Football Dynasty-Chapter 544: Manchester United’s Most Powerful Response

Whether you asked Manchester City fans or Manchester United supporters, no one could have predicted such a shocking start. After just 31st minutes, Manchester City were leading Manchester United 2–0 at Old Trafford!

Ronaldinho jogged toward the East Stand, where a sea of ecstatic City fans leapt to their feet, arms raised, cheering wildly.

The joy was almost indescribable.

"Two goals! Two goals—we’re two up against Manchester United!" they roared.

City’s players rushed toward him. Ronaldinho pointed at Zidane, and the two embraced, while Pires pumped his fists toward the stands, a clear declaration of City’s dominance.

"Andy, are we dreaming?" Martin Tyler exclaimed. "The current leader of Premier League table, two goals down at home inside half an hour! Is this really Manchester United, or have the players swapped shirts?"

Andy Gray was equally stunned, his eyes drifting instinctively toward United’s technical area.

"Ha! Ferguson can’t sit still," he added. "Look at his face—it’s not a pretty sight."

He was already on his feet when the second goal went in, pointed sharply toward the pitch, barking orders. More than sixty thousand Manchester United supporters had been stunned into silence. To quiet Old Trafford like this was an achievement in itself.

As the celebrations subsided, Richard also glanced toward Ferguson, who stood rigid on the touchline, his expression grim and unmistakably dissatisfied. He quickly looked away, keeping a composed exterior, though inwardly he couldn’t suppress a smirk.

Compared to Manchester United, City felt like a grain of sand in the ocean. But underestimate them, and the price would be paid. He then from the VIP box watched Mourinho and his coaching staff celebrate, savoring the moment.

In truth, the moment his instincts screamed about City’s second goal, Ferguson’s face remained stern as his eyes flicked toward the City bench. He had never underestimated City. He had been tracking players like Ronaldinho, Zidane, or their spear Trezeguet closely this season. If United had not already possessed Keane and Scholes and with Solskjær and Jordi Cruyff still on the bench, he might well have explored the possibility of bringing one of them to Old Trafford.

Last season, City’s man attacking unit had been devastating, with Zidane serving as the vital link in the middle. He had instructed Keane to shadow the Frenchman closely, never anticipating that City would unveil a new attacking dimension tonight.

An unexpected outlet: the wings.

Pires launched an attack down the right, surging forward and combining smoothly with Zambrotta, completely dismantling Gary Neville. Although Zidane delivered the final pass, without the fullback’s advance drawing Keane away, the assist would never have materialized.

City’s attack was no longer confined to midfield brilliance alone—it now incorporated aggressive fullback play, making their tactics far more varied and unpredictable. They were indeed crafty. Behind that calm, unassuming smile lay a dagger aimed straight at the opponent’s heart.

Tactically, the match had become a contest of offense versus defense, perfectly balanced. The deeper a killing move was hidden, the greater its chance of success. Relying solely on their forwards to break through United’s defense was unrealistic—especially with a midfielder like Keane working relentlessly to limit Zidane’s influence. Knowing this would be a recurring problem against future opponents, Mourinho had emphasized fullback advancement throughout the summer.

The role of fullbacks was only growing in importance. With forwards and midfielders tightly marked, space naturally opened up wide. Fullbacks, given time and room, would increasingly become the key creators.

Ferguson began pacing the touchline, his players visibly seething.

When United restarted play, he quickly noticed something unsettling. Every time City regained possession, their attacks shifted decisively to one flank or the other, deliberately targeting the areas defended by Gary Neville and Denis Irwin.

At first, City concentrated their pressure on the left, testing Irwin—whose age and workload were beginning to show. United responded by sliding Stam across to provide cover. But the moment they adjusted and tightened, City suddenly switched play to targeting Neville.

The final surge came down to the first and second goals

United had expected City to focusing on Irwin at the start, but as soon as Stam committed to helping on that side, City changed their plan, exploiting Gary Neville overwhelmed him.

It was no coincidence.

City were stretching the pitch, forcing United’s fullbacks to constantly reposition—and sooner or later, something was going to give.

From the VIP box, Richard watched as Pires drifted inward, effortlessly shaking off Irwin before unleashing a long-range shot. It sailed wide, but Richard nodded.

Hit where it hurts.

Irwin was thirty-five years old. His body couldn’t keep up anymore. His turns were slower, his footwork heavier, and even his judgment occasionally faltered. All of this had been anticipated in City’s pre-match planning. The weakest point in United’s defense was clear: the pairing of an aging Denis Irwin and Gary Neville in the both flanks.

With City two goals ahead, United struggled to respond immediately. Instead, City’s momentum only grew, repeatedly exploiting space down the left.

