# Chapter 136 Old Trafford Stadium! Against Manchester United! The Big Six Tour Arrives Again!
August 28th marked the final match of the opening month of the 11-12 season.
Manchester United, playing at Old Trafford Stadium against Arsenal, was set to kick off promptly at 3:30 PM that day.
Maël, waking up in the morning at a hotel in downtown Manchester, clearly felt the tense atmosphere and pressure of the match.
"Glory Glory Man United! Glory Glory Man United!" Faint chants drifted in from outside the window, mixed with the sounds of firecrackers and clapping.
He went to the window and opened it, hearing even more chaotic noises—whistles, gongs, and people shouting obscenities at the building.
Hundreds of Manchester United fans, apparently aware of their location, had come specifically to stage a demonstration.
"Good thing they didn't set off firecrackers while we were sleeping."
Next to him, his roommate Mertesacker yawned with a hint of relief. It seemed that even the most fervent Manchester United fans had some limits.
"Nervous?" Maël asked, closing the window again. "Playing Manchester United might be your Premier League debut."
"A bit."
Mertesacker nodded, getting dressed as he said, "They're one of the top teams in Europe, with the best attackers. It's going to be tough.
"But... after listening to Coach Philip's analysis of their forwards in the pre-match briefing, I think I can handle those types of players.
"I'm more afraid of facing physical freaks like you."
"Haha... that's just the same type repelling each other." Maël smiled, getting dressed and heading to the hotel dining hall with Mertesacker, where the club's chefs had prepared their meal.
After eating, they rested for about half an hour before taking a bus to Old Trafford Stadium for a training session.
"Champione champione!"
Unexpectedly, there were already many Manchester United fans at Old Trafford Stadium. They glared at the bus, raising their hands and singing the team's third anthem with impressive fervor.
"They're sure they've got us?" Van Persie said, shaking his head with a playful smile as he looked out the window.
"Let's make them regret it."
Maël still felt some apprehension, but having come this far, he wasn't afraid. He just needed to play freely.
This time, with Arteta, Mertesacker, and him, this Arsenal team had stronger cohesion, more fighting spirit, and greater confidence!
He refused to believe they couldn't cause Manchester United trouble on their home turf and lose like that again.
"By the way," Van Persie said, seeing a mischievous glint in Maël's eyes. He turned his head and said, "In a game that finished this morning, Manchester City thrashed Tottenham Hotspur five to one.
"Džeko scored four goals and already has six Premier League goals. Do you think he'll be a contender for the Golden Boot this season?"
"Why are you asking me?"
Maël asked with a faint smile, realizing that the other man was teasing him. "Are you already assuming you'll be the team's top scorer this season?
"Hey Robin, next time, it's best to say that after you've scored more goals than me."
The players on the bus smiled, but none of them joined the conversation. Those with fewer goals naturally couldn't get involved in such a topic.
Maël didn't talk to Van Persie anymore. They soon arrived at the side gate of Old Trafford Stadium, entering the stadium through a side passage and seeing the historic ground.
It was a large stadium somewhat similar to the Emirates Stadium, with a predominantly bright red color scheme. The seats had the name 'Manchester United' inscribed in white letters, and the grass was a checkered pattern of dark and light green.
Sir Ferguson had won 12 top-flight league titles and 2 Champions League titles here, achieving great success!
This was Maël's first time here, and he naturally felt something different.
He could feel the stadium's weight and glory.
Looking around the field, classic moments from the past decade seemed to replay before his eyes, with countless legends walking beside him.
In fact, Maël still had very little experience with these top-level stadiums.
Besides Newcastle and Udinese's home grounds, and Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, he hadn't been to many large stadiums.
He still had a long way to go in his life. He was determined to set foot in the world's famous top stadiums and leave his mark in each one!
After training, a reporter chased after Maël, asking, "Is Arsenal confident in taking points away from Old Trafford? Do you hope to score here?"
Maël didn't want to answer these two questions, but as he walked into the departure tunnel, he hesitated and turned back.
