When Manchester United scored two goals in just a few minutes, reversing the deficit, Ferguson on the coach's bench ran off his seat, raising his arms to celebrate. He didn't look anything like the composed figure he had been when they conceded.

So, in reality, he cared a lot about the score.

He was very pleased with his players' performance after falling behind. They had followed his tactical instructions closely and shown a great mental attitude.

He believed that being able to stubbornly equalize and then take the lead after conceding an early goal would be a tremendous boost to the team's morale, an effect that could last until the end of the match. Manchester United could win this game because of it.

However, he did not shrink back into defense after taking the lead, hoping to hold onto the one-goal advantage. He continued to urge the players to attack.

Because he knew that a one-goal lead wasn't safe. The opponent could equalize at any time, and then the morale of both sides would be completely reversed.

To ensure the advantage, he did not strengthen the defense but instead went the other way, strengthening the attack. Facing this opponent, who was good at defensive counterattacks, the old coach Ferguson's approach was indeed very bold.

But it was also the only thing he could do.

Moreover, the enthusiastic home atmosphere made every Manchester United player's blood boil and their heads heat up. Rather than suppressing their emotions, it was better to guide them correctly.

In the following game, the situation continued to be Manchester United attacking and Liverpool defending and counterattacking, and nothing changed.

Only the cheers and songs of the Manchester United fans in the stands were louder and more frequent.

※※※

Most of the commentators were not optimistic about Liverpool. The goal in the second minute of the game was now blamed on "luck." It was good luck, Liverpool had shit luck to get that goal. Manchester United hadn't entered the game at that time. Once they regained control of the game, their powerful strength was fully displayed, and Liverpool naturally couldn't stop it.

Some commentators were also criticizing Martin O'Neill's conservatism. They believed that if Liverpool had not retreated after taking the lead, but had continued to attack strongly, they might now be leading by two or even three goals. Would there still have been a situation where Manchester United scored two goals in six minutes?

"I think if Chen Xing ends up empty-handed at the end of the season, he should consider replacing Liverpool's coach. Martin O'Neill's ability is only so great. Want to rely on him to revive Liverpool? I might as well count on Dalglish..." The commentator's words were very venomous, not giving Martin O'Neill any face at all. Fortunately, O'Neill couldn't hear it, otherwise, who knows how angry he would be.

As the commentator said this, the TV broadcast gave Martin O'Neill a close-up, and it was clear that the broadcast director of this game also believed that the problem lay with Liverpool's coach.

In the close-up, Martin O'Neill pursed his lips with a blank expression.

It was impossible to tell what his attitude was toward the current situation.

※※※

In fact, Martin O'Neill was a little nervous inside.

Because he had been walking a tightrope.

All the arrangements he had made before were based on the premise that he could eventually defeat Manchester United.

He was gambling.

If his team couldn't beat Manchester United and eventually win the league title, everything he had done before would become a weapon for others to attack him. He was essentially handing out a lot of handles, including not rotating players, insisting on using the same lineup to cope with the most difficult schedule, over-relying on Chen Hero... and so on.

The price of losing the bet might be saying goodbye to Liverpool's coaching position.

The price was a bit high, but he had no choice.

He maintained a blank expression because he didn't want others to see the tension in his heart.

But if he won the bet... the rewards would be huge!

He would forever engrave his name in Liverpool's history.

Moreover, he had opened up a completely new situation—he firmly believed that defeating Manchester United at Old Trafford and completely depriving them of the league title would be a very cruel thing for this Manchester United team, perhaps causing them to collapse or at least affecting them for several years.

These subsequent effects were what O'Neill valued most. He knew very well that if Liverpool wanted to revive, Manchester United was a mountain that could not be bypassed. They had to conquer it to continue moving forward, otherwise, any talk of revival would just be a joke.

※※※

Nani scored in the thirty-ninth minute of the first half. Manchester United's celebration time was a bit long. When the game resumed, it was already forty-one minutes.

There was actually very little time left for Liverpool. Even though there were as many as three minutes of injury time in the first half, Liverpool didn't score.

When the referee blew the whistle to end the first half, Liverpool were temporarily behind Manchester United 1-2 away from home.

"The first half is over! What a wonderful forty-five minutes! The match between these two bitter rivals is really exciting! Just the first half alone is worth the price of admission!"

