[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-start-with-r9-template":3,"chapter-start-with-r9-template-start-with-r9-template-chapter-370":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Start with R9 Template",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1388614,1840,"Chapter 370 - 370","start-with-r9-template-chapter-370",370,"\u003Cp>Gary Neville: \"An unbelievable, unconventional first-touch pass that completely cuts through Everton's entire right-sided defense! It finds Ashley Young's feet perfectly in stride!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wayne Rooney: \"It's a perfect one-on-one opportunity for Young!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With Digne having positioned himself too centrally to cover Ling, there was absolutely no one who could recover in time to defend the flank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ashley Young handled the ball with complete veteran composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Slowing down slightly to let the ball roll comfortably to his shooting foot, he saw the Everton goalkeeper, Jordan Pickford, had already rushed frantically off his line to narrow the angle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No fancy feints, no hesitation—just a straightforward, incredibly precise push with the inside of his foot toward the far bottom post.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next second, the net rippled!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ashley Young sprinted to the corner flag and threw a celebratory, aggressive punch into the air—mimicking Richarlison's earlier celebration—drawing wild, deafening cheers from the traveling Manchester United fans in the away end.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look at that Brazilian kid now, still dreaming of comparing himself to Ling?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't lose heart, Brazilian kid! Even though you're five months older than our captain, you still can't match a fraction of his trophy count!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"His goals in a single season are triple your entire career total, and you piece of crap have the absolute nerve to provoke him?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As everyone in England knows, among the top five leagues, Manchester United away fans rank incredibly high in terms of \"verbal combat effectiveness\"—their chants and insults are sharp enough to infuriate anyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Mourinho was nearly driven to the brink by their taunts during his struggles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Richarlison listened to the loud, coordinated jeers from the away end, the anger and embarrassment in his heart churning like an active volcano, ready to erupt at any moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Get the ball to me when you have the chance! Just give it to me!\" the Brazilian youngster gritted his teeth and said to Sigurdsson.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would channel his rage into strength, using goals to slap the faces of these arrogant Manchester United fans and shatter their championship dreams!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gary Neville: \"With an incredibly clever, improvised diagonal pass, Ling sliced completely through Everton's flank!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wayne Rooney: \"And Ashley Young didn't waste the golden opportunity, calmly slotting the ball past Pickford. The connection between the veteran and the captain was a thing of absolute beauty!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gary Neville: \"Ling has been tightly, physically marked in this match, but if he had let that silence his influence, he wouldn't deserve to wear the captain's armband for Manchester United! The facts prove he's more than worthy!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neville analyzed the replay and praised, \"Looking back at Manchester United's entire attacking sequence, from Herrera's initial physical interception on Richarlison to Matic's dummy, to Ashley Young's finish, every single step was executed flawlessly. That's what deserves the most praise! It's a true team goal.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beside him, Rooney's eyes were filled with genuine envy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If only a playmaker like Ling had been born a few years earlier, to play alongside him during his own peak years at Old Trafford.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>How unplayable would Manchester United have been then?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"He reminds me a bit of my younger self, Gary—full of raw creativity in his movements and explosive, unpredictable power,\" Rooney sighed deeply.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Reminds you of yourself? Wayne, Ling doesn't look like an old—\" Neville instinctively quipped, ready to make a joke about Rooney's rapid aging, before quickly swallowing his words.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If that had been said live on air... the consequences and the media fallout would have been severe!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back on the pitch, Ashley Young jogged back to Ling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How did you know exactly where I'd be making that run?!\" he asked, genuinely puzzled by the blind pass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh, I used to play as a traditional winger in the academy, Ash, and I often watched your old Aston Villa footage to learn back then. I know your movements,\" Ling replied with a charming smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this unexpected praise from the best player in the world, Ashley Young's grin became harder to suppress than a fired AK-47.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearing his throat, he humbly waved his hand. \"I never heard you mention that before, skip, but you certainly picked the right person to study. I'm the classic winger type, just with a few minor flaws.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling simply smiled without responding.