This round of the Premier League on December 30th carried extraordinary significance for the Manchester United players. The reason was simple: the day after the match happened to be Sir Alex Ferguson's 65th birthday.
Everyone at Manchester United hoped to defeat their opponents at Old Trafford in this league fixture, offering a generous victory as a birthday gift to the manager who was about to celebrate, while also extending their lead over their rivals and further consolidating their advantage in the title race.
Before the match, Reading manager Steve Coppell had already prepared himself mentally for what awaited his team. His greatest concern was undoubtedly Manchester United's number seven, Cristiano Ronaldo, who had been in blistering form recently.
At the pre-match press conference, Coppell compared United's current No. 7 to the club's legendary figures who had worn the shirt before him—George Best, Eric Cantona, and David Beckham. He pointed out that scoring braces in back-to-back matches during the congested winter period was never easy, yet Ronaldo was clearly moving along an extraordinary trajectory.
In addition to Coppell's remarks, Manchester United legend Cantona also publicly encouraged the Portuguese winger.
"Run, surge forward, and never miss any chance to score."
It was Cantona's personal message to Cristiano Ronaldo.
Reading had always been a difficult opponent. Even at Old Trafford, Manchester United knew they were in for a hard fight. During the first thirty minutes, United ran into stubborn resistance, with Reading setting up a compact defensive block and pressing aggressively on the counter. Manchester United struggled to create clear chances.
Ronaldo attempted several shots at goal, but none carried real threat, creating the uneasy impression that if he could not score, the Portuguese might simply keep firing without discrimination.
However, Ronaldo proved that he was different.
In the 33rd minute, he received the ball on the left flank and faced two opposing defenders. Suddenly accelerating, he launched into a series of rapid step-overs, shaking his markers before driving past them and delivering a precise cross into the penalty area. Solskjær rose to meet it and headed the ball powerfully from about nine meters in front of the Reading goalkeeper, opening the scoring for Manchester United.
The goal ignited Old Trafford. The stands erupted, and the entire stadium seemed to glimpse victory in that moment.
But Manchester United's lead lasted less than five minutes. Heinze committed a foul in midfield, giving Reading a free kick in the attacking half. From the ensuing set-piece, Reading executed a well-rehearsed routine, breaking through the defense and beating Van der Sar to level the score.
Interestingly, the position from which Reading scored was almost identical to Solskjær's earlier header.
1–1.
Both sides were back at the same starting line.
Manchester United began to play with increasing urgency, especially Cristiano Ronaldo. He looked impatient, eager to make something happen, but fortune was not on his side. At one point, he met a header cleanly, only to see the ball crash against the crossbar.
After the break, Manchester United continued to intensify their attacks, while Reading remained stubborn and disciplined at the back. The visitors defended deep, compressing space and refusing to give up any ground easily.
In the 58th minute, the breakthrough finally came. Giggs, who had come on as a substitute, delivered a low cross from the left. Rooney cushioned the ball back into space, and Solskjær slipped past his marker before striking from a tight angle. The shot struck the left post and rebounded into the six-yard area, where Cristiano Ronaldo had already anticipated the danger. He reacted instantly, calmly pushing the ball into the net to restore Manchester United's lead.
That goal reignited hope among the home supporters. The stands echoed with chants of Cristiano Ronaldo's name as fans roared their approval.
Even so, Reading refused to surrender. They reorganized quickly, continued to defend with determination, and waited patiently for counterattacking opportunities. The pressure on Manchester United remained intense, and every player looked tense, aware that one mistake could change everything.
Then, in the 77th minute, the decisive moment arrived. Giggs drifted over to the right flank and pulled the ball back from near the byline. With his left foot, he delivered a curling cross into the box. Cristiano Ronaldo burst into the penalty area at full speed, and from about four meters out, he met the ball with a right-footed volley, pouring almost all his remaining strength into the strike and smashing it into the Reading goal.
After scoring, the Portuguese star exploded with emotion. He sprinted away from the pitch, charging toward the corner, rushing all the way to the Sky Sports camera, and screamed at the top of his lungs. His usually composed face was contorted with excitement, almost fierce in its intensity, making everyone feel the raw emotion and overwhelming release of joy in that moment.
