Chapter 40
Chapter 40
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Translator: Silver Dragon
Chapter: 40
Chapter Title: Farewell to the Championship
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The match kicked off with Sheffield United's kickoff.
They needed the points just as badly.
The top two in the league go straight up to the Premier League, while teams from third to sixth fight it out in the playoffs for the final spot.
Not only was the gap to first place huge, but second was far ahead too.
The battle for positions from third to seventh was insanely tight.
With only five rounds left, any of them could drop out of the top six—and since the playoffs pit 3rd vs. 6th and 4th vs. 5th, the higher you finish, the better your chances.
Sheffield United were old hands at this promotion game, yo-yoing between the Premier League and the Championship for years.
And sure enough, their captain was another ex-Manchester United player.
Ban Yeager checked the marksman and scrolled through key players with the viewers.
To long-time Manchester United fans, Tahith Chong was a familiar name.
Now a seasoned striker settled at Sheffield United, he was gunning for his old club's heart.
Tweet!
The whistle blew, and Chong took the pass, charging forward.
Thud.
He stopped dead, staring down the pitch like a taunt, then as Lucas Cruijff closed in, whipped the ball back.
The old Tahith Chong Manchester United remembered was gone.
'Manchester United? My old club is just the past.'
He was Sheffield United's number 10, focused solely on grabbing points for his team.
Thwack—
The pass arced to the left flank.
It looked a bit too far, but Chong's quick feet turned it into a real threat.
Great one-on-one with the fullback, but bad matchup.
Thwack!!
Noussair Mazraoui cleanly nicked the ball and surged forward.
Sure, Chong was thriving at Sheffield now, and United's fall had put them in the same league.
But fact was, he was a United reject.
And coldly speaking, a team built around him...
Couldn't beat Manchester United.
Sadly.
Sheffield's early surprise raid got snuffed by Mazraoui, but it was a solid effort.
In the full 90 minutes, it was their best shot.
They conceded two clean goals each half, rock-solid defense or not.
No shot at third place for them.
No underdog miracle story here.
United's run was the miracle already.
The same day, same time—other matches too.
2nd-place United vs. 4th-place Sheffield ended in a blowout.
But 1st-place Leeds United vs. 3rd-place Leicester City? Total contrast.
10 minutes added time, score locked at 0-0.
Leeds defending their title, Leicester chasing direct promotion—the clash was fiercer than any other.
Both sides down a man, 10v10 slugfest.
If it ended 0-0, splitting a point each? Despair city.
They'd burned twice the energy for zilch.
Ban Yeager and the stream viewers—not all United fans, but watching together.
Draw drops Leeds to second, kills Leicester's momentum.
Perfect for United. Cheers erupted.
Ten minutes later.
Exhausted players from both sides couldn't muster a chance. 0-0 it ended.
Not the dream scenario for United fans, but Leeds dropped two points.
Manchester United climbed to first.
Not a perfect lead—tied on points, ahead on goal difference.
Didn't matter to United.
Even by a hair, once on top...
No one catches them.
Tough, sure. But simple: don't lose any of the last four.
Time to prep for life after promotion.
"Van Jaeger! Just heard Manchester United's top of the league! Congratulations!!!"
Post-Sheffield, named MOM, mid-interview—the news hit.
"Thanks. Amazing news."
"Points tied, but ahead on goal difference. Your goal-scoring prowess made this possible, right? Thoughts?"
What to think?
Obviously agree, super grateful to the reporter for pointing it out.
Can't say that straight, though.
"Goals are a team effort. Sure, we're thrilled now, but I want to nail the last four and gift the trophy to the squad."
I'm just a first-year pro scrub.
"World's top is our goal, always. Feels like we're finally heading there. Only possible thanks to unwavering fan support. So we'll always fight for the team's win—and we will."
Promotion was locked ages ago.
Given United's form, championship was basically theirs too.
Van Jaeger earned most of the credit, naturally.
Yet here he was, crediting the team and fans.
Fan support exploded hotter.
Fans cheer players, players run for fans.
This fire carried them: rounds 43 and 44, two more wins, same devastating force.
Leeds, drained from Leicester, drew both—tipping the title race fully United's way.
No rivals left in the Championship.
The FA Cup Semi-final
vs Tottenham Hotspur
TOT