He took the microphone and said to the camera: "The team is in good shape and very confident. Of course, I hope to score here, that's it."
...
At 3:15 p.m., the two teams finished warming up on the field and returned to the locker room for final preparations and adjustments.
"Glory Glory Manchester United!!"
"AaahhOhArsenal!!"
Old Trafford Stadium was slowly becoming lively, with over 70,000 fans pouring into the stadium, turning it into a sea of red as they sang songs and waited for the match to begin.
In the Arsenal locker room, Wenger was making final arrangements and adjustments based on Manchester United's lineup.
He attached great importance to this match. His rivalry with Ferguson had lasted for more than a decade. Arsenal had ended Manchester United's consecutive titles, and Manchester United had ended their 49-game unbeaten streak.
The two clubs were naturally at odds, and every encounter was like a clash of titans.
"The official basic formation is 5-2-3." Wenger pulled out the tactical board, displaying Manchester United's formation. "But obviously, they will still play their 4-4-2.
"Ashley Young, in the left-back position, won't stay back. He'll be positioned very far forward, even close to our penalty area.
"Rooney won't be too far forward either. He'll drop back from the center forward position to support, allowing Welbeck and Nani to break forward."
"Ferguson is preparing to attack strongly in this match. Like us, they will seize every opportunity for offensive and defensive transitions, so seizing control of the midfield is crucial."
Arteta raised his head at this moment, having earned a starting opportunity in this match.
Wenger glanced at him and Alexandre Song, and said sternly: "You must run tirelessly, always be prepared to rotate in an anaerobic state.
"Your condition, focus, and whether you are good or not will play a decisive role in the outcome of this match.
"Stifling the opponent's chance to transition from defense to offense is infinitely equal to stifling a scoring opportunity for the opponent; creating our own chance to transition from defense to offense is infinitely equal to creating a scoring opportunity for our forwards.
"Attack! This must be the main theme of this match. Everyone must be prepared. This is not a battle of spear versus shield, but a game between swordsmen and shieldmen."
Maël sat in his seat, took a big gulp of water, swished it around in his mouth to trick his brain, and then spat it into the trash can.
No striker dislikes such a battle of attacks. His body was already twitching and tense with excitement, eager to take the field.
"Next, let's talk about Rooney. He has 2 goals and 3 assists in the first two Premier League games, he is in the Manchester United formation..."
...
On the other side, in the Manchester United locker room.
Ferguson was equally cautious, giving his players final instructions based on Arsenal's starting lineup.
"Wenger has sent out Walcott on the right wing, he definitely wants to suppress Ashley Young's forward attack."
He looked around at the serious-looking players, chewed his gum a couple of times, and said: "Evra, Evans, don't let that old guy succeed. Pin Walcott down on the wing and liberate Ashley Young."
Evra and Evans looked at each other, turned back to look at Ferguson, clenched their fists, and nodded.
"But that's not the main point."
Ferguson pulled out the tactical board and swiped his right hand a few times on the midfield line. "This is the key! You must try to keep Arsenal's attack in the midfield, and try not to let them find the threatening points in the frontcourt.
"Anderson, Cleverley, you two have a heavy task.
"If you let Arsenal launch a counterattack and pass the ball to Maël or Walcott... then our defense will face a great threat.
"That's not what we want to see. We want to solve the problem on the midfield line and in the opponent's half, so that they see De Gea as little as possible."
Speaking of this, he looked at De Gea and showed a slight smile.
This young man, whom he had just brought from Atlético Madrid this year, was only 20 years old. He had high expectations for him, hoping that he could become Manchester United's pillar of strength for the next 10 years.
Therefore, even though De Gea's performance after joining the team was average and criticized.
He still chose to trust him and sent him to this high-profile battle to accept the baptism of the Premier League giants' attackers.
Ferguson sometimes imagined that when De Gea was trained, when he had Van der Sar's stability... he would definitely lead Manchester United to regain their former glory and charge for the Champions League again.
"Phil Jones."