...
"Since the start of this season, Cristiano Ronaldo has truly been under immense pressure."
Before the campaign began, he and Rooney were widely regarded as Manchester United's two greatest young talents. However, after the World Cup, the two found themselves standing on opposite sides of public opinion. The Portuguese forward quickly became the target of widespread anger in England. Some English fans even issued direct threats, warning that he would not be welcome if he dared to return to Britain.
"At the time, almost everyone believed that Cristiano Ronaldo's road at Manchester United had reached its end, and that Rooney would shoulder the responsibility of leading the team, carrying the banner against Chelsea's gold-powered football."
"Yet as most of the season has passed, reality has unfolded in a way completely opposite to those expectations."
"So far this season, Rooney's performances can only be described as barely satisfactory, while Cristiano Ronaldo's displays have been eye-catching—at times even bordering on the magical."
"In the early stages of the season, Cristiano Ronaldo was once criticized for wasteful finishing. But as Cantona once said, every top scorer must go through such a phase. Once they break through it, their shooting technique and confidence undergo a complete transformation."
"In the last three league rounds, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored braces in three consecutive matches, proving his brilliance to everyone and completing a stunning surge."
"In contrast, his Manchester United teammate Rooney appears to be drifting steadily toward mediocrity. On this point, Cantona believes that technical foundations determine the diverging paths of the two gifted players. After joining Manchester United, Rooney clearly neglected the continued refinement of his basic skills, causing his potential ceiling to gradually decline."
"Cantona stated that there are very few players capable of matching Cristiano Ronaldo in both attacking speed and technical completeness. At present, in the Premier League, only Yang possesses that level of strength."
"Manchester United's identity all but guarantees that Yang Yang will be Cristiano Ronaldo's strongest rival."
"And this winter break, Cristiano Ronaldo's explosive run of form has once again sounded the horn of competition between himself and Yang Yang."
"Although Manchester United had previously lost to Yang Yang's Liverpool earlier in the season, the aggressive Portuguese forward clearly has no intention of accepting that outcome quietly."
"After scoring twice in each of the last three rounds, Cristiano Ronaldo has now reached twelve league goals this season, leaving him just five goals behind Yang Yang's total of seventeen."
...
In this round, Liverpool traveled south to London to face Tottenham Hotspur away from home. Before the end of the first half, Yang Yang provided an assist for Luis García, who calmly finished to give Liverpool the lead. Relying on that goal, Liverpool eventually secured a hard-fought 1–0 victory over Tottenham, taking home three extremely valuable points.
The day after the match, the entire British media was shaken by Cristiano Ronaldo's remarkable achievement of scoring braces in three consecutive games. At the same time, many outlets latched onto the explosive form of the Manchester United star, believing that his surge would ignite an intense battle for the Premier League's best player.
At present, only two real obstacles stood in front of the Portuguese. One was Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, who had scored thirteen goals, and the other was Liverpool forward Yang Yang, who had already netted seventeen. Both players were among the very best performers in the Premier League this season. In addition to his seventeen goals, Yang Yang had also contributed thirteen assists so far. Reaching double figures in assists was, in itself, a rather astonishing achievement.
Single-handedly topping both the scorers' list and the assists chart, Yang Yang's debut season in the Premier League had fully demonstrated his strength and influence. As for the winter period, his performances during the brutal Christmas schedule were not as eye-catching as Cristiano Ronaldo's. However, this was not solely Yang Yang's issue; it was also a reflection of Liverpool's overall situation.
Moreover, before the Christmas period began, Yang Yang had already led Liverpool to four consecutive victories, with the team scoring at least four goals in each match. In terms of impact and dominance, his displays were in no way inferior to those of the Portuguese forward.
Looking at December as a whole, Cristiano Ronaldo scored seven goals across all competitions for Manchester United and delivered four outstanding assists. His overall performance was exceptional. Manchester United recorded five wins and one draw during the month, with Ronaldo playing a decisive role, especially during the three-match winning streak in the demanding Christmas schedule.