Zambrotta surged forward, Zidane drifted into the channel, and Pires joined them. The trio exchanged sharp one-touch passes in tight spaces. After cutting inside twice, Pires began drawing Neville closer. On the third reception, Neville blocked the inside route—but Pires calmly slid the ball down the line just before it could roll out.

Zambrotta, already sprinting, took one touch and exploded toward the byline.

He whipped a cross into the box.

Trezeguet rose above Stam once again, but the angle was too tight, and his header drifted wide.

The instant the ball left his foot, Zambrotta turned and sprinted back, resuming his defensive duties without hesitation.

Watching the right flank dictate the game, Richard nodded.

This is the future of football.

Fullbacks must surge endlessly between attack and defense. This was Zambrotta’s greatest strength—and under City’s new training regime, it had become even more pronounced. Master this role, and a player wouldn’t just compensate for inexperience—he’d forge a reputation.

Football wasn’t just about elegant technique. Everyone had to do the dirty work.

Ferguson studied City’s patterns for nearly ten minutes before grasping their intent. During a stoppage, he barked fresh instructions.

Opportunity always came with risk.

Beckham couldn’t simply drop deep to defend, nor could Ferguson expect an instant transformation. The responsibility shifted to the midfield.

Seeing that Makélélé rarely ventured forward, Ferguson instructed Scholes to stay tight on Zidane, while Keane moved across to reinforce the right. Just as Zambrotta prepared to overlap again with Pires, he took a heavy touch—and Keane struck. The interception was clean, and the ball was immediately fed to Beckham.

"Stop daydreaming! Get up there!" Keane roared.

Still shaken by the scoreline, Beckham felt caught in between—pushing forward exposed space behind him, retreating meant he couldn’t match City’s pace or positioning.

But with the ball at his feet, he noticed something crucial.

Space.

With Zambrotta caught high up the pitch, there was no fullback guarding the flank.

Urged on by Keane, Beckham surged forward. He wasn’t as quick as Giggs, but with open grass ahead, he didn’t need to be.

Makélélé reacted instantly, spotting Zidane tracking Keane and rushing over to shut Beckham down. Beckham recognized the danger and immediately making a passing early.

Smart move.

But to whom?

Keane was tightly marked. A hopeful ball into the box would go nowhere. Then he saw it. An arm rose in the center.

Beckham did not hesitate. He slid a low pass inside, making Giggs who saw it burst onto it, driving straight toward the penalty area.

Giggs on the ball. Cole and Yorke attacking the box.

City were suddenly outnumbered—only Thuram and Cannavaro stood between United and goal.

United had their chance.

A counterattack: three against two!

Richard saw it instantly. This time, City had been completely caught out.

A fullback’s attacking contribution is a double-edged sword: when executed well, it can control a match, but when misjudged, it can backfire catastrophically. As Zambrotta pushed beyond the halfway line, he lost possession, and City’s promising attack collapsed in an instant.

In the very next heartbeat, Manchester United surged forward on the counterattack. 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Giggs drove the ball toward the edge of the penalty area, with space and time to scan the field. He first engaged Thuram on the wing, the two briefly locking into a duel that neutralized both of them movement. But in the center of the box, the real danger was forming.

United had a three-on-two advantage.

Andy Cole, largely anonymous during the opening thirty minutes, suddenly sprang to life. He curved his run to the right, shaping his body as though he were expecting a through ball from Giggs. Cannavaro followed instinctively—then, mid-step, a chilling realization struck him.

Who was marking Yorke?

He was at the center!

In football, even the smallest hesitation can be fatal. Cannavaro had only one moment to decide. If Yorke advanced any further, it would become a clear tap in opportunity, even if the angle was tight. Yet abandoning Cole would be just as dangerous, as it mean one-on-one opportunity for him to face Paul Robinson.

With no perfect solution, Cannavaro held his position.

United sensed the hesitation immediately. The moment Cannavaro paused, Giggs slowed as well, squaring his shoulders and shaping for a disguised pass.

How could Cannavaro not recognize the trap?

The instant Giggs prepared to release the ball, Cannavaro lunged. The sudden movement unsettled Giggs, forcing him into a hurried backward pass. Ashley Cole intercepted it and attempted to clear, but his contact was poor!

The ball struck his foot awkwardly, the clearance far from clean, and something unexpected happened then.

Paul Scholes.

"Hell with it!" Richard cursed as he already stood up.

Indeed, it fell to Paul Scholes.

Even Richard, watching from the VIP box, failed to notice that one of United’s most disciplined midfielders—usually reluctant to push forward—had quietly positioned himself just outside City’s penalty area.