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, just a few minor flaws—like crosses that frequently resemble terrible shots, highly predictable dribbling patterns, and occasionally having a bird defecate in your mouth during a match...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back when Ling was desperately practicing his long passes in the youth team, why did he choose Michael Carrick as his model instead of Professor Young?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because he was terrified he'd end up with a shooting-style long pass too if he studied Young's crossing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After turning the momentum of the game entirely around, Manchester United dropped slightly deeper, forming a dense, impenetrable defensive line in midfield and defending with characteristic patience and composure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, they were level; they weren't the ones who needed to rush and leave gaps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the 43rd minute, just before the end of the first half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sigurðsson received a pass from his teammate in a pocket of space and was immediately, aggressively pressured by Nemanja Matic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Icelandic sniper was renowned for his lethal long-range shooting, so naturally, he couldn't be allowed an inch to shoot, and close marking was the only option.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"To me!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Richarlison's desperate shout for the ball, Sigurdsson didn't hesitate and decisively passed it over to the left wing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, Richarlison didn't try anything fancy or arrogant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dribbled at full speed straight toward Herrera, and just as Ander Herrera stretched out his foot for a tackle, the Brazilian abruptly changed rhythm with a burst of pace to complete the breakthrough!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just as he prepared to continue his run past the defensive line into the box, a small figure charged out from the side like a heat-seeking missile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kante!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>71% of the Earth is covered by water, the rest is covered by N'Golo Kante!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before Richarlison could even process the breakthrough, Kante had quietly shifted several meters sideways, effortlessly putting his foot in and reclaiming possession cleanly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He immediately played a simple, safe pass back to David Luiz to reset the play.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Brazilians always seem to have pretty good footwork and confidence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the frantically charging, angry Richarlison who was trying to win the ball back, David Luiz didn't panic. He directly swung his foot through the ball!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The football soared high into the air, spinning rapidly as it descended. Its trajectory clearly pointed toward the right flank.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gary Neville: \"A brilliant medium-to-long distance pass from David Luiz, accurately finding Riyad Mahrez on the wing!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wayne Rooney: \"Mahrez directly cushions the dropping ball expertly into the center!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gary Neville: \"POGBA!!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid Neville's excited commentary, Pogba controlled the bouncing ball perfectly with his thigh, pulling it smoothly past a diving Morgan Schneiderlin with his second touch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came a seemingly unremarkable, simple diagonal pass forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Kurt Zouma, having brutally learned from his previous humiliating experience, didn't press forward to tackle Ling again but instead maintained his distance, terrified of being nutmegged again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But if Zouma didn't aggressively go after Ling, Ling would aggressively come for him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the distance between the attacker and defender rapidly grew shorter, it felt like a heavy stone was hanging in Zouma's heart—the psychological pressure was so intense it even made breathing difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn't just wait passively!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, once Ling built up his terrifying full speed, a single change of direction would leave him completely beaten for pace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The exact moment Zouma nervously stepped forward to engage, Ling swung his right foot fiercely!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The football traced a bizarre arc, like a disguised \"rabona\" pass, just skimming past Zouma's desperately outstretched foot!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Immediately after the touch, Ling tightened his core and exploded with raw physical power once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His formidable explosive strength allowed him to stride past the off-balance Zouma in one single step, catch up to his own pass in two, and forcefully complete the physical breakthrough into the penalty area.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wayne Rooney: \"Wow! Look at this unreasonable, devastating dribbling! He's completely dismantling Everton's entire defense on his own!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gary Neville: \"Now, only the goalkeeper Jordan Pickford stands between Ling and the goal!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pickford was highly focused, crouching low and closely watching Ling's rapid movements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the forward dared show even the slightest technical flaw or heavy touch, Pickford was incredibly confident he could rush out and save it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But then his pupils suddenly contracted in panic, and he forcefully suppressed the overwhelming urge to dive early.