Chapter 410: Planting Seeds that Don't Bloom
The linesman stepped back, signaling to Bruno that he could take the corner kick. Bruno ran up and sent the ball towards the goal.
Initially, Bruno intended to charge into the box, leap high, and head the ball. But seeing that the trajectory and landing spot of the ball weren't ideal, he decided to backtrack instead.
Sure enough, the ball wasn't met by any United player. Instead, Lovren headed it clear. Bruno watched the ball fly over his head and saw Lallana receive it. He knew this was trouble.
Having just taken a corner, United's defense was left exposed. The center-backs had pushed up, leaving barely anyone at the back—an ideal situation for Liverpool's counterattack, something they excelled at.
While Bruno's shot had just ignited cheers at Old Trafford, Liverpool's players were eager for their turn to shine. Lallana turned with the ball and drove forward.
Bruno knew their defense was vulnerable and that Liverpool was taking advantage. Running back, he shouted for Kante, "N'Golo!"
Kante knew exactly what to do without further instruction. As Bruno called out, Kante was already charging towards Lallana.
...
"This is Liverpool's fast counterattack! Their specialty!" Commentators shouted excitedly.
Liverpool fans both in the stadium and watching on TV shared the commentators' enthusiasm, while United fans began to make noise in concern.
Kante sprinted towards Lallana and went for a sliding tackle. He knew the defense was wide open and decided it was better to commit a foul now rather than let Lallana break through. At worst, he'd get a yellow card, which was preferable to conceding a goal.
However, Lallana anticipated this move. He nudged the ball forward and leapt over Kante's tackle.
"Oh! Beautiful!"
...
From the moment he sensed trouble, Bruno had been sprinting back. Seeing Kante's failed tackle, he increased his speed.
Suddenly, a figure with the number 19 jersey flew past him: Sadio Mané.
The difference in their speeds quickly became apparent. Despite Bruno's best efforts, Mané's pace without the ball was exceptional. Bruno could only watch as the gap between them widened.
After getting past Kante, Lallana saw United's defense shifting towards him. He looked up and spotted Henderson unmarked on the far side.
Lallana delivered a long diagonal pass. The ball's flight time gave United's defenders a chance to cover, but it also gave Liverpool a moment to set up.
...
Bruno noticed the pass to Henderson but kept chasing Mané, who was now about five meters ahead. He didn't give up.
As the ball descended, Henderson faced it with Herrera closing in from behind. Instead of trapping it, Henderson executed a perfect one-touch pass into the path of the onrushing Mané.
Bruno knew Henderson's plan but couldn't warn his teammates in time. Everything happened too quickly.
Mané received the pass, breaking through United's defense and charging into the penalty area, facing De Gea one-on-one.
Bruno still didn't give up. He knew Mané would slow down to control the ball, offering a brief window to catch up.
Mané lifted his right leg to shoot, but Bruno slid in from behind.
Mané struck the ball just before Bruno's tackle sent him tumbling. De Gea dived but couldn't reach the ball as it brushed his fingertips and flew into the net.
Goal!
...
Bruno's tackle brought Mané down, with the Senegalese player landing on top of him. Unable to see, Bruno listened to the crowd's reaction. No overwhelming cheer, but there was some celebration—he knew Liverpool had scored.
The modest cheers came from the few Liverpool fans, while the majority of United fans fell silent, watching the ball hit the net.
Bruno slammed the ground in frustration. Damn! That idiot scored!
"GOOOOOOOOOOOALLLLLL!!!!!!"
"Twenty-sixth minute, Liverpool leads! A classic Klopp counterattack! So fast!"
"Oh, Sadio Mané! That's his ninth Premier League goal this season! He's on fire!"
Mané, ignoring Bruno's dangerous tackle, jumped up and ran towards the Liverpool bench to celebrate with his friend Pepe.
Old Trafford fell silent, with United fans too stunned by the goal to boo the exuberant Senegalese player.
...
Bruno lay on the ground, staring at the night sky. Despite his best efforts, he couldn't catch up to Mané. The difference in their raw speed wasn't something determination alone could overcome.
Bruno knew his speed had improved since arriving in this alternate timeline, making him one of the faster players in football. But compared to a naturally gifted sprinter like Mané, who could run 100 meters in 10.07 seconds, Bruno was still outmatched.
While Bruno excelled at dribbling with the ball, making him one of the fastest in the world in those situations, in a footrace without the ball, Mané's athleticism was superior. Bruno's speed was decent but couldn't compare to Mané's natural sprinting ability.
Despite understanding this, Bruno couldn't shake his frustration. His mistake had led to the team conceding first, and he couldn't forgive himself. He wondered if he could have done something differently, like fouling Mané earlier.
But football didn't deal in "what ifs." Once the ball was in the net, there was no turning back.
...
United, desperate for a win, now found themselves trailing.
Did Mourinho anticipate that his team might fall behind at home? He likely did. Otherwise, he wouldn't be a top coach. Liverpool's attack was potent—they were the second-highest scorers in the Premier League, averaging 2.4 goals per game. Mourinho must have prepared for this scenario.
The solution was simple: attack. They couldn't afford to sit back and defend after conceding.
With Bruno leading, United's attack was always formidable. They were the top scorers in the Premier League, averaging three goals per game, far more than Liverpool.
So Mourinho didn't rush to the touchline to shout instructions. He trusted his players, especially Bruno, to know what to do.
While Liverpool's players celebrated, Bruno picked himself up and apologized to De Gea and the defenders. "Sorry, I couldn't stop him."
De Gea shook his head. "It's not your fault, Bruno. You did great... If it were me, I'd have given up when he passed me. He's just too fast..."
Bruno patted De Gea's shoulder, offering comfort. The keeper was just as disappointed.
...
Bruno retrieved the ball from the net and ran it to the center circle. The attackers were already waiting to restart the game.
He tossed the ball to Ibrahimovic and shouted, "Attack, we keep attacking!"
That was all he needed to say.
Liverpool's goal didn't change the game's dynamic. Both teams continued to attack relentlessly.
The match was far from over.
(End of the chapter)
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