Scholes cushioned the ball with effortless calm, lifting his head as he turned to face goal. Thuram remained tied up with Andy Cole, while Cannavaro had already lost his defensive position, leaving Scholes with a tempting corridor to advance.

But Scholes did not rush.

He took a single step forward, subtly adjusting his body as the ball dropped across him. Instead of letting it bounce again, he opened his stance and met it on the half-volley, striking through the ball with the outside of his boot.

BANG!

The shot skidding low and vicious toward goal.

"OH, WHAT A HIT!"

The ball tore through the air before Paul Robinson could react, a snap decision turned into a moment of violence.

The stadium inhaled as one.

"What a beautiful strike! Manchester United pull one back! Paul Scholes’s calm finish fully rewards his teammates’ efforts. The primary credit goes to Ryan Giggs, whose forward run tore open the City defence and created the chance, finished brilliantly by Scholes’s volley! Can Manchester United turn this around? At the very least, Manchester City should be feeling nervous now."

"Martin, should City reconsider allowing Zambrotta to venture forward? If he hadn’t pushed up, Manchester United wouldn’t have had this counterattacking opportunity. It’s clear that if he makes a mistake or fails to recover in time, United gain a significant advantage on the break. The vertical space in City’s defence becomes far too large—an absolutely deadly flaw against a team like Manchester United, who excel at wing attacks."

"I’m not sure. José Mourinho’s team has surprised us before—who knows what City will do next? All we can do is enjoy the match. I believe the next fifty minutes will be even more exciting."

After scoring, Scholes did not celebrate. He ran straight into the goal, gathered the ball against his chest, and sprinted back toward his own half. The other Manchester United players did the same; there was no intention of celebrating yet.

They had only pulled one goal back—still a long way from any celebration.

Ferguson looked slightly relieved on the touchline, while Mourinho, already deep in discussion with Baltimor Brito, remained calm and composed.

It was indeed Zambrotta’s error that led to the goal, but such moments are unavoidable. No tactical evolution comes without sacrifices. That was precisely why Mourinho remained cautious when restructuring the team. He never made drastic changes; explaining tactics alone is never enough for players to execute them flawlessly.

Experience is required to know when to push forward, just as it is crucial for teammates to adjust their defensive positioning when fullbacks venture upfield.

In fact, it might have been smarter for Manchester City to shift their attacking focus to the left, targeting Irwin instead of Neville after United strengthened their defence this season. Even if the effect was not immediate, repeatedly forcing Irwin to shuttle vertically could have drained his energy and eventually created openings through the center.

However, the cautious Mourinho chose to concentrate his attack on the right. Pires’s cutting ability was stronger than Ronaldinho’s, who preferred to slow play and dribble inside from the left. Pires also possessed a greater ability to create space inside the box. As a result, his partnership with Zambrotta posed a greater threat. Attempting to replicate those patterns on the opposite flank would not necessarily yield the same results. Players simply feel different levels of comfort in different areas.

Moreover, issuing tactical instructions for both wings to push forward simultaneously could easily cause confusion in the early stages of an attack. Tactical adjustments require time, adaptation, and cohesion.

Old Trafford erupted in applause, urging the Red Devils to keep up the pressure.

Zambrotta felt momentarily dejected, but then he heard a shout.

"GIAN! GIAN! NO WORRIES—GO FOR IT!"

Hearing that, he lifted his head and regained his confidence. He considered himself mentally tough; there was no point dwelling on mistakes. The manager had told them repeatedly in training to be bold in their offensive runs and not to fear errors.

After all, failure is the mother of success. For a young player, a mistake was no big deal.

Following the goal conceded, Zambrotta settled deeper at right-back, focusing more on his defensive responsibilities and keeping a close watch on Giggs. With the attacking approach on that side having failed earlier, he adopted a more aggressive style—playing fiercely, using his physicality, and committing fully to challenges. He believed that firm collisions would leave the young Giggs little room to respond.

From the opening minutes, the pace of the match was frenetic. It wasn’t only because Manchester City increased the tempo of their attacks, but also because they committed fully to defending, forcing United’s players to release the ball quickly or risk being caught in double-team traps.

With the threat down the right neutralized, the battle shifted to midfield, where Keane and Zidane clashed repeatedly, locking horns in a relentless duel.

Keane collided with him, sending Zidane to the ground. Zidane got up, fell again, rose once more—then Keane stumbled himself, only to spring back to his feet immediately. The cycle repeated again and again.

Keane never truly won the ball from Zidane, but his relentless, irritating pursuit wore him down, gnawing at his patience until Zidane finally snapped, turning around to rebuke him. Seeing that reaction, Keane knew he had succeeded.