However, Yang Yang's record was far from disappointing. Liverpool also achieved five wins and one draw in December. Among those victories were four consecutive matches won by margins of at least four goals, a run that was even more convincing than Manchester United's. During this period, Yang Yang scored six goals and provided seven assists. His contribution in both scoring and creativity had made him an indispensable attacking core for Liverpool.
It could be said that the contest between the two stars, whether judged by statistics or on-field performances, was evenly matched. Media outlets and fans who supported Cristiano Ronaldo argued that the Portuguese winger deserved to be named the Premier League's Player of the Month for December, particularly because of his outstanding displays during the punishing Christmas schedule, where they felt he had slightly outshone Yang Yang.
Supporters of Yang Yang quickly pushed back. They pointed out that this was Yang Yang's first experience of the Christmas schedule, and a degree of adaptation was entirely normal. More importantly, Liverpool had not been inferior to Manchester United throughout December, and Yang Yang's contributions had been immense.
"Considering Liverpool's overall strength, and the fact that the support Yang Yang receives from his teammates is less than what Manchester United provide for Ronaldo, Yang Yang's performances are even rarer and more valuable than Cristiano Ronaldo's," they argued.
As for Drogba, who had initially been expected to be a strong contender, Chelsea's two consecutive draws gradually eroded his competitiveness in the debate.
In the end, who would be named the Premier League Player of the Month remained an open question, one that continued to stir controversy. The final decision would rest with the Premier League officials.
After the completion of the 21st round, Liverpool's away victory over Tottenham, combined with Chelsea's 2–2 home draw against Fulham and Arsenal's goalless draw against Sheffield United, further reshaped the table. Manchester United led the standings with 50 points. Liverpool sat second on 45 points. Chelsea, having dropped points in two consecutive rounds, slipped to third with 44 points. Arsenal fell to fifth with 36 points.
Meanwhile, Liverpool's next opponent, Bolton Wanderers, occupied fourth place with 39 points.
This development once again made many people uneasy on Liverpool's behalf. Bolton were clearly in strong form and posed a real threat at the moment. With two matches to be played within three days, the physical and mental demands facing the Liverpool players would be enormous.
…
…
January 1, 2007—New Year's Day.
In the first match of the new year, the 22nd round of the Premier League, Liverpool hosted Bolton at Anfield. By the end of the first half, the score remained 0–0.
In fact, if not for Manchester United dominating the headlines in the previous three rounds—largely due to Cristiano Ronaldo scoring braces and stealing the spotlight—Liverpool's performance so far this season would hardly be considered disappointing. On the contrary, it could even be described as very good.
Why say that? During the first half of the season, especially in the period when Liverpool's form fluctuated, Rafael Benítez's rotation policy came under intense scrutiny.
Many questioned it openly, and some even mocked it. It was said that since taking charge of Liverpool, Benítez had coached nearly ninety-nine matches without ever fielding the same starting lineup twice. While this claim was clearly exaggerated, it nevertheless reflected the widespread perception of his heavy reliance on rotation.
The Spaniard himself remained firm. Whether in internal meetings or public interviews, Benítez consistently stated that there was nothing wrong with his rotation system, insisting that the results would eventually justify it. For a long time, however, many observers felt that those results had yet to appear.
That changed after December arrived. As Liverpool recorded multiple emphatic 4–0 victories in succession, the doubts gradually faded. In particular, during the demanding Christmas schedule, Liverpool demonstrated strong competitiveness in a series of continuous battles. While Chelsea and Arsenal dropped points through defeats and draws, Liverpool maintained their momentum and kept pace with Manchester United.
Looking at recent form alone, the improvement was clear. In their last six matches, Liverpool had won five, and in all five victories they kept clean sheets, a strong indication that the team's overall condition had stabilized and improved.
Yet that alone did not fully explain the situation. The real key lay in Benítez's management of player fitness and squad balance, especially when it came to injuries. Among the Premier League's top four, Liverpool currently had the fewest injured players.
