Chapter 682 New Year, New Beginning
Manchester United's first game in 2019 will be on the evening of January 1, when they will challenge Newcastle at the Sports Direct Stadium.
This is Manchester United's third game in the Christmas devil schedule and also the last league game in the Christmas devil schedule.
Perhaps it was because the team had broken AC Milan's record that the players also broke some shackles in their hearts and started to become normal.
The former St James Park, now the Sports Direct Stadium, was brightly lit this evening, and the stands were packed. At first glance, it was all a sea of black and white.
This season, after a difficult start, Newcastle has been getting better and better under the leadership of famous coach Benítez. It has now escaped the relegation zone and leaped towards the middle of the league.
Newcastle fans burst into wild and crazy enthusiasm, hoping that their team would end Manchester United's 59-game unbeaten record at home.
………………
"The players from both teams have entered the field and the game is about to begin. Let's take a look at the starting lineups for both teams." He Wei's voice rang out.
It was already late at night, which is not a very friendly time for Chinese fans. However, according to statistics afterwards, there were quite a lot of fans watching the match between Manchester United and Newcastle.
"For Man Newcastle, the goalkeeper is Dubravka."
"On the defensive line, Benítez deployed five defenders. The left back is Matt Ritchie, the three central defenders are Dummett, Lascelles and Scher, and the right back is Yedlin." He Wei said, "In the midfield, it is Ayoze Perez, Hayden, Diame and Atsu. Rong Dong is the single striker on the front line."
Mourinho was somewhat surprised by Newcastle's starting lineup. He did not expect Benítez to be so conservative and directly use a 541 formation.
After the game started, Benítez sat in his seat, staring at Manchester United players and pondering Mourinho's starting lineup.
The goalkeeper is the No. 1 goalkeeper De Gea. The central defenders are Lindelof and Maguire. The left back is Ashley Young and the right back is Dalot. Obviously, Mourinho has made a relatively large-scale rotation of Manchester United's defense.
In the midfield, Manchester United fielded a three-man defensive midfielder lineup of Kante, Gundogan and Fred. In front of the three midfielders is Bruno, the Manchester United captain appeared in the attacking midfielder position today, and the forward line is Harry Kane and young Greenwood.
Mourinho's on-the-spot change of formation made Benítez wary.
………………
Benítez stood up from his seat, roaring and cursing. He was very dissatisfied with the referee's decision.
Just five minutes into the game, Manchester United had already committed two fouls. This time it was Fred's very fierce tackle that knocked Ayoze Perez to the ground with the ball.
However, referee Martin Atkinson only gave Fred a verbal warning and did not issue a card.
After confirming that Atkinson would be the referee for this game, Mourinho made up his mind.
This referee is an old acquaintance. Mourinho was quite familiar with him when he was at Chelsea. Atkinson's law enforcement has always been very lenient: he has a high tolerance for physical resistance and some big movements, and he will not easily give out a card... well, until he can't bear it anymore, and if he does, it will be a red card.
What Manchester United has to do now is to strike first before Atkinson can tolerate it, and then...
The referee can also be a tool. As long as the right medicine is used, he can be used and traps can be set!
Mourinho's established tactic is that Manchester United will focus on offense in this game. His offense does not mean weakening the defense. Manchester United's offensive tactics are very hard and aggressive. There is only one purpose, which is to suppress Newcastle with offense and strive to provide protection for the defense line with offense against offense.
Manchester United's attack is very threatening and sharp.
In this game, Mourinho deployed three defensive midfielders of Gundogan, Kante and Fred in the midfield, which ensured Manchester United's defensive hardness in the midfield and its ferocity forward.
………………
Mourinho's arrangement gave Newcastle a lot of headaches. Benítez soon discovered that Newcastle's established tactics of opening attack were basically difficult to organize an effective attack in the face of Manchester United's tough midfield interception.
Manchester United's midfield interception was very fierce, even large-scale, and Newcastle lacked the necessary preparation for it.
Suddenly, the field was full of people and horses, and Newcastle, who were unprepared, were in a state of panic. Diame, Ayoze Perez, and even Hayden, Newcastle midfielders, were completely caught up in a muscle-wrestling battle with Manchester United.
Manchester United's tactics were very simple. The three defensive midfielders tore apart Newcastle's midfield and tried their best to protect Bruno, while Harry Kane and Greenwood were roaming in the frontcourt, ready to launch a critical attack at any time.
Manchester United quickly seized on a Newcastle mistake in the chaos and launched a successful counterattack.
This is Ayoze Perez facing Kante's struggle and being forced to pass the ball to Hayden.
Just as Hayden was about to receive the ball, he was surrounded by Fred and Ashley Young. He chose to pass it back to Matt Ritchie, but the ball was intercepted by Gundogan halfway.
Manchester United quickly launched a counterattack. Gundogan passed the ball to Bruno, and the Manchester United captain attracted the defense of many Newcastle players with the ball, and suddenly passed it to the side.
After Greenwood got the ball, he took two steps sideways and made a powerful long shot directly outside the penalty area.
The shot was very powerful and the speed was very fast. Dubravka didn't dare to hold the ball and chose to hit it out.
Harry Kane, who was lurking in the penalty area, got the ball before Schell. He first dribbled the ball to avoid Schell's robbery, and then passed the ball to the right.
Manchester United right-back Dalot made a low shot and the ball went into the net!
………………
"Dalot! Dalot! Beautiful shot! The Portuguese defender scored his first goal since joining Manchester United!"
"Manchester United's attack was very aggressive. Their right back rushed into the penalty area and scored before Yedlin!"
"1:0! Manchester United, playing away, leads Newcastle 1:0, they scored the first goal!"
Benítez was furious on the sidelines. He was very dissatisfied with the team's defense. Dalot was completely missed.
"We pressed too hard," the assistant coach advised.
Benítez snorted and said nothing.
He naturally knew the reason. Newcastle's tactic was to press forward and attack, relying particularly on the two flanks, especially Matt Ritchie's left flank. This made Matt Ritchie have to press forward frequently, and this time Manchester United attacked the space behind Matt Ritchie.
