick lenses of his glasses reflected the green pitch.
It was the 86th minute of the match.
Liverpool's powerful throw-in landed directly at Shaqiri's feet. The Swiss Messi did not waste time with fancy dribbling this time. Instead, he played a diagonal pass to Robertson, who had overlapped down the flank.
Robertson then squared it into the center.
Sturridge timed his run perfectly, charging forward and barging straight into the penalty area between Luiz and Maguire.
Manchester United's defense instinctively retreated.
Meanwhile, Shaqiri carried the ball into the attacking third, combining with Mane, who had cut inside, before finding the onrushing Fabinho.
Fabinho wound up his right foot to strike the ball.
McTominay quickly turned his body to block, though he wisely did not commit his full weight.
After being beaten by Ling dozens of times in training every day, even the least talented player would improve.
As Fabinho pushed the ball to his right to break through, McTominay decisively closed in for the challenge.
McTominay simply barged Fabinho over, won the ball, and charged toward Liverpool's half.
He had sounded the counterattack!
Peter Drury: "McTominay with the steal! His vision is excellent, playing a long pass directly to Mahrez on the right. And Liverpool's left flank is completely exposed, with plenty of space for Mahrez to attack, because Robertson has not tracked back from his forward run!"
On the sidelines, Klopp nearly cursed out loud.
He had sternly warned Robertson about this before.
Robertson's defensive abilities were indeed limited. Previously, with Van Dijk as Liverpool's left-sided center-back, most teams avoided attacking that side.
But now the problem was clear: Van Dijk was marking Jeremy Ling, and Jeremy Ling was occupying Van Dijk.
How could Van Dijk possibly spare the energy to cover the left flank?
Without Fabinho's protection, Liverpool's defensive line was exposed.
They were forced to retreat and concede space in search of time and opportunities to win the ball back.
But Manchester United's attacking trident sprang into action.
Lingard made a diagonal run into the left side of the penalty area, pinning Lovren in place.
Otherwise, a left-footed cross from Mahrez could easily slice through their defense.
After entering the thirty-meter zone, Mahrez suddenly changed direction, cutting inside toward the center.
Most crucially, there was Ling.
He and Mahrez exchanged positions with overlapping runs, like two sharp blades slicing through Liverpool's defensive line.
Van Dijk was torn.
Should he mark Ling or Mahrez? Earlier, with Clyne covering, Lovren had been able to step up.
But what about Arnold? The kid was still sprinting back, leaving Lingard unmarked in the box.
As Mahrez swung his left leg, Van Dijk made his decision, stepping forward to block the shot.
"Jeremy!" Mahrez called out, deftly flicking the ball with his toe.
Theball traced a beautiful arc, its destination unmistakably Manchester United's number 7.
But the next second, Van Dijk halted his momentum and explosively retreated backward.
'A defensive feint?'
Mahrez was stunned, regretting why he had not just taken the shot himself.
Watching the spinning, descending ball and the ferociously closing Van Dijk, Ling swung his right leg.
The same word flashed in everyone's mind: Volley.
To guard against Mahrez's curling shot, Alisson had positioned himself closer to the left post, leaving the right side of the goal wide open.
A shot on target would surely find the net. Both sets of fans instinctively held their breath.
As Ling's right foot was about to make contact with the ball, Van Dijk gritted his teeth and threw himself forward, even though the goalpost was right in front of him.
Smack.
The expected explosive sound never came.
Instead, there was a crisp, light tap.
When Ling's right foot touched the ball, he applied a subtle upward force, causing the ball to arc gracefully into the air like a brilliant rainbow.
It was an incredibly imaginative and spatially aware piece of skill in the heart of the penalty area.
Van Dijk crashed heavily into the goalpost, his vision blurring and his head spinning.
After deftly chipping the ball over the defender, Ling followed up with a powerful left-footed strike, sending the ball crashing into Liverpool's net under Alisson's helpless gaze!
1-2!
Anfield erupted, but not with joy.
Manchester United fans waved their arms frantically, their voices hoarse from roaring.
