The Etihad Stadium was a cauldron of contrasting emotions—jubilation and despair intertwined, joy and bitterness mingled, forming a magnificent, chaotic tapestry of human feeling.
Ling and his teammates on the bench sprang to their feet, rushing wildly onto the pitch to join the post-victory celebrations.
They had crossed the highest mountain peak.
Only four matches stood between them and the long-coveted Premier League title.
Bournemouth, Arsenal, Brighton, and Watford.
Every Manchester United fan was mentally calculating the title scenarios.
One win, two draws, one loss? Two wins, one draw, one loss?
Yet, they all refrained from declaring themselves champions just yet, remembering Manchester City's dramatic, heart-stopping comeback in the 2011-12 season.
No one dared pop the champagne prematurely.
The closer they got to the finish line, the more cautious they needed to be.
Of course, none of that mattered during today's carnival.
For now, they could fully indulge in the euphoria of victory over their noisy neighbors.
....
Nearby.
Manchester City players lay helplessly on the grass, eyes vacant and expressions blank, overwhelmed by an anguish that words could not describe.
They had lost a match they would likely remember for the rest of their lives.
Sergio Aguero watched the celebrating Manchester United players with frustration, feeling a mix of melancholy and nostalgia.
Once, in that glorious moment in 2012, they had been just like their opponents.
That had been his happiest day.
He suddenly thought inexplicably of Lionel Messi, and of the upcoming World Cup in Russia.
He didn't want to experience another heartbreaking defeat on the world stage.
Moreover, Manchester City's journey this season wasn't over yet.
Perhaps Manchester United would falter in the final four matches and hand the championship to them once again.
There was always hope.
With these thoughts, Aguero regained his motivation, got up, and went to comfort his teammates.
Kyle Walker grumbled unhappily, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Don't you think that kid is a bit unbelievable? How can he improve so fast? Last time we played, he struggled a bit to break through Delph. Today, he made me look like an amateur."
"You're not the only one with that doubt. Probably the whole Premier League, the whole of Europe, has the same question."
Beside him, Ederson sighed deeply.
He had thought he could come to Manchester City and snag a championship immediately, but who would have thought that after dreaming for most of the season, it would all be shattered mercilessly by a lob he couldn't reach.
Ling's spectacular wing breakthrough kept flashing in his mind like a recurring nightmare.
Ederson stared across the pitch at David De Gea, his eyes filled with a mixture of respect and envy.
On the substitute bench, Kevin De Bruyne's expression was extremely complex as he recalled his first encounter with Ling—it was during the Champions League knockout draw ceremony.
At the time, he hadn't paid much attention, thinking of him merely as a talented junior player.
But as Ling's fame grew and he saw Mourinho's high regard for him, a trace of imbalance inevitably arose in his heart.
It was only human nature.
After all, he had once wanted to become a sharp blade in Mourinho's hands during their time at Chelsea, but it was never meant to be.
When he caught sight of Pep Guardiola's back ahead of him to the side, his low spirits vanished instantly, and his fighting spirit surged once more.
He believed that under Guardiola's leadership, Manchester City would undoubtedly reach the pinnacle of Europe, and he would achieve the honors he had long dreamed of.
Moreover, only after enduring long hardships would the final victory taste sweeter.
Guardiola looked up and surveyed the Etihad Stadium.
He had never doubted his football philosophy—it was the most fundamental quality of a top-tier coach.
Even when Manchester City ended the previous season empty-handed, it hadn't changed his mind.
The Champions League, the Premier League...
How far was Manchester City from its ultimate dream?
He couldn't provide an answer right now, but he would persist, confident that sooner or later, he would stand proudly over England as a victor.
Then he strode briskly toward the players' tunnel, his head held high.
Nearby, Mourinho caught Guardiola's movement out of the corner of his eye.
After the intense euphoria faded, it was replaced by a sense of fleeting loneliness.
But soon, the competitive fire rose again.
He and Guardiola had been rivals for so many years, from Spain to England, yet it seemed they had never truly settled the score.
There would be plenty more opportunities for clashes in the future.
Like Guardiola, Mourinho had never doubted his own football philosophy either.
Perhaps it had been hinted at back in the summer of 2004, when he declared, "I am a Special One..." marking the beginning of his managerial legend.
Once, he had changed the landscape of the Premier League.
He was certain he could do it again now.
Mourinho's expression grew increasingly arrogant, a smirk playing on his lips as if he had regained his lost magic.
Then he strode briskly onto the pitch to applaud the fans.
On the sidelines, camera flashes went off wildly as Guardiola and Mourinho walked away back-to-back—one heading into darkness, the other toward the light.
....
Post-match interview area.
Ling adjusted his hairstyle in front of the camera, flashing what he considered his most perfect, media-ready smile.
Sky Sports hosts Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher stood on either side of him, microphones in hand.
"As a Manchester United player, I'm truly delighted to witness today's victory," Neville beamed, unable to hide his bias.
"Ling, what were you thinking during that moment when you dribbled past three players on the wing and chipped the ball into the net?" Neville was the first to ask.
"Well, I was focusing on the defenders' movements and considering how to respond."
"After all, they are all excellent players. If I didn't give it my all, it would be very difficult to break through their defense," Ling pondered for a moment before giving a measured, humble response.
Carragher followed up with his Scouse twang. "As you've played in more and more matches, do you feel you've become more confident?"
"Of course, I can clearly feel it. When I made my first start for Manchester United, hearing the roar of tens of thousands of fans really made my whole body tremble."
"I was afraid to make moves, whether shooting or dribbling... I couldn't help but imagine what would happen if I lost the ball."
"But at some point, I gradually stopped caring about those things and focused entirely on the football in front of me. I even started to enjoy everything it brought."
Ling reminisced about the past.
Although less than a year had passed, it felt much longer to him, perhaps because of his experience before being reborn into this timeline.
...
Twitter exploded as reports about the game flooded the platform, with fans enthusiastically discussing the result.
@UnitedStand: [Ling has become the key player once again! The boy is absolutely unreal!]
@RedDevil99: [What an exciting match! Just like last time, Manchester City lost by just one goal. That final goal was truly unstoppable. Pep must be crying in the dressing room!]
@Tactico: [Ling's growth has been incredibly fast. To think he was on the bench at the start of the season—it's challenging everything I thought I knew about player development.]
@FootballHistorian: [There have actually been many players who rose to fame young—Owen, Ronaldo, Messi, R9, etc. They all began to show dominance on the pitch before turning twenty. Ling is joining that elite bracket.]
@TitleRaceWatch: [Manchester United now leads Manchester City by 6 points. As long as they don't slip up in the last 4 matches, the Premier League title is practically in the bag!]
@JoseMourinhoFan: [Sigh, I've followed Mourinho from Porto to Chelsea, then to Inter, Real Madrid, and now Manchester United. From his black hair to his white hair, I really hope to see him make a triumphant return to the top. Go Manchester United!]
@UCL_Ready: [The Champions League draw is tonight—don't forget to watch, everyone! Who do we want?]
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