“Beep—!”
With a whistle, the match began.
Sheffield United adopted a classic 4-4-2 formation today, focusing on defensive counter-attacks.
Manchester United, on the other hand, played their usual 4-2-3-1, believing that offense is the best defense.
After a week of rest, the players' physical condition had improved.
Manchester United launched a fierce attack from the start.
In the 6th minute of the match, Casemiro held the ball and organized an attack.
The opponent's formation was tight, with both the defensive line and the engagement line positioned very deep.
It wasn't until Manchester United crossed midfield that Sheffield United's forwards began to press forward.
Controlling the ball at his feet, Casemiro searched for an attacking route.
Rice was available on the left, but that wouldn't contribute much to moving the ball forward.
Bruno was positioned very high, and along with Gao Nuo, he put a lot of pressure on the opponent's central defense.
So, only one option remained: the right wing!
Casemiro shielded the ball with his body, keeping the pressing defender at his side.
He waved his hand, signaling Vanderson to push forward.
Antony also understood, moving towards the center.
The three Brazilians began a tacit passing and running sequence.
The ball was passed continuously between them, advancing in a triangular shape.
Sheffield United had put a lot of effort into their defense, and their response was very effective.
Forward Iliman Ndiaye stayed with Casemiro, constantly harassing him.
Left midfielder Saville Goodwin was entangled with Vanderson.
Left back Daley Sinkgraven tightly marked Antony, denying him any chance to cut inside.
Defensive midfielder Sander Berge moved into the triangle, looking for an opportunity to intercept.
The defensive flexibility of the 4-4-2 formation was highlighted.
Although Manchester United's passing looked pleasing to the eye, their threat to the penalty area was diminishing.
After being obstructed, Antony grew impatient, ignoring Casemiro's gesture to switch the play, and forcefully cut inside with the ball.
Because of Bruno and Gao Nuo's contain , Sheffield United's center backs had held their positions.
Now, they faced Antony.
Anel Ahmedhodžić rushed out of the penalty area, joining Sinkgraven and Berge to form a triple-team.
Antony kept flicking the ball back and forth with his feet, but facing the rapid pincer movement, he didn't even have a chance to pass back.
“Ahmedhodžić has won the ball! Sheffield United's zonal defense is excellent; Antony was like a lamb walking into a tiger’s den!”
“Haha, yes, Manchester United's idea was good, but the wing couldn't penetrate. Switching to the weak side would have been the best option.”
“It's just the start of the match, the players are quite excited. Antony's choice is understandable; it's also a test of the opponent.”
“Oh, let's take a look at Sheffield United's counter-attack!”
Zhan Jun and Duan Xuan's seamless commentary left the audience in the TikTok live stream very satisfied.
After winning the ball, Ahmedhodžić launched a long ball towards the front.
Yann Karamoh, who transferred from Turin, was very fast. Taking advantage of Manchester United's aggressive push forward, he had positioned himself alone in the center circle, waiting for an opportunity.
The long pass wasn't perfectly accurate, but it had plenty of power, and the ball flew quickly over the center circle.
Nübel rushed out of his goal, fulfilling his duty as a sweeper-keeper.
Pau Torres, chasing back, saw the goalkeeper come out and involuntarily slowed his pace, turning to observe the opponent's position.
He didn't know until he looked, and when he looked, he was startled.
“Oh no, we're in trouble now!”
Yann Karamoh whizzed past him like lightning. Pau Torres felt his scalp tingle and began to chase with all his might.
Already 5 meters behind the opponent, all the pressure was on Nübel.
De Gea looked a bit nervous on the sidelines.
He had already decided his future: he would leave on a free transfer at the end of the season and return to La Liga in his home country.
Malaga had offered him a two-year contract with a weekly salary of 100,000 euros.
In his final days at Manchester United, De Gea considered Nübel his successor.
He unreservedly shared his experience, helping him become more and more stable on the field.
Nübel did not betray his predecessor's trust.
Facing a dangerous ball, he sprinted with all his might, getting to the ball before Yann Karamoh and knocking it out of bounds.
“Wake up! This is a final!”
Shouting loudly at Pau Torres, Nübel quickly returned to his goal.
De Gea's tightly clenched fist relaxed, his eyes showing relief, envy, and a hint of loneliness.
Youth is truly wonderful. If it were him, he might not have been able to make that play.
A smile suddenly appeared on De Gea's face. Watching Nübel direct the defense, he felt relieved.
It was time to say goodbye to the past and embrace new challenges.
In the 9th minute of the match, Sheffield United earned a corner kick.
Sinkgraven observed his teammates' positions and sent a high ball to the near post.
Anel Ahmedhodžić, the Bosnian-Herzegovinian center back, joined Sheffield United after impressing in the Swedish League.
In three years, having experienced both promotion and relegation with the team, Ahmedhodžić had become a cornerstone of the squad.
Pulling up his captain's armband, Ahmedhodžić sharply shook off Pau Torres and charged towards the goal.
The half-body length he gained from his sudden burst left only the smaller Malacia in front of him.
Meeting the incoming ball, calculating the timing of his jump in his mind, Ahmedhodžić leaped high while sprinting.
Malacia only felt a dark shadow block the sunlight, followed by his body being jostled, making it impossible for him to jump.
“Boom—!”
A powerful header left Nübel no time to react.
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Goal!
“Oh wow! That header had immense power! Even though the angle was straight, the goalkeeper couldn't react!”
“Heh heh, exactly. The replay shows it was another defensive issue from Pau Torres. Manchester United are a goal down!”
“There are no weak teams in the Premier League! Sheffield United will return to the Premier League next season. If the team can maintain this performance, staying up should not be a problem.”
“Indeed, even a powerhouse like Chelsea can find themselves in the middle of the League if they're not careful. Such a competitive Premier League is truly something to aspire to.”
“Yes, now one goal down, Manchester United need to pick themselves up and turn the situation around quickly.”
Zhan Jun and Duan Xuan's tones were relaxed.
In the first ten minutes, Manchester United had a clear advantage. Conceding from a set-piece didn't mean the game was out of control.
The audience, however, didn't see it that way. At 10:30 PM, it was the perfect time for night owls to get excited.
Their hands moved non-stop, keyboards clattering. (PS: Just like me, typing away!)
“Two consecutive mistakes. If I were Nübel, I'd curse Torres back to the locker room.”
“Did you see De Gea on the sidelines? I really miss our De Dad.”
“What's the use of missing him? De Gea is back in La Liga enjoying the final years of his career; that's good.”
“Torres and Varane cannot coexist! Erik ten Hag (Baldy) just won't see the coffin until he sheds tears.”
“If they keep playing like this, Real Madrid will win the Champions League again!”
“Speaking of which, who has Manchester United bought for their defense these past two years? No one who can really perform.”
“As long as the front is beautiful, that's enough. I'm waiting for Gao Nuo to turn the tide.”