That artistic touch of the ball, expressing boundless tension within a limited space, was etched into everyone's memory.
Peter Drury: "LINGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG! Oh, it is poetry in motion! He paints a rainbow over Van Dijk and thunders it home! The Theatre of Dreams has comes to Anfield! Manchester United lead in the dying embers of the Derby!"
Amid the deafening cheers of the away end, Ling beckoned his teammates and sprinted dozens of meters, performing a celebratory group slide on the pitch.
He was promptly buried under a pile of jubilant Manchester United players.
"Jeremy! WHAT THE FUCK HAHAHA!"
"We have beaten Liverpool again!"
"What is the use of playing beautifully? Winning the match is what matters!"
"You are treating us tonight!"
Ling gave McTominay a firm pat, prompting the Scotsman to nervously exclaim, "Get up, everyone! Do not crush Jeremy!"
"Ahem," Ling cleared his throat, having nearly suffocated moments earlier.
He broke into a radiant smile.
Witnessing his own brilliant idea turn into the winning goal filled him with an intoxicating sense of accomplishment.
Then he glanced at the Liverpool fans in the stands, each face etched with disbelief and despair.
His mood grew even more cheerful.
You were so arrogant just minutes ago.
Why aren't you smiling now?
...
@LFC_Talk: I cannot believe it. We dominate and they score a wonder goal. Heartbreaking.
@RedDevilsHQ: HIGHWAY 66 DOES IT AGAIN! Tears in my eyes. What a finish!
FourFourTwo magazine once conducted a survey asking, "Who is the player you hate the most?"
Liverpool fans used to answer Gary Neville.
Now, their hatred for that Manchester United No. 7 reached its peak in an instant!
...
Manchester United fans, however, felt the exact opposite.
On the sidelines, Mourinho celebrated with a triumphant wave before grabbing Faria in a tight embrace.
Facing a team like Liverpool, he had been under immense pressure.
Now, he could finally release it all.
But Faria suddenly spoke up. "Boss, Van Dijk seems to be injured."
Mourinho looked over and saw Liverpool's medical team conducting a quick check on Van Dijk before urgently signaling for a stretcher.
"Likely a mild concussion, and possibly a thigh muscle strain. He cannot continue playing," the medical staff reported.
Upon hearing this, Klopp's face turned ashen.
He let out a long sigh. "Get him to the hospital first. Don't delay the treatment."
Compared to the outcome of this match, he was far more concerned about Van Dijk's injury.
A single match does not decide everything, but if Van Dijk were seriously injured, how would Liverpool fare in the remaining league and Champions League matches?
Ling also cast a worried glance.
He had not expected Van Dijk to be so desperate, throwing himself forward with no regard for his own safety.
If he had chosen to volley the ball instead, the collision might not have happened.
Peter Drury: "The match has resumed. Liverpool have used all their substitutions and must now play with ten men, but they are not giving up on attacking!"
Jim Beglin: "Manchester United has the numerical advantage, with a very solid defense in the backfield. The Liverpool players have been pressing for 90 minutes. Their stamina has long since dropped to the limit, and now their touches are starting to falter."
Peter Drury: "Stoppage time, five minutes."
On the green pitch, clashes were everywhere as both teams frantically fought for the ball.
The rhythm of the match was already fragmented.
The time on the LED screen by the pitch kept ticking, reaching the final minute of stoppage time.
Alisson launched the ball long to the right.
Wijnaldum was knocked down by Pogba, but before hitting the ground, he stretched out a foot and poked the ball toward the center.
Fabinho received the ball and prepared for a long pass, but suddenly heard a warning from his teammate.
His reaction, however, had already slowed.
Ling used a strong physical challenge to push Fabinho aside, pulling the ball into his control, ready to embark on a long run to orchestrate one final attack.
Beep-beep-beep!
A piercing whistle sounded.
The referee blew for full time.
Ling had intended to take a long-range shot, but his thigh suddenly went weak, sending the ball straight out of bounds.
He lay helplessly on the cold grass, entirely spent, squinting up at the bright floodlights above.
---------
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