December 2nd.The Emirates Stadium, North London.
The air was crisp and biting, typical of a London evening in early December.
The floodlights beamed down onto the pristine turf, illuminating the stage for one of the Premier League's most storied, and vitriolic, rivalries.
"Good evening, and a very warm welcome to Saturday Night Football!"
The iconic voice of Martin Tyler resonated through millions of living rooms across the UK and the world.
"It is Matchday 15 of the Premier League season. It is Arsenal versus Manchester United. It is Arsène Wenger versus José Mourinho. A rivalry that has defined a generation of English football."
"Alongside me in the gantry is Gary Neville. Gary, how do you see this one going tonight?"
Gary Neville leaned into his microphone, his voice sharp with anticipation.
"Well, Martin, history tells us one thing, but form tells us another. Seven months ago, right here, Arsenal beat United 2-0. It was the first time—the only time—Wenger has ever beaten Mourinho in a competitive league match. It ended United's 25-match unbeaten run."
"But today feels different. United are coming off that 4-1 thrashing of Newcastle. They are flying. Arsenal... well, Arsenal are Arsenal. They look good at home, winning 5-0 against Huddersfield, but can they do it against a Mourinho team that comes to spoil the party? I'm not so sure."
"You're backing United then?" Tyler asked.
"I am," Neville nodded. "I think United have too much power. And they have a new X-factor. Jeremy Ling. Since he put on that Number 7 shirt, he's been electric. I think his pace against this Arsenal back three... it could be carnage."
Tyler chuckled. "Well, let's see. Arsenal have won their last 12 home league games in a row. It's a fortress right now. If Wenger wins today, it silences a lot of critics. If he loses... well, we know how quickly the mood changes at the Emirates."
While the pundits analyzed the game, the internet was already a battlefield.
The hashtag #ARSMUN was trending number one globally.
@Gunnersaurus_Rex: "Don't care what Neville says. We are at home. Lacazette is on fire. Ozil is actually turning up recently. We will pass them off the park. 2-0 to the Arsenal. COYG! 🔴⚪"
@United_Stand: "Mourinho Masterclass incoming. We're going to sit deep, absorb the pressure, and then unleash Ling and Lukaku on the break. Arsenal's midfield is soft as butter. Xhaka and Ramsey pivot? Good luck stopping Pogba. 😂"
@DT_Arsenal: "I'm telling you now, Robbie. If we start Mustafi at the back against Ling, I'm going to lose my head. We need pace. We need discipline. I'm nervous, fam."
@RedDevil_7: "Ling starts! The new King of Old Trafford comes to London. Hope he brought his dancing shoes. Another celebration incoming? 🕺"
@Tactical_Tim: "Both teams playing 3-at-the-back. It's going to come down to the wing-backs. Valencia vs Kolasinac is a heavyweight fight waiting to happen."
....
"Let's get the team news," Martin Tyler continued.
"For the hosts, Arsenal, playing in their traditional red and white. Arsène Wenger sticks with the 3-4-2-1 formation that has brought recent stability."
"Cech in goal. A back three of Koscielny, Mustafi, and Monreal. Bellerin and Kolasinac are the wing-backs. The midfield engine room is Granit Xhaka and Aaron Ramsey. And the front three... the creative genius of Ozil, the power of Sanchez, and Alexandre Lacazette leads the line."
"Gary, that midfield two... Xhaka and Ramsey. Is it mobile enough?"
"That's the question, isn't it?" Neville responded, circling the names on his tactical screen.
"They are fantastic on the ball. But without the ball? Against Pogba? Against the energy of Lingard and Ling? If Arsenal lose the ball in bad areas, those two midfielders will be completely exposed. It's a massive gamble from Wenger."
"And for the visitors, Manchester United," Tyler said.
"They are in their black away strip tonight. Mourinho also matches up with a 3-4-1-2."
"De Gea. Lindelof, Smalling, Rojo—who returns from injury. Valencia and Young on the flanks. Pogba and Matic in the middle. And up top... it's a fascinating trio."
"Jesse Lingard plays in the hole, with Romelu Lukaku and the teenager, Jeremy Ling, acting as split strikers. Speed and power."
"It's clearly a specific plan," Neville analyzed.
