The Emirates Stadium, 88th Minute.
Jeremy Ling lay on the turf for a moment longer, soaking in the away end's delirium.
His job was done.
Soon, he climbed to his feet and made his way to the touchline.
The Manchester United fans in the away corner rose as one, a wall of noise and applause washing over the young Number 7.
José Mourinho, leaving no room for doubt or complacency, immediately signaled the fourth official.
He substituted both Ling and Jesse Lingard.
In their place came Daley Blind and Matteo Darmian.
The message was clear. The attacking flair was over. The shop was closed.
Mourinho set up his classic, impenetrable defensive formation: a 5-4-1 low block, sometimes shifting to a 6-3-1.
Many fans watching felt an inexplicable sense of déjà vu.
Suddenly, they remembered the Camp Nou in 2010. Inter Milan vs. Barcelona.
The night Mourinho parked the bus, threw away the keys, and stubbornly held off the peak "Dream Three" Barcelona with ten men.
That match was a defensive masterclass, a classic among classics.
Today was a tribute act.
Ling took his seat on the substitute bench, wrapping himself in a heavy coat against the London chill.
The continuous high-intensity shuttle runs had taken a toll on his stamina; his final burst of rapid sprints for the hat-trick left his entire body feeling weak, his legs heavy as lead.
He took a few long sips of his isotonic sports drink and turned his gaze to the field.
Arsenal launched a frantic, desperate all-out attack.
They threw everyone forward—Monreal, Koscielny, even Cech came up for a corner—completely disregarding the vast spaces left behind them.
However, with Manchester United's entire team retreating into their own thirty-meter zone, there was no space to exploit.
United didn't want to counterattack; they just wanted to clear it.
The cheers at the Emirates Stadium gradually faded into a murmur of resignation.
"Sánchez with a powerful shot from outside the penalty area!" Martin Tyler called. "Brilliant! De Gea denies the goal again! He tips it over! What a performance!"
Peep! Peep! Peeeeep!
The referee blew the final whistle.
Arsenal 1 - 3 Manchester United.
Martin Tyler: "Congratulations to Manchester United for securing the victory and extending their unbeaten league record! A statement win at the Emirates!"
Gary Neville: "In these final moments, United's defense stood like an impenetrable wall. They showed no signs of collapse. Mourinho has done a job on Wenger again. It's ruthless."
Ling stood up, stretching his cramping calves.
He glanced at the lonely figure on the opposing team's bench.
Arsène Wenger stood there, hands deep in his long coat pockets, staring at the grass.
A phrase suddenly came to Ling's mind: "The hero in his twilight years still harbors lofty ambitions, but the sun is setting."
Unfortunately, Wenger had no time left.
According to the original timeline Ling remembered, the Frenchman would soon leave Arsenal at the end of the season and never coach another club again.
After two decades with the Gunners, his heart likely had no room for any other team.
He was a relic of a more romantic era, crushed by the machines of the modern game.
After a moment's hesitation, Ling walked over.
He bypassed the celebrating United players and extended his hand to Wenger.
It was a gesture of respect for an idealist from a realist.
Wenger looked up, surprised.
He regained his composed, scholarly demeanor, shaking Ling's hand firmly.
"Well played, son," Wenger said softly, his eyes sad but kind. "You were the difference. Keep it up."
Then he turned and hurried onto the field to console his shattered players.
"Boss," Rui Faria whispered, nudging Mourinho as they walked down the tunnel. "Ling shook hands with Wenger. You're not upset, are you? Fraternizing with the enemy?"
Faria covered his mouth to stifle a laugh.
Mourinho stopped.
He looked back at Wenger's retreating figure. He didn't answer the question directly.
"Arsène... is a good coach," Mourinho said, his tone tinged with a rare melancholy.
As a manager who frequently changed clubs, Mourinho knew all too well the signs of an impending departure.
The weariness, the isolation. Wenger's demeanor matched them perfectly.
The two had been rivals since 2004. They had fought, insulted each other, and defined an era.
Unknowingly, over a decade had passed.
If Wenger were to leave, Mourinho would feel a profound sense of loss.
He would be losing his favorite rival.
At the post-match press conference, the two surprisingly avoided conflict.
They acknowledged each other's efforts.
....
With this match concluded, all results for the 15th round of the Premier League were in.
Manchester City 2-1 West Ham United.
Pep Guardiola's side had struggled, needing a late David Silva winner, but they maintained their lead at the top of the table.