When Zidane next received the ball, Keane deliberately lunged in and knocked him to the ground. Without hesitation, Keane stood up and walked away, leaving a furious Zidane behind him.

"HEY!"

Keane’s jersey was already filthy, more like something worn in a wrestling match on a muddy field than a football shirt, but referee Durkin merely shook his head and waved play on.

Keane glanced briefly at the result board and let out a snort.

He was a butcher on the pitch—hard, uncompromising—but also tough as nails. If he flattened an opponent who then rolled around pretending to be hurt, Keane would simply spit and curse under his breath, too indifferent even to look at them. If someone tried to be clever with him, he would barrel straight into their legs and shout proudly, "I’m gonna fucking take you out!"

Yet even Keane was surprised by Zidane. An opponent who fell silently, rose without complaint, and continued fighting—again and again. Despite himself, Keane felt a flicker of admiration.

’Damn it... finally, a real man.’

Respect or not, the intensity between them only grew.

It had become a battle of wills. Who would break first?

With both wings playing conservatively, the midfield turned into a war zone. Keane and Zidane became entangled repeatedly, while Pires was forced to drop deeper to regain control of the ball—without much success. As the first half neared its end, Manchester United began pressing higher, more comfortable with the pitch and increasingly coordinated, circulating the ball with sharp, efficient passing.

Keane switched play to Giggs, who drifted inward instead of charging down the left flank. It was clear why: Giggs was currently at a disadvantage against Zambrotta, who had tightened his defensive focus. Despite Giggs’s pace, Zambrotta used his body intelligently to block space. Even if the ball slipped past him, his physical presence remained a barrier.

So Giggs drove toward the center and, from roughly thirty-five yards out, slipped a pass to the also-wandering Beckham. The two members of the Class of ’92 combined beautifully—Beckham, without hesitation, lifted a delicate lob toward City’s penalty area.

But who was the ball meant for?

Yorke rose to head it clear, but Thuram leaned into him, blocking his jump and tugging at his shirt making Yorke leapt powerfully but couldn’t reach full height. The ball skimmed just ten centimeters above his head and drifted diagonally backward instead.

No one noticed that Giggs had already sprinted into the box at astonishing speed. Ashley Cole who alredy wandeing in the center saw it and rushed in from the side just as Giggs brought the ball down on his chest. Before the ball even touched the ground, Giggs was sent crashing to the turf inside the penalty area, while Cannavaro, sliding alongside him, hacked the ball clear.

PHWEEEE~

however Suddenly, referee Paul Durkin blew his whistle and pointed straight to the penalty spot.

Ashley Cole froze in disbelief, clutching his head as he pleaded his innocence to the referee.

"Penalty! Durkin has awarded a penalty, giving Manchester United a chance to equalize in stoppage time! The replay clearly shows Thuram colliding with Giggs from the side—this decision is indisputable."

On the touchline, Mourinho stormed toward the fourth official, furious.

"Hey! Keane has been knocking my players down in midfield all game and the referee hasn’t blown the whistle once. Fine—I won’t complain about that. But why was my defender penalized while challenging for the ball? They didn’t even jump—Keane was clearly pulling Zidane’s shirt! That should have been a foul in the first place and a free kick for us, not a penalty for United!"

One hand on his hip, Mourinho waved the other angrily, but the fourth official remained expressionless, clearly uninterested in engaging.

Manchester City’s players also surrounded Durkin, insisting that Ashley Cole had committed a foul. Durkin shook his head, ignored the protests, and gestured firmly for the players to move away.

Cannavaro stepped in to calm his teammates before approaching the referee for a measured discussion. Durkin listened briefly—then shook his head again and produced a yellow card for Southgate.

Seeing this, Mourinho finally snapped at the fourth official.

"Is this what you call fairness? You won’t even listen to reason!"

"Mr. Mourinho, mind your language," the fourth official replied coldly. "Everything will be included in the match report."

"Good. Write it down word for word," Mourinho shot back. "I’ll be writing mine too. You’ve just gifted Manchester United a penalty."

He sneered before turning away, already noticing Durkin heading toward him.

Durkin issued Mourinho a formal warning. Mourinho stood still, face rigid, as laughter rained down from the Manchester United supporters.

In the stands, Manchester City fans voiced their fury at referee Durkin, booing loudly and pressing their lips together in disbelief.

Andy Cole calmly stepped up to the spot and converted the penalty with ease.

Moments later, the referee blew the whistle for halftime.

"Forty-five minutes played—and Manchester United have dragged the match back to level terms!"