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not far in front of him, Ling was a blur of motion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His left foot stepped rapidly forward to the left, his center of gravity shifting aggressively slightly left.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His right foot then stepped rapidly forward to the right, his center of gravity shifting aggressively slightly right.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Like a terrifying, hypnotic pendulum that never stopped!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And all these complex movements were executed at absolute top sprinting speed—Pickford could almost hear his own knees groaning in sympathy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'What was the real intention?! Which way is he going?!' Pickford couldn't tell, he felt Ling could violently change direction and shoot at any microscopic moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was getting genuinely dizzy from the rapid feints.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the keeper frozen, Ling didn't hesitate any longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He increased the lateral swing of his center of gravity, feinting a hard breakthrough and shot from the left side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pickford lived up to his status as England's number one goalkeeper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as he was completely fooled and about to lose his balance, he still made the correct, desperate judgment to dive that way.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Ling didn't even touch the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Pickford helplessly fell heavily to the ground, grabbing at thin air, Ling simply let the ball roll and dribbled away from the right side, leaving behind an unreachable, mocking silhouette.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling didn't elegantly slot the ball into the empty net with a tap-in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The high-speed pendulum dribble not only demands exceptional physical fitness and core strength but also incredibly refined, delicate skillful technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the end of the sequence, even he was on the absolute verge of losing his balance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He managed to poke a shot toward the goal just before tumbling to the turf.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, his luck and technique held out, and the ball trickled over the line, ensuring he didn't deliver a promising, highlight-reel start with a disappointing, meme-worthy finish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gary Neville: \"GOOOOAAALLL!!! Manchester United scores another incredible goal before the end of the first half!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wayne Rooney: \"No comeback, no Red Devils!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gary Neville: \"If you turn on the TV and see Manchester United trailing early, don't worry—because under this team, we can always turn it around!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neville passionately commentated, his voice cracking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rooney listened quietly beside him and only spoke after Neville had finally settled down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Let's review this masterpiece from the tactical players' perspective,\" Rooney analyzed. \"Ashley Young's forward run earlier pinned down Digne, creating the initial one-on-one opportunity for Ling against Zouma.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And then came the most brilliant, individual part of this goal—Ling completed two incredibly difficult, highly skillful dribbles at top speed!\" Rooney continued, genuine awe in his voice.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"A high-speed elastico to beat Zouma, immediately followed by a devastating pendulum stepover feint to destroy Pickford—even at my absolute physical peak, I would have seriously struggled to pull that combination off without breaking my ankles. All I can say is: absolutely impressive!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Neville was in such a good mood he couldn't even be bothered to mock Rooney's admission of inferiority.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At Goodison Park, applause surprisingly thundered through the stadium.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the die-hard Everton fans couldn't help but rise to their feet and politely clap.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The goal was simply too beautiful, taking the spectacle of the match to another level of art.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besides, Manchester United and Everton have always had a relatively respectful relationship due to their shared hatred of Liverpool.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ling, does your knee hurt after that?\" Mahrez asked as they celebrated, rubbing his own knee in sympathy, his tone full of disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The strain on the joints was definitely significant, but I'm naturally built like an iron man—I can handle it!\" Ling chuckled a couple of times, accepting the hugs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it weren't for the hidden injury immunity module from his system, he definitely wouldn't have attempted such aggressive, joint-destroying dribbling at that speed—unless he wanted his career to last only two more years like the original Ronaldo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mahrez sighed, shaking his head. \"I'm so envious. If I had knees of steel like yours, I could cut inside and shoot even more frequently.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the two jogged back to their half, they passed by Richarlison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Brazilian youngster kept his head down and didn't dare to look Ling in the eye again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a player skilled in dribbling himself, he understood perfectly how insanely difficult that entire sequence of moves was—and he knew, deep down, he was far, far from capable of pulling it off.