"Goalllllllllllllll!!!"
"Robben! Robben scores again!"
"That's his second consecutive game with a goal!"
"Manchester City now leads 0-2!"
"My God, Gareth Bale has once again blown past O'Shea. Manchester United's right-back is completely helpless in front of the Welshman, he's offering no resistance at all, letting Bale run riot!"
"Tonight's match has taken a completely unexpected turn. We could very well be in for a goal-fest, unless Manchester United finds a way to stop Bale's pace and breakouts down the left, it's hard to imagine what this Manchester derby is going to look like."
The familiar voice of commentator Andy Gray echoed from the Match of the Day studio.
The three hosts and the entire on-site production team were stunned.
They were all too familiar with Andy Gray's voice he was one of the show's own.
But now, the voice of the Premier League's top commentator sounded especially grating.
How had they conceded two goals in such a short amount of time?
"Shearer, didn't you just say Ferguson had everything under control?" Gary Lineker was visibly distressed and close to tears.
Alan Shearer looked embarrassed. He had just given Ferguson some awkward praise, but within two minutes of kickoff, United conceded, and now they were down by two. How long had it even been?
"Wow, looks like we're headed for a high-scoring game tonight!" Alan Hansen also found it hard to believe.
Who could disagree?
Based on how things were going, if Manchester United didn't make adjustments, they wouldn't be able to contain Gareth Bale at all.
Ferguson had in fact made changes, asking Fletcher to pay closer attention to Bale's flank. But City's dominance in midfield was evident, and Robinho and Robben were brilliant individually on both wings.
In this scenario, if United focused too much on Bale, gaps would open up in midfield. If they focused on the midfield, the left side would be exposed.
"Gao Shen is on a different level!" Shearer exclaimed.
Everyone nodded.
Six matches, six different tactics and playing styles—each one full of surprises and ingenuity.
What was this?
It was like Gao Shen was openly telling the entire Premier League: I'm not just here to win titles, I'm here to make all my opponents and fans kneel and sing Conquer!
"Damn it, even Benítez and Mourinho weren't this brutal!" Lineker was at a loss.
Looking at the way things stood, it really didn't seem like Manchester United could stop Gareth Bale.
That kid's speed was just insane!
"In fact, have you all noticed? Gao Shen is basically slapping the face of every Premier League coach right now," Hansen said bitterly.
Who could argue?
Who was Gareth Bale, really?
He'd transferred from Southampton to Tottenham as a left-back and was branded a jinx.
Why was he called a disaster?
Because Tottenham failed to win in 24 straight games with him in the squad. Even Spurs players thought he was cursed. Redknapp likely thought so too, which is why the moment Manchester City made an offer, he was sold.
And the result?
That "jinx" turned into a lucky charm at Manchester City!
You could imagine how shocked Tottenham fans, Redknapp, and the club must have been watching Bale's performance tonight and how deeply they must regret it!
They sold a future world-class winger for just €15 million!
But even more impressive was Gao Shen.
Who would have thought the player Tottenham treated as a burden would become a rampaging dragon on the left wing under his guidance?
At that moment, the live broadcast camera switched to the touchline and showed Ferguson making tactical changes.
"Ferguson is adjusting Manchester United's setup. We can see Rooney moving more toward the right side—that is, City's left. Clearly, Ferguson knows they can't let Bale keep wreaking havoc."
"But this also means United's attacking firepower up front will take a hit."
"There's really no other choice. Bale's momentum has to be stopped, or City's attacks will only get more dangerous."
Andy Gray's commentary had slightly eased in tone, but it still wasn't enough to lift Lineker's spirits.
"Tell me… can I keep my pants?" Lineker asked with tears in his eyes.
Everyone exchanged glances, not knowing how to answer.
Judging by the current situation, it wasn't looking good for his pants.
But saying that outright? That would just be cruel.
"There's still a chance, Gary," Hansen offered, trying to comfort him.
"Yeah, don't forget, Ferguson is famous for turning games around. Two goals isn't too much. As long as United can regain their composure and shut down Bale's flank, I believe they'll bounce back quickly."
Alan Shearer nodded, convincing himself too. "Don't you trust Ferguson?"
"Exactly. Ferguson and United are no pushovers. It's just two goals. They can catch up."
"Right, right. Don't overthink it. The game's just getting started."
"Look, Rooney is tracking Bale now, doesn't that count as shutting him down?"
"As long as the kid can't sprint freely, City has nothing to fall back on."