"Mourinho has two formations this season: the 4-2-3-1 for the smaller teams, and this back three for the big boys. He wants to be solid. But putting Ling up top with Lukaku... that tells me he wants to press. He wants to catch Arsenal playing out from the back. Ling isn't there to track back today; he's there to hunt."
The cameras cut to the tunnel.
Jeremy Ling stood in the line, adjusting his shin pads.
He caught his reflection in the glass of the executive box area.
Perhaps due to the cold British winter, he had let his hair grow slightly longer.
It was swept back, giving him a more mature, focused vibe.
Compared to Paul Pogba next to him, who had a streak of blue in his hair for the occasion, Ling looked refined, almost like an assasins.
The teams walked out.
The Emirates erupted.
"North London Forever! Whatever the weather, these streets are our own!"
The anthem blared.
It was a good atmosphere, fueled by the hope of the home fans that they were finally turning a corner.
On the touchline, the main event was happening before a ball was kicked.
Arsène Wenger, the Professor, tall and gangly in his long puffa coat.
José Mourinho, the Pragmatist, brooding in his grey suit.
They approached each other. The media held its breath.
A handshake.
A brief, thin smile from Wenger. A nod from Mourinho.
Civil, but cold.
One had built this stadium with his philosophy of beautiful football. The other had built a trophy cabinet by destroying beautiful football. Idealist vs. Realist.
BEEP!
The referee, Andre Marriner, blew the whistle.
The match officially began.
Arsenal, true to their DNA, initially wanted to control possession.
They spread out, looking to pass the ball around the back to settle their nerves and draw United out.
Petr Cech rolled the ball to Shkodran Mustafi. Mustafi looked for Xhaka.
They expected United to sit back. To "park the bus."
They were wrong.
"United are flying out of the blocks!" Martin Tyler exclaimed.
Instead of retreating, Manchester United went all out.
Mourinho had unleashed the dogs.
For the United players, the entire pitch was a pressing zone. Lingard sprinted at Mustafi.
Lukaku closed down Koscielny. And Jeremy Ling... he locked onto Aaron Ramsey like a guided missile.
Arsenal's three lines were immediately compressed.
Panic set in.
At this moment, the fatal weakness of the Xhaka and Ramsey partnership—their resistance to the press and agility in turning—was brutally exposed.
Ramsey had just received a slightly under-hit pass from Monreal.
He tried to turn.
But Ling was already there.
He charged over furiously, coordinating with Lingard to double-team the Welshman.
"He's in trouble here," Neville warned on commentary. "Ramsey has to get rid of it!"
Ramsey, feeling the breath of the United No. 7 on his neck, panicked.
He couldn't turn.
He could only poke a hurried, bobbly pass sideways toward Hector Bellerin on the flank.
It was a trigger.
Ling didn't stop.
He changed direction instantly, his agility allowing him to pivot on a dime.
He actively harassed Bellerin, sprinting to close down the space before the ball even arrived.
Bellerin, seeing the black shirt closing in, tried to use his pace to knock it past Ling and run.
But Ling's positioning was perfect.
He used his body to block the run, forcing Bellerin to check back.
The Spaniard stumbled and Ashley Young, sensing blood, came flying in from the wing-back position.
He nipped in front of Bellerin, stealing the ball cleanly.
"United have won it high up the pitch!" Tyler shouted. "Danger for Arsenal!"
Ashley Young didn't hesitate.
He drove to the byline, exploiting the space vacated by Bellerin.
He looked up and whipped a fierce cross into the box.
Romelu Lukaku was there. He muscled Koscielny out of the way. He rose. He met it.
"LUKAKU!"
"Heading at goal... oh no! A bit too much power! The ball sails over the crossbar!"
The ball landed in the crowd behind the goal.
Lukaku put his hands on his head, screaming in frustration.
But the warning shot had been fired.
Gary Neville: "That is exactly what Mourinho wanted! Look at the pressing! Arsenal are trying to play football, and United are just punching them in the mouth. Ling and Lingard are setting the tone. Xhaka and Ramsey are going to have a nightmare if they don't wake up."
Ling jogged back into position, giving a thumbs up to Young. He glanced at Xhaka, who was arguing with Ramsey.
'They are rattled,' Ling thought.
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