He finally turned his gaze to Phil Jones and said in a low voice: "Maël rarely returns to defend, so you have to give up your forward attacks and focus on marking him.
"Stick to him like a fly, even if he throws you off, you have to circle around and 'buzz' back up, making him uncomfortable and making it difficult for him to get the ball.
"If you really can't defend, block the inside line and let him go to the bottom line, let him use his non-dominant foot to pass the ball.
"Smalling will protect you, don't be too afraid of him, he has two legs and two arms, he won't teleport, it's not that easy for him to get past you."
Phil Jones nodded, a sense of confidence rising within him as he knew what his task was in this match.
...
At 3:25 PM, the players from both sides stood in the player tunnel, waiting to enter the field.
Maël coincidentally walked alongside Rooney, both aware of the other's presence but pretending not to notice.
With the big match about to begin, their relationship was still somewhat tense.
As Maël reached the entrance of the player tunnel, he saw the blinding glare of the floodlights outside, reflecting off the red roof and casting a dark red hue onto the players, adding a touch of blurriness to everyone.
"Manchester United!!"
"Arsenal!!"
The shouts from outside were deafening, making everyone look serious, both nervous and excited, and they could only divert their attention to pass the final moments.
"Arteta," Maël chose to chat with someone, even though he wasn't good at it. "How many times have you played against Manchester United?"
"13 times."
Arteta stated an astonishing number, and seeing the surprise on Maël's face, he added, "I was at Everton for 6 years, played 7 times at home, and 6 times at Old Trafford.
"There were 3 times last season alone, we met in the FA Cup, this group of players are all old acquaintances of mine."
"Okay..." Maël realized that this conversation wasn't going anywhere. He was still too young, and in some aspects, he couldn't compare to these older players.
"I also have 1 goal and 1 assist here."
Arteta didn't want to end the conversation, continuing with a smile, "A wonderful feeling, I hope you can experience it today."
Maël nodded, and hearing the referee blow the whistle to signal their entrance, he stepped into the noisy Old Trafford Stadium.
Already filled with fans, it looked extremely magnificent. Because of its single-tier stand design, all the fans were packed together, and at a glance, countless heads were staring in your direction.
Today, the fans were all standing to watch the game, no one was sitting in their seats, which was normal for such a heated match.
"Three-nil!"
"Four-one!!"
"Five-nil!!"
"Shut them out!"
As soon as they walked out of the tunnel, the Manchester United fans on both sides clenched their fists and shouted their expected scores, cheering for their players and boosting their confidence in watching the game.
Maël glanced back at them, thinking that if things hadn't changed, they could have shouted even more boldly.
But he was already standing here, and his greatest wish was to help the club he served and loved change all of this, and strive to leave Old Trafford with their heads held high.
Even if they failed, they had to save face and defend the team's dignity.
After completing the pre-match ceremony and standing in his position, Maël glanced at the sidelines while waiting for the whistle, and saw a classic scene.
Wenger, in a black suit and dark red tie, stood with Ferguson, who was wearing a coat. The two were standing very close, staring seriously at the field, waiting for the start of the match.
This was already their countless encounter, and neither knew how many games they had accompanied each other through, or how many times they had argued.
In short, Maël, as a player, had joined their battle, joining the most classic Premier League rivalry of the early 21st century, which was definitely an important moment in his career.
He would continue to move forward, joining more legendary historical paintings, leaving his mark in more classic moments, and having his name recorded alongside these immortal legends.
He would also tamper with the original history, change the fate of countless people, and leave behind a new story.
"Bip!!"
At 3:30 PM, with the referee's whistle, the match officially began! "Bang!"
Nani kicked off from the center circle, Rooney dribbled a few steps and passed it back to Phil Jones, who then passed it horizontally to Smalling.
Maël and Van Persie quickly crossed the midfield line, pressing their backfield, with Walcott following closely behind.
In the broadcast room, Zhan Jun put on his headset, adjusted his state, and began his commentary: "Alright, the Premier League Round 3's battle of the titans has begun! Zhan Jun is here to bring you the live commentary of this match! Today, ESPN has invited an important guest, the deputy general manager of the Guoan Team, Director Zhang Lu! He will be partnering with me."
