Ling wiped his face vigorously, slicking his wet black hair back.
This was Man United's prime attacking opportunity, as Man City's midfielders, David Silva and Fernandinho, being older, struggled to maintain their physical form in the final stages.
Conventionally, Guardiola should have substituted David Silva with De Bruyne by now.
But perhaps due to concerns over De Bruyne's back fitness, he hesitated.
Ling gestured toward the Man City goal, signaling an all-out attack.
Mendy's throw-in reached David Silva, who unexpectedly slipped on the wet grass, inadvertently flicking the ball to Herrera.
The Spaniard gladly accepted the gift from his compatriot, delivering a precise through pass to Mahrez.
Laporte tried to repeat his earlier tactic, stepping up to attempt to trap Ling offside. But no one expected Ling to stay completely still, anchoring the defenders.
Moreover, Mahrez was clever—he chose to take on the challenge himself, rapidly shifting his shoulders and controlling the ball smoothly.
Mendy closed in to apply pressure.
But the moment Mendy shifted his weight, Mahrez nudged the ball with his left foot and accelerated past him!
Peter Drury: "Mahrez slips through untouched! Brilliant dribbling! Worthy to be called Algerian King!"
Jim Beglin: "There are no supporting runners in the center! Ling drew Laporte and Fernandinho away with his positioning, leaving only Stones in front of Mahrez! He has plenty of space to shoot!"
Mahrez cut inside to the top of the penalty area, quickly adjusted his posture, and swung his left foot with full force before Stones could stretch out a leg to intercept!
Bang!
The wet ball spun fiercely straight towards the top left corner of the goal!
Everyone in the Etihad Stadium held their breath, eyes fixed unblinkingly on the trajectory.
Clang~
A crisp sound rang out, and Manchester City fans breathed a massive collective sigh of relief—their goalpost had saved them once again.
Peter Drury: "OFF THE POST! Oh, what a pity! Manchester United inches away from taking the lead late on!"
Jim Beglin: "The wet pitch and slippery ball due to the rain make it easy to misjudge the power. If only Mahrez hadn't been so focused on aiming for the absolute top corner."
Ling ran over and patted Mahrez, who was clutching his head in dismay.
"Don't dwell on it, Riyad. There will be more opportunities."
The closer the game drew to its end, the more crucial it was to stay composed.
Otherwise, they risked conceding a counter-attacking goal instead of scoring one, potentially throwing away even the single point they had secured. As captain, Ling had to set an example.
Guardiola and Mourinho stood side by side on the touchline, their black jackets soaked by the freezing rain, their gazes locked intently on the pitch.
Neither dared make a substitution lightly—fresh, cold players coming onto a wet field were highly prone to mistakes.
No sooner had Manchester United's attacking phase ended than Manchester City launched a ferocious counterattack.
Kyle Walker surged down the right flank like a bulldozer. He shook off Pogba and Luke Shaw!
Sweeping a low, hard cross into the penalty area from the right, the wet ball skidded near Maguire and Agüero, both of whom lunged desperately toward it! In the end, Agüero's speed prevailed as he stretched out a foot to poke it forward.
Thud! Thud! Two dull sounds echoed as the ball struck De Gea squarely in the face and bounced back into the box! Chaos erupted in Manchester United's penalty area.
Eric Bailly, spotting the ball nearby, dared not turn to clear it, nor could he risk a back-pass with his foot that might result in an indirect free-kick.
So, calmly, he made the smartest choice: dropping to his knees and nudging the ball toward De Gea's hands with his knee!
"David! Throw it! Launch it with everything you've got!!!" Ling spun around without hesitation and sprinted forward, his voice hoarse but roaring across the field.
Hearing this, all twenty outfield players burst into a simultaneous dash toward Manchester City's half.
De Gea took a deep breath, leaned back to extend his body, and swung his arm in a full, powerful arc, gathering all his strength.
In an explosive motion, he hurled the ball forward with immense force!
The ball spiraled beautifully through the pouring rain, soaring over the midfield.
As the camera panned rapidly down the pitch, a lone red figure came into view—Ling!
Fernandinho closed in from the side, trying to intercept the flight of the ball. Ling showed no intention of slowing down.
Lifting his right foot at full sprint, he deftly cushioned the wet ball out of the air, then thrust it forward with a powerful poke!
He sped away like a fleeting bolt of lightning, leaving a stunned, aging Fernandinho completely in his wake.
Stones, who had rushed across to cover, was never known for his absolute pace or physicality. He could only attempt a desperate, anticipatory sliding tackle on the wet grass.
