St. Mary's Stadium fell into an eerie silence.
Fans from both sides felt dissatisfied.
The victors felt the performance was ugly and too nerve-wracking, completely unbefitting a top club's stature.
The losers felt they had dominated both before and after the goal, pinning their opponents down completely.
Yet they still lost the match, leaving them with an indescribable sense of frustration.
....
Meanwhile, in the Sky Sports studio.
"Gentlemen, what are your thoughts on today's match?" Host Mark asked with a peculiar expression.
Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel spread his hands helplessly.
"I found today's match terribly dull. This might sound naive or romantic, but I believe Manchester United should strive to win every match beautifully."
Sitting beside him, Rio Ferdinand followed suit with ruthless criticism.
"In my view, football that only focuses on results while neglecting the process is detestable. So perhaps Mourinho's tactics are already outdated. Keeping Moyes would have been the best choice back then."
Now working as a BT Sport pundit, Paul Scholes also made a surprised expression and said in a strange tone.
"This is Manchester United we're talking about, but they retreated defensively from the very beginning, showing absolutely no intention to attack. To be honest, I was shocked after watching. I couldn't help but wonder - is this really Manchester United?"
"Of course, perhaps his tactics were effective since he won the match," Scholes conceded. "But I don't like his style at all, and I don't enjoy his tactics one bit. In my opinion, today's match was terrible."
In the mouths of these three, the match result had become irrelevant as they enthusiastically analyzed Mourinho, as if failing to criticize him would make them unworthy of being called professional players or great club legends.
...
On the pitch, the Manchester United players were expressing gratitude to their supporting fans, celebrating this hard-earned victory.
Yes, they had won with difficulty, but it felt immensely rewarding.
David De Gea patted Ling's butt and said with a laugh.
"I feel our understanding is getting better - I can always find you accurately in the crowd. That long pass just now was beautiful, reminiscent of Michael (Carrick)."
Juan Mata also came over, continuously offering praise.
"Haha, if not for Marcus, I don't think I would have had the chance to make that pass," Ling put his arm around Rashford's shoulder, replying with a grin.
While everyone was enjoying the victory, Mourinho had already headed to the post-match press conference, his expression remaining calm despite the media storm brewing around him.
Several minutes later, in the conference room.
"Mr. Mourinho, in the recent Sky Sports interview, Manchester United legends criticized your tactics as being too negative and conservative. What are your thoughts on this?"
Amidst flashing camera lights, journalists threw out their prepared questions.
Mourinho scanned the room, raised one finger and said coldly.
"In the formula for success, the most important thing is not to listen to what those less capable than you have to say. And unfortunately, those people have never sat in the manager's seat, so I see no need to heed their so-called advice."
The room immediately erupted into chaos.
This was equivalent to pointing at the Manchester United legends' noses and saying.
"When it comes to coaching, all of you are rubbish."
Predictably, this war of words wouldn't end easily.
"Furthermore," Mourinho continued, waiting for the room to quiet down. "If a team's defense is terrible, conceding five goals every match, but their attack is brilliant enough to score six goals, that would be wonderful. But I know Manchester United cannot score six goals every match. So we can only try to find the team's balance, and defense is the best way."
He believed there was nothing wrong with his tactics.
With midfield linchpin Pogba sidelined, Mkhitaryan and Mata faced immense defensive pressure, inevitably making their offensive play tentative.
Moreover, with the League Cup and Champions League ahead, he had to secure three points in the most economical way possible.
As for those who equate defensive play with ugliness, it didn't affect him.
Sometimes, pulling back a fist isn't cowardice, but preparation for a more powerful counterpunch.
In another conference room, Pellegrino gently adjusted his collar.
"From the look of the game, we didn't lose. Our defense and pressing were nearly perfect. We just need to correct a few minor mistakes, and with a bit of luck, we could achieve great success. I firmly believe this and hope the fans continue their support!"
As he finished, the reporters below looked utterly bewildered.
Later, the Manchester United players were preparing to leave the stadium when they ran into a reporter from The Sun, who stubbornly trailed them, asking for their thoughts on criticisms from club legends.
Naturally, they wouldn't share any opinions.
But Ibrahimović's fiery temper couldn't take it.
He had been singled out for criticism by legends since he joined.
He believed being criticized was normal—it just proved he was at the peak.
The real issue was that the legends' remarks only fueled internal conflicts and interfered with the club.
So he took the microphone and said disdainfully, "Why do they keep complaining on TV? Because they have no role at the club. I think instead of talking about this and that, as legends, they should actually do something for the team. People like Dalglish, Heynckes, Zidane, and Deschamps have done it well, making football feel warm. If they can't do that, they should just shut up and not use their influence to sway public opinion."
Seeing Ibrahimović growing agitated, the players quickly ushered him onto the team bus.
Although they had won, the players' moods weren't joyful; there was a tinge of gloom.
Ling sat by the window, watching the scenery flash by, and sighed silently.
Given the tendencies of Manchester United's management, there would surely be more drama.
But for now, focusing on improving his own abilities was key.
He still needed two more assists and goals to complete the system's task.
He had to push harder.