The "Blue Moon Army" not only boasted a luxurious squad but also exhibited terrifying consistency. They refused to drop points.
Manchester United would face Manchester City on December 10th.
The Manchester Derby.
A loss there would likely ruin their title hopes before Christmas.
It was a "six-pointer" that could determine the fate of the trophy.
As a result, despite the win, Manchester United fans were filled with a low-level anxiety.
Premier League Standings (Matchday 15):
Manchester City: 43 points
Manchester United: 43 points
Chelsea: 32 points
Liverpool: 29 points
Arsenal: 28 points
The two Manchester clubs were gradually pulling away from the rest.
It seemed likely they would surpass 50 points before the halfway mark of the season.
According to Ling's memory of the original timeline, Manchester City ultimately won the title with 100 points, while Manchester United finished second with 81 points.
The gap was massive.
But with his rebirth and joining the team, Manchester United had gone 15 matches unbeaten.
They were matching City stride for stride.
'It's not impossible,' Ling thought. 'We can change history.'
...
That night, Ling lay in his bed at his apartment, staring at the ceiling. The adrenaline was fading, replaced by the dull ache of recovery. He opened the system panel. His hat trick in the match against Arsenal had boosted his Premier League goal tally to 13.
He had completed another system task.
[Congratulations on obtaining: Robinho "Stepover" Module!]
[Module Details: Enhances the speed and deception of static and moving stepovers. Increases ankle flexibility.]
Ling pursed his lips helplessly.
Robinho? Really?
It seemed all his luck had been used up on the hat trick itself.
In his view, the "Comprehension-Enhancing" modules (like the Bergkamp vision one) were the best, as they only required continuous training to improve multiple aspects of his abilities.
These single-skill modules had limited effects.
He was already very proficient at the stepover; it was a staple of the Ronaldo template.
Even without the module's boost, he could perform it well.
"Better than nothing, I guess," he muttered. But he didn't mind too much.
What he really needed to focus on was developing the Ronaldo "The Phenomenon" Template.
Ever since his dribbling attribute exceeded 90, he had clearly felt different.
The ball felt like an extension of his foot.
'What if I can reach the upper limit? What if I can reach 99?' Ling couldn't help but look forward to that day.
....
The next morning, the sports media world was on fire.
The Sun: "TRIPLE THREAT! 18-Year-Old's Hat Trick Lights Up the Emirates!"
The Guardian: "The Final Piece? Has Mourinho Found the Key to the Title?"
Sky Sports: "Analyzing Ling's Rapid Improvement: Is He The Best Teenager in the World?"
Among the coverage of Manchester United's 3-1 victory, Ling's story took up the most space.
In the Premier League, where no away game is easy, scoring three spectacular goals at the Emirates attracted massive attention.
This time, it wasn't just China—the whole of Europe began to take the new owner of Manchester United's No. 7 jersey seriously.
Real Madrid scouts were rumored to be watching.
However, there was one statistic that fans were debating.
Ling had failed to break the record for the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the Premier League.
The list stood as follows:
Michael Owen: 18 years and 62 days (vs Sheffield Wednesday)
Robbie Fowler: 18 years and 204 days (vs Southampton)
Jeremy Ling: 18 years and 209 days (vs Arsenal)
He had missed second place by five days.
By the way, Robbie Fowler also scored a famous hat-trick against Arsenal later in his career, which took only 4 minutes and 33 seconds.
Ling's hat-trick took 80 minutes, but it was just as deadly.
Many fans left comments under the reports to discuss the history.
[User: Gunner_Tears]: "Arsenal really has it rough—not only are we the source of many memes, but we also end up as the backdrop for everyone's history. Rooney's first goal, Messi's four goals, now Ling's hat trick."
[User: StatMan]: "What a shame. If only Ling had been born six days earlier! He would be 2nd."
[User: United_Stand]: "Comparing it this way, Ling's goals were spread out over the game, so it doesn't seem as shocking as Fowler's rapid fire. But don't forget the context! In the second half, when United was being dominated, Ling still managed to make a tackle, distribute the ball, and score the solo goal. That's a match-winning performance."
[User: City_Blue]: "It feels like this Manchester United team still isn't strong enough to compete with City for the title. We just keep winning."
[User: Red_Devil]: "Let's wait for the Derby on the 10th. United is much stronger than at the start of the season. Who knows what the future holds? We have the momentum."