"Just think—how long did it take for United to flip the script in the Champions League final? And how much of this match has passed?"
Everyone tried to reassure each other, but they were all essentially saying the same thing:
It's okay. Your pants can still be saved!
Lineker finally relaxed a bit. He looked down at his crotch and confirmed his pants were still there. Feeling a little more reassured, he even reached down and gave the fabric a tug to make sure.
But just then, Manchester City suddenly launched an attack from the left of center.
After Robinho shook off O'Shea and cut inside, he passed the ball to David Silva, who arrived from behind. The Spanish midfielder drove into the left side of the penalty area, trying to break through, but Ferdinand had positioned himself perfectly.
David Silva had great technique but lacked the pace to beat Ferdinand by force. He quickly turned, skillfully shielded the ball, used his body to block Ferdinand, and laid it off.
Robinho, having moved laterally from the left side, received the return pass and drove the ball inward.
Vidic and Carrick both stepped up to defend, but Robinho feinted a shot, sending Vidic scrambling to block. In that moment, the Brazilian coolly slid a pass to the right of the penalty spot, just behind Carrick.
Rakitic suddenly surged forward from behind Carrick, met Robinho's pass first-time, and pulled the trigger.
Suarez had initially looked to latch onto the ball, but when he saw Rakitic advancing, he cleverly moved aside to avoid blocking the shooting angle.
The Croatian midfielder's powerful strike whipped past Suarez and flew straight into the right side of the goal.
Foster stood no chance.
"Goallllllllllllllllllllll!!!!!!"
"The ball is in again!!!"
"31st minute—Manchester City scores once more!"
"0-3!"
"A brilliant late-arriving strike from Rakitic!"
"Manchester City's attacking momentum tonight has been relentless, and United's defensive issues are being thoroughly exposed. Whether it's the left flank or the center of the penalty area, Carrick alone can't contain both David Silva and Rakitic."
"Manchester United are in real trouble now."
Andy Gray's commentary once again cast a gloomy shadow over the Match of the Day studio.
Everyone who had just been trying to console Lineker now found themselves awkwardly silent.
So this was Ferguson "keeping things steady"?
Didn't they just say United could make a comeback?
Now it was three goals down!
Lineker was on the verge of collapse.
Hansen and Shearer exchanged glances, utterly lost for words.
At this point, what else was there to say?
Mate, if it really comes to it, be brave, grit your teeth, and take them off!
Sensing the looks from his co-hosts, Lineker nearly lost it.
These are my pants. No one is taking them off!
I will defend my right to wear pants to the bitter end!
…
The flow of the game was completely beyond everyone's expectations.
No one had imagined that Manchester City would already be up three goals in just over thirty minutes of the first half.
It was absolutely stunning.
But judging from the match so far, the fact that United had only conceded three could almost be considered fortunate.
Whether it was O'Shea helpless against Gareth Bale, or Foster who could do nothing about the repeated shots, Manchester United's defense tonight was genuinely concerning.
After the third goal, Ferguson really had no better options. All he could do was instruct his players to tighten the formation and stabilize defensively. United fell into a more compact, conservative shape.
Their aim was to hold steady and stop the bleeding but Manchester City's waves of attacks didn't let up.
With only one game per week, City clearly held the advantage in fitness and form over United.
In the 43rd minute, Gareth Bale made another surging run forward. After receiving the ball on the left, he tried to break through, but Fletcher blocked his path, with Rooney tracking back to help.
Unable to move forward, Bale played it back to Robinho just outside the left corner of the penalty area.
The Brazilian, with his back to O'Shea, controlled the ball, took a step back, and laid it off to David Silva.
The Spaniard took the ball, evaded Fletcher's pressure, and moved toward the top of the arc. Then, just before reaching Carrick, he sharply changed direction, driving forward and attempting to get past him.
Suarez, positioned up front between Vidic and Ferdinand, constantly flirted with the offside line. The moment he saw David Silva beat Fletcher and move toward Carrick, he grew more alert.
Seeing Silva trying to push past Carrick, Suarez pointed behind Ferdinand and shouted urgently.
David Silva used his body to block Carrick and didn't release the ball right away. Instead, he continued his dribble, and just as he reached the top of the penalty arc, Ferdinand could no longer hold his position. He stepped up decisively, looking to double-team Silva with Carrick.
But just as Ferdinand moved forward, David Silva threaded the ball behind him.
(To be continued.)
***
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