Chapter 1 When the Match Begins

At the very start of the game, Liverpool fans thought it would be like any other: Liverpool would score early, establish a lead, and then fall back on their signature counter-attacking style.

The thought of those sharp counter-attacks made the Liverpool fans' blood boil.

Though not as aesthetically pleasing as the artistic football of Barcelona and Arsenal, Liverpool's counter-attacks were direct. With skillful wingers like Bale, Sanchez, Rodriguez, and others, plus Suárez and Chen Yingxiong, quick counter-attacks were perfect for Liverpool.

These attacks flowed like mercury, a beautiful sight to behold.

A few passes could carry the ball from their own half to the edge of the opponent's penalty area, giving the opposition no chance to recover.

This direct style of football was a favorite among the English.

But today's game was different.

They didn't take the lead at the start.

Manchester United was proving tougher than they had anticipated.

Yes, tougher...

In the eyes of Liverpool fans, these Manchester United players were only displaying a bit more toughness.

This was clearly their last-ditch struggle. Their tenacity couldn't withstand Liverpool's powerful attack. Maybe in fifteen minutes, their defense would crumble under Liverpool's relentless barrage.

Liverpool's main tactic was, of course, counter-attacking. But that was after they scored. Before that, Liverpool's strategy was attack, attack, and attack again, using overwhelming firepower to breach any opponent's goal.

So, for a while after the kickoff, Liverpool's offensive firepower was considerable—to score early, the attack had to be fierce.

Liverpool fans weren't worried because they knew this. Even if Manchester United could hold on for five minutes, could they last ten? If they could last ten, could they make it to fifteen?

In short, before Liverpool scored, their attack wouldn't diminish in the slightest!

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The Liverpool players on the field probably had a more immediate sense of things than the fans in the stands.

Ten minutes in, they sensed that something wasn't quite right.

This Manchester United team wasn't the one they remembered.

Or rather, wasn't the one they expected.

What exactly was different?

They couldn't quite put their finger on it.

They just felt that these Manchester United players were exceptionally determined.

Even in defense, they were gritting their teeth and fighting hard.

But that was all.

Because Manchester United was constantly defending—defending for five minutes, defending for ten. They seemed completely overwhelmed by Liverpool's powerful attack.

What threat could a team that only defended, and could only defend, pose?

All they could do was tremble under Liverpool's relentless attacks, while praying that their defense could hold on for another minute.

But that wouldn't change the outcome.

The Liverpool players didn't dwell on the differences in their opponents.

They continued their unrestrained bombardment, hoping to break through Manchester United's goal as soon as possible and secure the victory. In their view, once they took the lead, the win was guaranteed, even if it was just by one goal.

That was the confidence and dominance of this Liverpool team.

But sometimes, too much confidence and dominance weren't necessarily a good thing...

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Just when Liverpool fans and players alike thought that Manchester United was about to collapse under their attacks, and they could easily take them down...

Manchester United suddenly launched a sharp counter-attack!

No one had expected it.

Manchester United, who had been pinned down and beaten by Liverpool, who had only been able to protect their heads with their hands, cowering as they were pummeled, actually managed to suddenly rise up, press Liverpool back down, and then swing their fists at Liverpool's vital points...

This was astonishing. So much so that when Manchester United's counter-attack reached Liverpool's goal, many Liverpool fans were still stunned in disbelief—Rooney had already reached the top of the penalty arc!

"Wayne Rooney! He's dribbling! Good heavens, he's fast! You wouldn't think he was thirty-one years old!"

"There aren't many Manchester United players around Rooney, he lacks support... but that's not a problem! Because... there aren't many Liverpool players either!"

"Liverpool was too hasty, they were so eager to score that they forgot about the space behind them... allowing Manchester United to directly threaten their city with a single counter-attack!" The commentator had clearly forgotten that he had previously praised Liverpool's relentless attack, which had left Manchester United breathless...

Amidst the commentators' exclamations, Rooney was already facing Liverpool's last defender, center-back Škrtel.

Because Škrtel was slow, he always stayed back when the team launched a major attack. Pepe, a defender who liked to attack, enjoyed the feeling of pressing forward.

Now, the Portuguese was reaping the bitter fruit of his actions, desperately chasing back.

The defense depended solely on Škrtel.

Rooney didn't use many fancy feints against Škrtel. Having competed against Liverpool for many years, he knew Škrtel's abilities. This tall center-back was never good at turning and chasing back, and he was slow. Now that he was thirty-two, his physical functions were declining, making him even slower...

Therefore, what he had to do was simple: push the ball to the side and then accelerate!

And that's exactly what he did.

Faced with Rooney's simple move, Škrtel was helpless. He desperately reached out, trying to pull Rooney down.

Whether it was because his arm was long, or because he was lucky... or perhaps unlucky?