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't constantly compare yourself to a freak of nature, Richie. Be careful not to lose your own confidence,\" Sigurðsson patted the devastated Richarlison on the shoulder, speaking softly with the calm wisdom of experience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Richarlison responded with absolute silence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When someone with massive, arrogant ambitions is brutally crushed by undeniable reality, it's incredibly hard for them to bounce back psychologically.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not everyone is built like Cristiano Ronaldo, able to fiercely reclaim the Ballon d'Or through sheer willpower even after Messi had won it four consecutive times.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And so, this mental fragility destined Richarlison's ultimate ceiling to be not particularly high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The match resumed briefly before the referee blew for halftime.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Players from both teams returned to the dressing rooms with vastly different moods.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Silence was the oppressive theme for Everton.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how they tried to tactically or physically contain Ling, absolutely nothing worked—a heavy sense of helplessness hung over everyone in the blue dressing room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zouma, that goal wasn't your fault, son. Don't let it weigh too heavily on your mind,\" Marco Silva thought for a long moment before finally managing to say something to lift the gloom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zouma felt slightly better but tentatively suggested, \"Boss, could Idrissa drop back a bit deeper to help me? Otherwise, I really, really can't defend against him one-on-one.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The head coach naturally agreed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If Zouma got humiliated and dribbled past by Ling a few more times like that, his confidence would likely shatter completely—how could they continue playing the rest of the season like that?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side of the stadium...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The away dressing room was filled with loud laughter, music, and chatter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mourinho turned to Ling over the noise and said, \"In the second half, push your starting position even higher up the pitch to aggressively pull Everton's defensive line completely out of shape. We'll build our attacks directly from the Attacking Third.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that tactical tweak, Manchester United's three defensive midfielders could all push further forward, creating a massive numerical advantage in compact central areas to suffocate Everton.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Understood, boss,\" Ling nodded.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not many further adjustments were made, and the fifteen minutes passed quickly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The two teams switched sides for the second half!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Paul Pogba scored a sensational long-range strike for Manchester United in the 63rd minute, any remaining suspense or hope in the match was completely extinguished.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everton were broken.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mourinho immediately began making pragmatic substitutions to rest legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Marcus Rashford replaced Ling to a standing ovation from the away end, and Scott McTominay came on for Pogba.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The tactical approach instantly shifted to a much more defensive, possession-based focus to kill the game.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>N'Golo Kante became the brightest star on the pitch for the remainder of the half, his tireless presence visible absolutely everywhere as he frequently made crucial, drive-stopping interceptions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zouma's mentality didn't completely collapse thanks to the midfield help, but Richarlison's certainly did, finishing the game utterly anonymous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No further goals were scored until the end of the match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manchester United had showcased an ultimate, devastating offensive display in the first half and demonstrated a suffocating Steel Defense in the second half.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gary Neville: \"Congratulations to Manchester United for taking a crucial three points from Goodison Park with a 3-1 victory.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wayne Rooney: \"However, Manchester City narrowly defeated Tottenham 1-0 in yesterday's tense league match, so Pep's men still firmly hold the top spot in the standings, maintaining their two-point lead over Manchester United.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Gary Neville: \"As for the final outcome of the Premier League Title? Who will ultimately win between Manchester United and Manchester City will be decided in the massive Manchester Derby in just four days' time!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>---\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I'll post a few chapter for the goal keeper fic here, a slight spoiler the mc can rewind time for a few seconds, will play for portugal and only have a single girl. warn me if you already read a fanfic with that setup.\u003C\u002Fp>",2795,"2026-06-05T22:48:23.062Z",1,"novelbin.me","86cce4c779b4fb629db33b37705fc221159d4f6a725065975193dae131702af1","start-with-r9-template-chapter-371","start-with-r9-template-chapter-369",371,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstart-with-r9-template-cover.jpg"]