"Hey." Director Zhang Lu's voice was very recognizable, and he often appeared in the broadcast room as a tactical analyst.
"."
"Let's take a look at the starting lineups first. For Arsenal, the goalkeeper is Szczęsny, and the defense line from left to right is Gibbs, Koscielny, Mertesacker, and Sagna.
"Vermaelen is reportedly out due to injury, or perhaps Wenger simply wants a more robust German defender for this match."
"In midfield, Arteta, Alexandre Song, and Ramsey, also featuring a new addition.
"The forward line is very aggressive, with Maël on the left wing, Van Persie as the center forward, and Walcott on the right wing."
"..."
"For Manchester United, De Gea is in goal, and the defense, from left to right, is Ashley Young, Evra, Evans, Smalling, and Phil Jones.
"In midfield, Anderson partners with Cleverley, a more defensively-minded choice.
"Up front, Welbeck is on the left, Rooney in the center, and on the right, it's Nani, the reluctant passer."
"Well," Zhang Lu offered as a comma, but this time he actually said something, "We can see that Manchester United's style of playing the ball out from the back still relies on the two center-backs spreading wide.
"At most, Phil Jones is positioned slightly forward on the flank, while Evra and Ashley Young are nowhere to be seen.
"One drops back into the defensive midfield position, while the other charges straight into the attack, playing very aggressively, without paying particular attention to Arsenal's explosive points."
On the field, Maël moved with the team's overall formation, occasionally darting into the center to harass Manchester United's defenders in possession.
His presence reduced Manchester United's passes to their right side of the field, rendering Phil Jones somewhat useless as a passing outlet on the flank.
"Stay close to him when we have the ball!"
Soon, Sir Ferguson gestured to Phil Jones, instructing him to stick directly to Maël.
Maël quickly felt the pressure. Phil Jones stuck to his back like superglue, constantly making physical contact.
He feinted a few turns left and right, but his opponent immediately followed, seemingly willing to wear him down at any cost.
He didn't pay much attention for now, letting him stick to him.
After all, it wasn't his team's possession yet; he'd find a way to shake him off later. He didn't think Phil Jones could stop him.
Maël raised his left arm to brace against Phil Jones' chest, turning his head to observe the situation in his team's midfield and defense.
From the start of the match, the battle near the midfield was particularly intense, with neither side willing to give way, fighting tooth and nail whenever they were matched up.
"Pa!"
First, Arteta pounced from behind, intercepting Anderson's lofted pass to Cleverley, and quickly sent it to Ramsey on the other side.
Just as Ramsey received the ball, he was knocked to the ground by Anderson, who was tracking back.
"Beep!" The referee blew his whistle, calling a foul on the Manchester United player.
Ramsey was still clutching his leg and wailing in pain, but Alexandre Song rushed up and quickly passed the ball back to Arteta.
Arteta took a few steps forward, but was immediately double-teamed by Anderson and Cleverley, and even Evra rushed up to block his passing lane to Maël.
"Here!" Ramsey suddenly released his leg, leaping up from the ground, providing a passing option.
Sure enough, an attacking opportunity is the best medicine, but as a player, it's still best to face potential injuries squarely.
"Bang!"
Arteta passed the ball laterally to Ramsey, who dribbled towards the right, shaking off Ashley Young's challenge.
Right winger Walcott quickly darted behind Manchester United's defense, pointing to a through ball lane.
Seeing this, Maël also sprinted towards the center, hoping to be Walcott's support if the ball came his way.
Phil Jones immediately pushed off to follow him, keeping up well for the first few steps, but gradually falling half a body length behind.
"Chack!" At the crucial moment, Ashley Young, near the midfield, slid in and brought Ramsey down, stopping him with a tactical foul.
"Beep!" The referee blew his whistle again.
Maël regretfully slowed his pace with a hop, turning around and returning to his position.
"Hey!"