But Ling simply hurdled the challenge, employing his explosive acceleration once again.
In the away end, 2,900 Manchester United fans roared into their anthem.
"And the Reds go marching on! Glory, Glory, Man United! Go! Go! Go!"
The stirring melody rose with the wind, echoing over the Etihad!
Manchester United's number 7 cut through the curtain of rain, shattering heavy droplets as he ran, a faint stinging sensation prickling his face from the cold.
The next instant, his studs dug deep into the muddy turf, transforming his immense leg strength into pure forward momentum!
His heart hammered like a war drum, as if electric currents raced through his entire body.
He had only one feeling right now—that he was running fucking fast, as if he had left his own heartbeat behind!
He was running freely across the stage at the center of the world!
Peter Drury: "LING! LING! LING BREAKS AWAY!"
Jim Beglin: "What kind of speed is this?! It's terrifying!"
Peter Drury: "Like thunder erupting from the ground, shaking mountains and rivers! He shatters the Blue Moon's defense with pure, unadulterated pace! He has brute-forced his way past two Man City defenders!"
On the touchline, Guardiola clutched his bald head in horror.
Mourinho tugged frantically at his soaking wet tie.
All the players were left in Ling's dust—except for one.
Kyle Walker!
The fastest defender in the league was still chasing relentlessly, closing the distance bit by bit. Ling's explosive acceleration was terrifying, but he would inevitably slow down while dribbling the ball in the latter stages.
Walker believed he could catch up and make the heroic tackle.
But in reality, Walker had pushed deep into attack during City's previous move, while Ling had stayed high.
The initial gap between them was simply too large—even a prime Kaká wouldn't have been able to close it in time.
As Ling drew closer and closer to the goal, the hearts of everyone in the stadium tightened with unbearable tension!
Ederson's lips trembled, unsure whether it was from the freezing rain or sheer nerves.
The goalkeeper struggled to keep his emotions in check, trying to anticipate Ling's intentions. But the very next moment, he was thrown into total confusion.
In his field of vision, Ling's upper body swayed violently, his feet shifting incessantly over the ball like a wildly swinging pendulum!
A strange, terrified thought even crossed Ederson's mind: 'With his knees and ligaments enduring the full force of acceleration, sudden stops, and sharp turns in such a short time... won't his ligaments snap?!'
Unable to decipher Ling's true intent from the Pendulum feint, Ederson gritted his teeth and flung his entire body sideways, maximizing his defensive reach, hoping to guess right.
Under the gaze of countless hopeful eyes, Ling smoothly shifted his rhythm.
He nudged the ball outward with his right foot, entirely bypassing the diving keeper, while pushing off with his left to burst forward into the open space!
The gentle, precise touch on the wet ball was almost too beautiful to be real.
Then, with an effortless push into the empty net, Ling sprinted toward the corner flag and slid on his knees through the mud in a euphoric celebration!
Peter Drury: "HE ROUNDS THE KEEPER! HE ROLLS IT HOME! IT IS A GOAL OF BREATHTAKING BRILLIANCE AND DEVASTATING SPEED! JEREMY LING HAS BROKEN MANCHESTER CITY'S HEART IN THE POURING RAIN!"
The pouring rain drowned out the stunned silence of the Etihad.
A few strands of black hair, dampened by the rain, fell across his forehead as Ling flashed a bright, sunny smile, punching forcefully through the falling raindrops. He had conquered the Etihad!
Then, he was buried under a massive pile of his delirious Man United teammates.
"Jeremy, you're a beast!"
"So damn satisfying!"
"Hahaha, the Man City players are stunned!"
The Man United players were too ecstatic to contain themselves, praises flowing effortlessly from their lips.
The away fans in the stands also rose to their feet, rushing to the railings to revel in the torrential rain.
The icy downpour couldn't extinguish the fire burning in their hearts.
What is the ultimate explosive point of a footballer? It's the ability to step up at crucial moments and save the team with individual brilliance!
Man United's never-say-die spirit was perfectly embodied—from Bailly's desperate, smart knee-pass, to De Gea's massive long throw, to Ling's marauding, unstoppable run.
"Man United! Man United! Man United!"
"No team can defeat us!"
The roar of fewer than three thousand fans pierced through the rain, echoing in every corner of the Etihad! Manchester itself erupted in celebration.
Man United fans who couldn't get tickets celebrated hysterically—at home, in pubs, at universities.
This was a carnival exclusive to the red half of Manchester!