Unfortunately, the injuries they did suffer struck one of the squad's weakest areas: the defensive midfield position.
In response, Benítez made tactical adjustments. He deployed Gerrard and Xabi Alonso together in a 4-4-2 system, with Aurelio also stepping into midfield roles when required. The results were respectable, and the team functioned smoothly enough under the revised setup.
Even so, Benítez continued to emphasize that Liverpool still needed to bring in a true defensive midfielder during the winter transfer window. Doing so would free Gerrard to push further forward and allow him to form a genuine dual attacking core with Yang Yang in the final third.
But regardless of plans and discussions, the schedule showed no mercy. The season had to move on.
...
It was a hard-fought contest at Anfield against Bolton Wanderers, a Premier League side currently sitting fourth in the table and fully deserving of that position.
For the first half, Rafael Benítez once again set Liverpool up in a 4-4-2 formation. Peter Crouch partnered Dirk Kuyt in attack, while Yang Yang was left on the bench as part of the rotation. Luis García and Jermaine Pennant operated on the flanks, with Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard anchoring the midfield.
Liverpool controlled the initiative for much of the opening period. Crouch's height gave the home side a clear aerial advantage and allowed them to sustain pressure around Bolton's penalty area. However, without Yang Yang's pace to stretch the back line, Liverpool's attacking play lacked sharpness and direct penetration. The tempo slowed, passing angles became increasingly predictable, and Bolton were able to stay compact, defending comfortably without being dragged out of shape.
As a result, clear-cut chances were scarce. Despite enjoying territorial dominance and long spells of possession, Liverpool could not convert their control into a breakthrough, and the first half ended goalless.
After the interval, Liverpool emerged unchanged. Benítez resisted making immediate substitutions, choosing instead to persist with his original tactical plan and see whether patience and structure might gradually wear Bolton down.
"Yang, wait patiently and focus on observing, especially the positioning of Bolton's back line."
Yang Yang understood his situation very well. Experiencing the brutal Christmas schedule for the first time was genuinely uncomfortable. In the past three years, he had played in the Eredivisie, where winter usually meant a break. He had long been accustomed to that rhythm. In the Premier League, however, not only was there no rest, but he was also forced to face the most intense and punishing stretch of the season.
It was not that he could not endure hardship. The problem was that his form had no room to rise. He was maintaining a solid level, but he could not push himself any higher under the physical strain. Benítez and the coaching staff were fully aware of this situation and repeatedly reassured him that it was a normal phenomenon, something almost every player experienced when arriving in the Premier League for the first time.
Cristiano Ronaldo? This was already his fourth season in the Premier League.
Yang Yang continued to calm himself, steadily adjusting his mindset and emotions on the bench.
On the pitch, the match wore on. Liverpool struggled to break through Bolton's defensive block, yet they applied heavy pressure whenever Bolton tried to push forward. In the 58th minute, Campo, the former Real Madrid midfielder, fouled Pennant and was shown a yellow card.
It was at that moment that Benítez signaled to assistant coach Pako Ayestarán and asked him to call Yang Yang over. Having already completed his warm-up, Yang Yang was ready to come on at any time.
…
"We can see that Benítez is finally preparing to make a substitution!"
As the live commentator's voice rang out, the entire Anfield Stadium erupted. A wave of noise rolled through the stands, anticipation instantly filling the air.
In the directors' box, the families of Liverpool's players were seated together. Su Ye sat beside Alex Curran, Steven Gerrard's girlfriend. She was dressed in a black down jacket, a knitted cotton hat bought from the Liverpool club shop pulled low over her head, and a Liverpool scarf wrapped snugly around her pale pink neck. She was bundled tightly against the cold, yet her delicate, refined features were still clearly visible. Her face looked clean and natural, the kind that left a lasting impression at first glance.
Even among the elegantly dressed group of players' partners, Su Ye's composure and quiet beauty stood out, inevitably drawing attention.
When she saw Yang Yang rise from the bench and head toward the touchline, and heard both the commentator's announcement and the swelling cheers from the crowd, Su Ye stood up as well, clapping enthusiastically and calling out for him.