Seeing that the referee didn't pull out a card, he spread his hands, joining his teammates in approaching the referee to express their dissatisfaction.
"No yellow card?!"
Wenger on the sidelines also waved his right hand, his expression filled with anger, "He's been fouled twice in a row!"
Ferguson wasn't sticking as close to him anymore, but the distance between the two was no more than three meters, right around the center circle extension line.
He saw Wenger complaining, stopped chewing his gum, and smirked, "Enough, go back, you got your set piece."
"Haha..." Wenger also sneered, glaring at him with disgust.
The relationship between the two had once again entered a tense state, and it seemed unlikely they would reconcile before the end of the match.
In the 7th minute of the match, Manchester United got the first scoring opportunity.
"Bang!"
Evra launched a long pass from the backfield, and after the ball reached Mertesacker's defensive zone, it was headed clear towards the center circle.
Ashley Young and Ramsey rushed towards the second ball position, vying for the falling ball.
"Snap!" The former undoubtedly won, stopping the ball while pushing it forward, using his body to resist Ramsey and dribbling towards the frontcourt.
Then, he saw Welbeck cutting behind Koscielny and sent a through ball, which broke through Arsenal's defense.
"Bang!!"
Welbeck had a half One-on-One, he didn't choose to stop the ball, but followed the line of the incoming ball and directly curled a shot towards the far corner of the goal, but missed the target.
"Scrape!" Koscielny's sliding tackle to block the shot came late, knocking him to the ground.
However, since the ball had already flown out of the baseline, this defensive action wasn't aimed at the person, it just didn't stop in time and brought the person down, so it wasn't a foul.
Szczęsny got the goal kick and sent a long pass to Maël's position, preparing for a simple offensive attempt.
But this ball failed to pose a threat, Manchester United's backfield protection was very good, Phil Jones constantly used small movements behind Maël to interfere, preventing him from jumping easily.
"Bang!" Smalling rushed over and headed the ball out of bounds, because he rushed too fast, he also collided with Phil Jones, who didn't have time to dodge.
The two fell to the ground near the sideline together, looking quite embarrassed, but they didn't blame each other.
"Good ball!"
After getting up, they slapped each other's hands, briefly celebrating the successful defense.
Maël's eyes narrowed, in this game, the opponent's defenders were very focused, and their marking on him was also very tight.
It seemed that it would be more difficult to play than the game against Liverpool... He prepared himself mentally, glanced at the Manchester United goal, and felt extremely covetous.
Need to think of a way, he really wants to blast through Manchester United's goal in this game.
In the 14th minute of the match, Arsenal's midfield intercepted the ball and launched a quick counterattack.
This ball was their first successful transition from defense to offense since the start of the game, Arteta intercepted, Ramsey controlled and advanced, and finally Alexandre Song, who came up, lobbed the ball into the Manchester United penalty area.
Manchester United's defense was still relatively empty, giving Van Persie space to stop the ball or shoot.
"Bang!!"
Van Persie ultimately didn't choose to stop the ball, and shot towards the lower corner of the goal with the instep of his foot.
"Snap!" De Gea sprang to his left like a spring, scooping the ball out of the lower left corner of the goal, and then hugged it in his arms.
"Ah!" Van Persie rubbed his face with both hands, hoping his brain could be clearer.
Maël, who had just rushed into the penalty area, also stopped, he was just about to go up for a follow-up shot.
"Maël."
Van Persie called him, came to his side and covered his mouth, saying: "If Phil Jones sticks that close again, cut behind him, I'll send a diagonal pass."
"Okay."
Maël nodded, trusting his teammate, no matter how good his personal ability was, he had to receive the ball first.
As long as he received the ball, he would have a chance to cause damage to the opponent's goal! In the following period, because Manchester United had more people in midfield, they gained control of the field and suppressed Arsenal.
In the 23rd minute of the match, Ashley Young received the second ball and chose to cut towards the center.
"Bang!!"
He took two steps to the right, looking casual, but suddenly, about 30 meters from the goal, he unleashed a sudden Curved Shot.
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