"Three goals, each one wonderful, and the process was full of ups and downs, just like a blockbuster!"

"Is Liverpool really done for? I can see some different answers from their expressions as they leave the field. After all, there are still forty-five minutes left, so it's too early to give up... I think we can completely start looking forward to the wonderful drama of the second half!"

After the commentator finished speaking the last sentence, he took off his headset and turned off the microphone. They also needed a halftime break. Some people got up to go to the bathroom, while others sat in their seats and rested. Of course, now that it's the Internet age, some commentators simply took selfies in the commentary box at Old Trafford and posted them on Twitter and Facebook—this game attracted commentators from many countries, and some of them had never been to Old Trafford to commentate on a game before. This game was quite memorable for them.

The commentators were resting, and the fans needed to rest even more. They could buy a drink, go to the bathroom, or have a cigarette.

Liverpool fans gathered together to chat during the break.

The first half gave them too much to say.

But now, they were most concerned about one question.

"Did Hero hear our voices? I saw him pointing at our stand..."

"I don't think it's possible to hear it, no... it should be said that it's completely impossible to hear it. He was just pointing over there by coincidence."

"Who says it's impossible? Even if he can't hear our voices, he should be able to feel our hearts, right?"

"The heart is too ethereal and illusory... who knows what that is..."

"I think Hero definitely knows that we are supporting him, after all, we came to the stadium to cheer for Liverpool. But whether he really heard our voices just now is hard to say..."

A group of people gathered together to debate this issue.

No one could convince anyone else, and everyone's words seemed to make some sense.

Phil Gibbs ended the argument: "What are you arguing about? What are you arguing about? What's there to argue about? Whether Hero heard us or not, won't we know in the second half? It's only fifteen minutes, just wait and see. Do what you need to do, and rest your voices. Don't talk so much, otherwise you'll all be mute when it's time for you to contribute in the second half! It would be embarrassing to let the Manchester United people laugh at us!"

※※※

While Liverpool fans were still arguing about whether Chen Hero had heard their support, in Liverpool's locker room, Martin O'Neill was praising the players' performance.

This sounded awkward. They were clearly behind, and they had been reversed after taking the lead. What was there to praise about such a performance?

But Martin O'Neill was seriously praising the players' performance in the first half.

What he was praising, of course, was not the performance of conceding goals, but that the players still strictly adhered to tactical discipline in the face of such unfavorable circumstances.

Nothing was more important than discipline, especially in such an important and crucial game. Discipline meant willpower, and players who obeyed discipline often had strong willpower, and could explode with great energy even in unfavorable situations.

This was the foundation for the team's comeback in the second half. So O'Neill certainly wanted to praise them. He was afraid that the players would waver in their hearts and start messing around if they saw that the situation was not right in the second half.

You have to wait until the coach has no other options before you start messing around... I still have a way here, and you start collapsing on your own. Even if I were God incarnate, I wouldn't be able to save you.

"Being one goal behind is nothing, just one goal. As long as we stick to our own style of play, we will definitely be able to reverse the situation in the second half! As for Manchester United, they will definitely be waiting for us to collapse in the second half... They will underestimate us, even if it's just a little bit, it's our chance. The home field is a huge motivation for them, but if they are in an unfavorable situation, it will become a huge pressure... It's a double-edged sword!"

Martin O'Neill kept encouraging the players. He and Chen Hero had the same idea: in such a game, whichever side's morale was low, that side was done for. Why was Manchester United able to come back after conceding a goal first? It was because they didn't panic after conceding the goal, and their morale wasn't affected, so they were able to score two goals in six minutes in the first half.

This was very important.

He didn't know if Chen Hero's encouragement on the field had worked. To be on the safe side, he decided to personally emphasize it again.

"In fact, we will have many opportunities in the second half. Because Ferguson will definitely let Manchester United continue to attack. A one-goal lead is too unsafe for him, and it will also allow us to see hope. So he has to be ahead by two goals or more to feel safe. This way, Manchester United will continue to attack. I believe everyone has already felt this in the first half. As long as they continue to attack, it will be our opportunity, guys. So we must be more patient than them! The opportunity will definitely come, and when it does... seize it!"

He clenched his fist tightly, as if he had really seized the opportunity.