VEB Arena.
Manchester United players hugged and high-fived each other, celebrating this hard-fought victory from thousands of miles away.
A smile never left Ling's face - he never expected his Champions League debut to go so smoothly, not only scoring two goals but also contributing an assist.
Seeing Ling's expression, De Gea couldn't resist teasing him.
"Congratulations, our Champions League top scorer."
Ling was momentarily stunned before quickly understanding the joke, suddenly feeling somewhat embarrassed.
Since only two rounds of the Champions League had been played, and Manchester United's match started earliest, he was tied with several players including Ronaldo for the top scorer position with two goals each.
It was essentially exploiting a technicality, but when would he truly win the Champions League Golden Boot?
With his system by his side, his abilities would definitely grow rapidly.
He set a small goal to achieve it within two seasons.
Thinking this, Ling felt reinvigorated with motivation.
After a while, everyone returned to the locker room.
"To be honest, your performance exceeded my expectations. Everyone fulfilled their roles perfectly."
"But don't get too arrogant because of this. CSKA Moscow has limited strength and serious tactical issues."
"And there are still many defensive details we haven't handled well as a team."
"This is just the beginning. We'll face stronger opponents in the future with more complete tactical systems."
Mourinho habitually praised first before pointing out shortcomings.
Finally, he added: "So let's keep working hard together."
Then he left to attend the post-match press conference.
He hadn't forgotten the criticism from Manchester United legends earlier, and now with the opportunity, he was determined to prove them wrong.
The locker room was quiet for a moment before becoming lively again.
"Ling, the coach is exactly as you described."
"Yeah, cold on the outside but warm inside, just like an egg tart."
Ling chuckled, thinking to himself that he had now become something of a bridge between the coach and players.
Combined with Ibrahimović's presence, the Manchester United locker room shouldn't have major issues before the season ended.
He wasn't just considering Mourinho's position, but also his own future.
After all, a stable locker room could significantly boost the team's competitiveness, allowing him to ride this big ship toward more achievements and honors.
...
Meanwhile, at the post-match press conference.
"Mr. Mourinho, what are your thoughts on Manchester United players' performance today?"
A Guardian reporter raised his hand to ask.
Mourinho adjusted the microphone slightly before suddenly smiling: "Of course, and I have many thoughts."
"Anyone who watched this match would notice that all Manchester United players were doing their jobs and fulfilling their roles."
"More coordination, more tackles, more shots, more passes..."
"I've said before that offense is just a method. It's not that I can't use it, but I need to balance it with the team's overall structure."
"It appears I've succeeded in that."
Another reporter, eager to stir trouble, continued fueling the fire.
"Then how do you view the recent external doubts about your coaching abilities and criticism toward Manchester United?"
Mourinho pursed his lips and spread his hands open.
"Hmph, I've never doubted my coaching abilities, even during the low points of my career."
"As for the criticism from outside, what exactly is its purpose?"
"If it's directed at me personally, it's not a big deal."
"But if it's aimed at our entire team, then I must find a way to make the players feel protected."
The reporters below felt slightly disappointed—this response ultimately lacked a bit of fire.
Nonsense.
Mourinho isn't a fool; he doesn't have time to pick fights with others.
Moreover, he's suffered enough from verbal disputes in the past and naturally won't repeat those mistakes.
He firmly believes that when the team's performance and results improve, the doubts will fade away.
...
Soon, the Manchester United players boarded the private flight back home.
The straight-line distance from Moscow to Manchester is about 2,600 kilometers.
Ling lay comfortably on the bed, his thoughts swirling.
United's final league match of the month would be against Crystal Palace in two days. Last season, they finished 14th, and their overall strength isn't particularly strong.
So, with the current squad, even if he couldn't start, he could still make the team sheet.
He then pulled out his tablet to study Crystal Palace's match footage, eventually dozing off without realizing it.
...
September 30th. Old Trafford.
The match had reached the 6th minute.
Rashford used his pace to break through on the wing, cut into the box, and curled a cross to the far post.
Mata followed up with a volley into the net.
1-0!
On the sidelines, Hodgson's expression grew increasingly grim.
He had come to revitalize Crystal Palace, only to suffer six consecutive defeats at the start.
Losing to Liverpool and Southampton was understandable.
But now, they couldn't even put up a fight against Huddersfield, Burnley, and Swansea.
They lost records, they lost spirit, they lost style.
In short, they lost spectacularly.
Hodgson had hoped to capitalize on United's travel fatigue to stage a stunning comeback.
Little did he expect his players, weighed down by the losing streak, to be in such poor form.
Moreover, Rashford seemed spurred on by something, displaying terrifying explosive dribbling from the start and tearing through Crystal Palace's flank defense.
Before Hodgson could catch his breath, United's relentless attacks surged again.
In the 27th minute.
Ashley Young overlapped down the wing and delivered a cross from near the byline.
The recently recovered Fellaini, with his iconic afro, outjumped Crystal Palace's defenders and headed the ball into the net.
2-0!
...
Meanwhile.
In the Sky Sports studio, United legends were turning noticeably red.
Just five minutes earlier, they had boldly predicted that United would sit back and defend after taking the lead, adhering to their 1-0 philosophy.
But that goal felt like a slap in the face, leaving even the most shameless among them speechless.
...
The first half ended quickly.
Just 49 seconds into the second half, Rashford broke through on the wing again and delivered a cross from a 45-degree angle.
United's towering players stormed into the box.
Fellaini rose majestically, executing a true Belgian hammer, and blasted the ball into the net once more.
3-0!
Hodgson glanced over at the opposing bench, where Mourinho stood with his arms crossed, seemingly unsurprised.He suddenly let out a silent sigh.
In truth, Manchester United's tactics were quite straightforward—they relied on Rashford's straight-line sprints to continuously drain the stamina of Crystal Palace's defenders.
Then, they would seize opportunities to deliver crosses or shift the ball into the half-spaces, launching aerial assaults inside the opposition's penalty area.
But with the limited resources at his disposal, all he had were small cards like 3s, 5s, and 8s, leaving him no choice but to watch helplessly.
It seemed a seventh consecutive defeat was inevitable.
He had always prided himself as a master of avoiding relegation—could it be that he would falter this season?
He suddenly felt that his decision to take over Crystal Palace had been a mistake.
When the match reached the 72nd minute.
Ling came on as a substitute for Rashford.
He deliberately ran over to his teammates, covering his mouth as he whispered a few words.
What followed was a familiar script.
Ling repeatedly used his dribbling skills to launch attacks, making the already exhausted Crystal Palace players even more miserable.
They had no choice but to grit their teeth and endure.
As time passed.
The match situation shifted in the 86th minute.
A sudden interchange of positions among the Manchester United players caught the defenders off guard.
Lukaku received a through ball from Mkhitaryan and swept it toward the center from the right side of the penalty area.
Facing a crowd of defenders, Mata cleverly let the ball roll past him, and Ling calmly slotted it into the empty net.
4-0!
Another resounding victory.