Anyway, he managed to grab Rooney's shirt, and then, disregarding everything else, he pulled down hard!

Rooney, who had already charged into the penalty area, fell to the ground!

Referee Howard Webb's whistle rang out in the noisy Anfield stadium, sounding particularly shrill.

Penalty!

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Rooney rolled several times on the ground to dissipate the force of the fall.

As he tumbled, he heard the piercing whistle. His first reaction was to look back at the referee. He saw the referee running toward the penalty area, pointing to the... penalty spot!

He had succeeded!

He jumped up from the ground with a leap, raising his arms and shouting! As if he had already scored.

In fact, if he had really wanted to break through, Škrtel wouldn't have been able to hold onto his shirt. He could have easily gotten past Škrtel, and then, facing Reina, he would have been confident enough to put the ball in.

But when he caught a glimpse of Škrtel's reaching hand out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly changed his mind.

If he simply put the ball in, the blow to Liverpool might not be big enough. They had a full squad, they were at home, and with more than seventy minutes left in the game, they would have a chance to come back.

A one-goal lead wasn't secure enough for Manchester United. But after scoring this goal, Liverpool would definitely increase their defensive intensity, making it difficult for Manchester United to find such a good counter-attacking opportunity again.

This goal might be Manchester United's only goal of the game.

How could Manchester United maximize their benefits?

A goal, and preferably one that would also cause Liverpool to lose a player, and preferably a center-back, so that there would inevitably be more gaps in their defense...

Even if Martin O'Neill made adjustments and brought on Agger, he would have to replace an attacking player, which would reduce the pressure on Manchester United's defense. This would give Manchester United more opportunities to attack.

In such a short period of time, Rooney instantly figured out the relationships between these issues and made a decision.

He deliberately slowed down his speed, and Škrtel didn't disappoint him, grabbing his shirt firmly.

What followed was too simple.

Because Škrtel had indeed made a pulling motion, very obvious, so no one could say that Rooney was faking a fall.

A malicious foul had stopped Manchester United's attack, and since Škrtel was the last line of defense for Liverpool, if he had been broken through, Rooney would have been able to face the goalkeeper directly. Now that the opportunity was gone, the punishment would naturally be severe.

Referee Webb ran up to Škrtel and pulled a red card from his chest pocket!

"Red card!"

"Škrtel has been severely punished for his foul!"

"It's not just a red card... Škrtel's foul has taken him off the field and given Manchester United a penalty! Liverpool's start couldn't be worse!"

"This is top-class English derby! This is the great showdown between Manchester United and Liverpool! Red card! Penalty! It has everything! Let's have some beautiful goals now!"

Although the situation had suddenly become unfavorable for Liverpool, the commentators didn't care. They were all excitedly shouting and screaming in the commentary box. Liverpool's habitual dominance had made many games lose their suspense and meaning.

The commentators also found it boring.

But now, Manchester United's tenacity and effort had finally given the game suspense. It was more motivating for them to commentate on such a game!

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Although there was nothing to argue about with Škrtel's foul, Liverpool players still rushed up to surround Webb to protest, claiming that Rooney had faked the fall.

This argument was untenable. Webb asked Gerrard, "Do you believe what you're saying yourself, Stephen?"

Gerrard was speechless.

So that was that.

The Liverpool players' protests were ineffective. Manchester United got a penalty, and Škrtel had to leave the field.

The Liverpool fans in the stands didn't care about any of that. They raised their middle fingers at Webb, and many Liverpool fans were shouting and cursing at him: "Everyone knows Webb is a Manchester United fan! Damn it! He shouldn't have been allowed to officiate this game!!! And Rooney, that Everton bastard!!"

These voices wouldn't reach Webb's ears.

He was standing on the penalty spot, urging the Liverpool players to leave the penalty area so that Manchester United could take the penalty.

The penalty taker was Rooney.

As he walked to the penalty spot with the ball in his arms, Webb stepped aside, and the Liverpool fans in the stands behind the goal gave out a huge boo.

The stand he was facing was the famous "Kop" stand.

The Liverpool fans here were the most fanatical, making all sorts of gestures to intimidate and interfere with Rooney.

But this kind of scene was nothing to Rooney. What kind of scene hadn't he seen in his career?

He was originally an Everton player, and had been an Everton fan since childhood. Everton and Liverpool were bitter rivals, so he had never been liked by Liverpool fans since his debut. Being at odds with Liverpool fans was too familiar to him.

He wouldn't be crushed by this kind of pressure.

He placed the ball, then stepped back, waiting for the referee's whistle to sound again.

At that moment, he wanted Liverpool's life!

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On the Manchester United bench and in the coaching area, everyone stretched their necks, leaning forward, looking at Liverpool's goal.

No one noticed Ferguson, who was sitting on the bench without any movement. The hands on his knees, however, suddenly clenched into fists...