The broadcast cameras caught the moment immediately. Her image appeared on the giant screen inside the stadium and was also transmitted to countless Premier League viewers watching live around the world.
As Yang Yang stepped toward the sideline, the entire Anfield crowd began chanting his name in unison. The roar echoed through the stadium, unmistakable proof of his popularity. It made one thing abundantly clear to everyone watching: this season, Yang Yang was a fully deserved leader of the Reds.
...
Yang Yang stood by the touchline, waiting for a stoppage in play to enter. Pako Ayestarán was beside him, holding a tactical board as he stepped closer and spoke in a low voice, reminding him to pay close attention to crosses from the right flank, especially from Pennant. Last season's Premier League assist leader was still extremely precise with his deliveries.
With Campo already on a yellow card, Benítez's intentions were clear. Liverpool would continue to strengthen their right-sided attacks, targeting Bolton's left flank and trying to break through in one decisive surge to create more opportunities in the final third.
"Alright, I've got it," Yang Yang said, nodding as he adjusted his shorts.
"Good. Go on," Ayestarán replied, giving Yang Yang a light pat on the shoulder before turning back toward the technical area.
In the 60th minute, Benítez finally made the change, sending Yang Yang onto the pitch in place of Luis García.
Anfield responded instantly. Applause cascaded down from the stands, mixed with loud cheers, as Yang Yang jogged onto the field. Bolton restarted play quickly, and Yang Yang immediately sprinted down the left flank, more to loosen his legs and find his rhythm than with any real expectation of receiving the ball. It never came near him.
He could feel it clearly. He was not in peak physical condition, but his movement, timing, and awareness were still intact. That came from daily accumulation, from discipline, and from the careful management of Benítez and the coaching staff. His body was not ready to explode yet, so he widened his involvement instead—running more, tracking back, staying connected to the game, and patiently waiting for the right moment.
Liverpool soon regained possession and shifted the ball to the right. Finnan pushed forward to support the attack, and the tempo suddenly lifted. The right side became sharper and more direct, but Yang Yang did not rush to mirror it on the opposite flank. He held his position, watching and reading the flow.
Crouch received the ball near the edge of the penalty area and laid it off under pressure. Kuyt took over, shook free of his marker, and then slipped the ball wide into the right side of the box toward Pennant.
At that instant, Yang Yang burst forward.
He cut diagonally into the penalty area at full speed, raising his right arm high to call for the ball. Pennant spotted him immediately. Crouch and Kuyt both made aggressive near-post and central runs, dragging defenders with them and compressing Bolton's defensive focus toward the middle.
For a split second, Bolton's defenders hesitated. Their attention was fixed on Crouch and Kuyt—the two players who had dominated aerially in the first half.
That hesitation was fatal.
The left side of the penalty area suddenly opened up.
Pennant swung in the cross.
But something was wrong.
Whether it was fatigue, or a slight misjudgment between the two, the cross carried an unexpected inward curve midway through its flight. Yang Yang had already sprinted beyond the ideal contact point.
He missed it.
For a brief heartbeat, his mind went blank.
Then instinct took over.
A single image flashed through his thoughts—Crouch's overhead kick against Galatasaray in the Champions League.
There was no other choice.
Yang Yang spun instantly, recalculating the ball's drop in the split second available. He planted his foot, forced power through his legs, and hurled his body backward into the air.
An overhead kick was nothing like a normal strike. Hanging mid-air, everything depended on the core—waist, abdomen, balance, timing. As Yang Yang lifted off, the force from his legs surged upward, his body rotating sharply as he clenched his fists and committed fully to the motion.
The ball dropped.
Relying purely on spatial awareness rather than sight, he snapped his right leg upward and struck the ball cleanly with the back of his instep.
He could not see the goal.
He could not see the goalkeeper.
He could only feel it.
The contact was perfect.
For a moment, Yang Yang did not even think about whether the ball had gone in. His entire focus shifted to landing safely. He twisted his body in mid-air, tightened his core, and absorbed the impact as he hit the turf.
Only then did he lift his head.