Chapter 37
Chapter 37
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 37
Chapter Title: FA Cup Quarterfinals vs Newcastle United (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The current match between Manchester United and Newcastle United is the final quarterfinal of the FA Cup.
In other words, three teams have already advanced to the semifinals: one from two days ago and two from yesterday.
Among them is Manchester United's derby rival, Manchester City.
With fellow Big Six clubs Tottenham and Chelsea already in the semifinals, if Manchester United advances, it would create the perfect picture of the original Big Six filling the final four.
Of course, the score is still just 1-0.
With over 40 minutes left in the first half—not to mention the entire second half—nothing is certain yet.
But...
One thing was crystal clear.
The destructive power of the Ban Yeager and Lucas Cruydt duo was proving devastatingly effective even against Newcastle United, a team battling it out in the upper echelons of the EPL.
In simple terms, Newcastle was starting to get shredded helplessly by Yeager and Cruydt.
"Ugh!!"
Alex Donovan tried an overly aggressive shoulder barge and ended up tumbling on his own.
Thanks to that, I had a clear path for a comfortable forward dribble.
Bruno Guimarães immediately stuck to me, opening up the passing lane to Jack Fletcher.
Swoosh—
As I turned my body left to release the ball into Jack Fletcher's run, Guimarães reacted a step faster and shifted.
Spotting that, I chipped it outside with the outer instep and dashed right, shaking off the pressure effortlessly.
Antony immediately bombed down the sideline, and as Newcastle's left-back Lewis Hall flinched in response, I ramped up the speed and kept dribbling.
Lewis Hall belatedly twisted to block me, while center-back Sven Botman had no choice but to come across in cover.
Seeing that, I immediately back-heeled the ball behind me.
Yaaaaahhh!!—
Marc Bernal took it cleanly, earning a free shot on goal.
As Newcastle's defense panicked and shifted right, Bernal whipped a reverse pass across the box.
'Time to shine, Mount!'
I was nervous he might flub the touch even with space, but luckily, Mason Mount controlled it smoothly.
He cut inside, eyeing a cutback pass.
'Ah...'
The problem was it was so obvious, even the opponents could read it plain as day.
Whoosh—
Malik Thiaw flung himself into the cutback lane, blocking it completely.
The ball rolled outside the box, and Livramento cleared it far away.
Fortunately, it didn't lead to a counter; it went straight out for a throw-in.
We kept possession with the throw, but we'd blown a golden chance.
'Well... at least we didn't lose it.'
The biggest growth since joining Manchester United? Patience and understanding.
I'd expected too much from wingers who stuck around even after relegation to the second tier, with no one else calling them up.
Especially against a proper EPL newbie Big Six like this.
'Guess I'll carry the log myself.'
This match was always going to be like that.
The FA Cup we would've been knocked out of ages ago without me.
Having dragged us this far, it was on me to see it through to the end.
The first half ended with the score locked at 1-0.
Before kickoff, pundits had tipped the newly minted EPL powerhouse Newcastle United— not the fallen second-division overlords Manchester United—as clear favorites.
But in reality, United were dominating.
Even the 1-0 felt like a lucky, cheap steal.
And that was only possible thanks to the United wingers' disastrously poor finishing.
If they could even create chances properly, Cruydt and Ban Yeager would've buried them. But that was a stretch too far.
All they offered was basic shuttle passes for sideline interplay.
Naturally, all eyes turned to the one player returning to the squad after about a month out.
And that player's gaze fixed on the man holding the substitution cards: manager Darren Fletcher.
"Ahem! We'll make two changes right at the start of the second half. First, Shea Lacey—are you confident you can go?"
"No issues here."
"Good. Lacey starts on the right wing in place of Antony."
The squad's faces visibly brightened.
At least Antony wasn't the type to show open discontent at the vibe shift.
"And Toby Collier comes on for Jack Fletcher."
"...Understood."
Pulling even his own son without mercy if he underperformed.
A true powerhouse club, worlds apart from hole-in-the-wall operations where money and politics dictated the lineup.
Two subs right at the second-half kickoff, just as the players wanted.
This way, they could keep dictating play in the positive momentum.
The second half kicked off with us on the attack.
Newcastle hadn't made any subs yet.
But one thing had changed drastically from the first half: the press intensity.
Pinned back and scrambling defensively before, now they flipped the script with aggressive high press to smother us.
Whoosh—
A routine: Lucas Cruydt pings the kickoff pass, I let it roll through my legs to Marc Bernal.
This time, after the through-leg, I spotted Nick Woltemade charging from slightly left and shifted right to open Bernal's options.
Thwump—
Of course, Bernal's choice was a pass to me.
No reason to go anywhere else when I was an option.
But I wasn't wide open.
Before my marker Alex Donovan could close, Newcastle's left winger slammed into me first.
The duel with South Korea senior team starter Park Sung-soo was on.
"Ngh—"
Park wasn't trying to steal it outright; he focused on bodying me, turning my back to goal.
I could've shaken him, but no need to waste energy and time.
Thud—
I rolled it to the right-back ahead, and Jaden Kamason took it, accelerating into a forward dribble.
Park immediately switched to Kamason, who spotted Shea Lacey ahead and looked to play it.
Pang!!
"Lacey!!!"
I called for Lacey as Kamason passed, so Lacey one-touched it back my way.
A wide triangle pass shredded the high press, shaking my marker Alex Donovan in the process.
Lacey didn't stop, underlapping inside and dragging Livramento with him.
Thud.
Thud.
Pang—
Pass again, and Lacey repaid with a back-heel one-touch.
That bought time for Kamason's overlap, opening the flank wide.
Something impossible with Antony on the right.
Just Lacey's insertion made right-wing buildup fluid.
Even after busting the sideline open, Newcastle's center-backs stayed put, guarding the box instead of closing the cross.
Kamason bent his run along the goal line and dribbled on.
Only as he entered the box did Sven Botman rush out.
Kamason, waiting for it, slotted it straight to me.
Pang!!—
No trapping—direct ground pass.
The ball sliced through the grass, landing perfectly at Lucas Cruydt's feet.
Not in front of his feet, right under them.
Too awkward for an immediate shot.
Unavoidable with Guimarães and Botman nearby.
Thwump—
But the receiver was striker Lucas Cruydt.
Not Benjamin Šeško, Chido Obi-Martin, or Ethan Wheatley!
Yaaaaahhh!!—
I believed in you, damn it!!