On the touchline, Mourinho forcefully ripped off his soaking tie, tossed it aside into the mud without a second thought, and dashed into the pouring rain, waving his arms wildly.
At this moment, the 55-year-old manager was like a child, unleashing his passion in the cold rainy night!
There was no more thrilling way to secure a victory.
Under the gaze of countless cameras, the "Special One" turned toward the home stands and struck his iconic pose: his right index finger pointed firmly to the sky.
I am Number One!
The Man United bench was nearly hysterical, substitutes and coaches embracing each other tightly.
Beside them, Guardiola, drenched by the rain and wearing an expression of pure disbelief, looked utterly desolate and disheveled.
There was a time when he, too, wielded unparalleled weapons—like Lionel Messi—capable of creating miracles in matches.
Now, as the victim, he finally understood just how agonizing it felt to be on the receiving end.
From the Champions League, to La Liga, and then to the Premier League, he had battled Mourinho his entire career, never imagining a scene quite like today.
Guardiola wiped the rain from his face with his sodden sleeve and roared furiously toward the Man City bench.
"Kevin! Ilkay! Warm up and get ready to come on!"
He had never been a rational man when it came to losing, and he couldn't accept losing the derby like this. In the final few minutes, he was determined to launch an all-out assault, no matter the cost.
Urged by the referee, the Man United players finally ended their celebrations.
Before the match resumed, Mourinho held up three fingers to the players on the pitch.
The message was clear—I want all three points. Do not concede!
Guardiola substituted David Silva with Kevin De Bruyne and Agüero with İlkay Gündoğan.
He then stood by the touchline, drenched in the heavy rain, his gaze fixed resolutely on the Man United goal.
A manager's emotions can often inspire the players, and he intended to convey with this defiant stance: I haven't given up, and neither can you!
After the kickoff, Man City launched a storm of attacks, mirroring the weather at that very moment.
With the rain disrupting their usual intricate possession-based play, Man City opted for a simpler approach, pressing United high up the pitch and taking long-range shots whenever opportunities arose outside the box.
Peter Drury: "Long shots are the best choice in this torrential rain, the ball is like a bar of soap for De Gea!"
Jim Beglin: "Man City's attacks are gradually building. But look at Mourinho—he's subbing on McTominay for Pogba. Precise timing to shore up the midfield."
"We're seeing a clash on the pitch now," Drury noted. "It seems Pogba was too slow leaving the field, irritating the Man City players, leading to a shoving match between both sides!"
Anthony Taylor struggled to keep the players calm, urging Pogba to hurry off the pitch or risk a yellow card for time-wasting.
Only then did Pogba finally quicken his pace, smirking.
De Bruyne glanced at the scoreboard on the sideline—only one minute remained in regular time, with a maximum of six minutes of stoppage time.
They had seven minutes to equalize!
However, Man United didn't just park the bus in their own penalty area. Instead, they engaged in fierce, physical midfield battles, stifling Man City's attacks before they could even reach dangerous shooting range.
In just a few short minutes, McTominay cynically tugged at De Bruyne's shirt to stop a counter, and Lingard aggressively fouled Kyle Walker.
Both United players received yellow cards in quick succession, but the tactical fouls successfully broke City's rhythm.
Frustrated, the Man City players began committing rougher challenges out of desperation.
But the Man United players suddenly transformed into delicate figures, going to ground without hesitation whenever touched, skillfully and legally wasting time within the rules.
The angry Man City players had to haul them up from the mud, then grit their teeth and resume their assault.
Just as City were finding their rhythm again, Mourinho made another substitution to kill more time, bringing on center-back Eric Bailly for Riyad Mahrez.
Manchester United's midfield and defense were instantly packed with massive bodies.
In the final moments of stoppage time, Manchester City won a desperate free kick on the right side.
All players crowded into the penalty area, including goalkeeper Ederson!
De Bruyne took a deep breath, wiped the rain from his eyes, and launched the ball toward the penalty spot!
Stones leaped powerfully!
But then he realized someone had jumped even higher than him.
Manchester United's number 7 collided with Stones mid-air, yet managed to maintain his incredible balance and head the ball clear!
The ball was cleared out of the penalty area, with Lingard booting it high into the rainy Manchester night.
Beep-beep-BEEEEEP!
Anthony Taylor finally blew the final whistle.
Everyone on the pitch seemed to lose all strength, collapsing exhaustedly onto the cold, muddy turf.
Though the emotions on both sides of the divide were completely different.
Manchester is Red!
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