Chapter 715: Brutal Battle
On the afternoon of April 28th, a Premier League matchday 36 clash took center stage at the Millennium Stadium as Manchester United hosted Chelsea.
Despite United's narrow three-point lead over second-placed Liverpool shrinking after their midweek loss to Manchester City, José Mourinho opted for a full rotation of his squad. This decision was dictated by the relentless schedule—just 48 hours after this game, United were set to face Ajax in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals at home.
The scheduling dilemma forced Mourinho to prioritize.
United had to either sacrifice this Premier League match or the crucial home leg against Ajax.
Mourinho made the tough but calculated decision to strategically deprioritize this league game. United's three-point lead in the league, coupled with their superior goal difference, provided a margin of error. Even if they lost to Chelsea while Liverpool and City won their respective games, United would only be tied on points with Liverpool, still leading City by a point.
With Huddersfield and Cardiff as their final league opponents, United remained well-positioned to secure the title as long as they won their last two games. However, forfeiting the Champions League semi-final's home advantage would leave their fate hanging by a thread, especially against an Ajax side that had already dispatched Real Madrid and Juventus.
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The match against Chelsea saw Mourinho field an entirely rotated XI.
Chelsea, too, made partial rotations. Having already fallen out of the title race, their primary focus shifted to the Europa League, where they were set to face Eintracht Frankfurt four days later in the semi-finals. Despite this, Chelsea's slightly less congested schedule allowed them to field a relatively stronger lineup compared to United.
United opened the scoring in the 11th minute. After a series of quick passes, Mason Greenwood delivered a deft lobbed pass to Ashley Young, who beat Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa by poking the ball across the box. Juan Mata followed through with a calm finish, finding the net.
The crowd erupted in applause for Mata.
The Spanish midfielder celebrated his 31st birthday in style, with a goal on the day.
Chelsea equalized just before halftime. Antonio Rüdiger launched a speculative long-range shot from midfield, which United's backup goalkeeper Sergio Romero failed to handle cleanly. Marcos Alonso capitalized on the rebound, slotting the ball in off the right post to make it 1-1.
The scoreline remained unchanged until full-time, with the match ending in a draw.
In other results from the round, Liverpool crushed Huddersfield 5-0 at home, boosting their goal difference and pulling within one point of United. Manchester City eked out a 1-0 away win over Burnley, keeping them two points off the top. Meanwhile, Tottenham and Arsenal, both conserving energy for midweek European matches, suffered upsets—Tottenham lost 0-1 at home to West Ham, while Arsenal were thrashed 3-0 by Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.
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As the Premier League entered its 36th round, the competition had grown exceptionally fierce and unforgiving.
Premier League Standings after Matchday 36:
Manchester United – 36 matches, 29 wins, 5 draws, 2 losses, 100 goals scored, 35 conceded, +65 goal difference, 92 points.Liverpool – 36 matches, 28 wins, 7 draws, 1 loss, 85 goals scored, 22 conceded, +63 goal difference, 91 points.Manchester City – 36 matches, 29 wins, 3 draws, 4 losses, 89 goals scored, 24 conceded, +65 goal difference, 90 points.Tottenham – 36 matches, 22 wins, 2 draws, 12 losses, 65 goals scored, 39 conceded, +26 goal difference, 68 points.Chelsea – 36 matches, 20 wins, 7 draws, 9 losses, 60 goals scored, 41 conceded, +19 goal difference, 67 points.Arsenal – 36 matches, 20 wins, 5 draws, 11 losses, 68 goals scored, 54 conceded, +14 goal difference, 65 points.Leicester City – 36 matches, 15 wins, 6 draws, 15 losses, 51 goals scored, 48 conceded, +3 goal difference, 51 points.Wolves – 36 matches, 14 wins, 8 draws, 14 losses, 45 goals scored, 48 conceded, -3 goal difference, 50 points.Watford – 36 matches, 14 wins, 8 draws, 14 losses, 50 goals scored, 53 conceded, -3 goal difference, 50 points.
Key Observations:
The title race between United, Liverpool, and City was reaching unprecedented levels of intensity. All three teams had performances that would typically secure the title in a regular season. Yet this time, the margin for error was razor-thin, and the battle seemed destined to go down to the wire.Tottenham, Chelsea, and Arsenal were embroiled in a fierce fight for the final Champions League spot, with Arsenal slightly disadvantaged, which explained their strategic decision to deprioritize the league for European ambitions.Leicester City, Wolves, and Watford were locked in a cutthroat competition for the last Europa League qualification spot.
The Premier League had become a battlefield, its every match a bloody, brutal contest.
The competition among Premier League teams is not limited to domestic battles; it has spilled over into European contests as well.
In the Champions League, three out of the four semifinalists are from the Premier League.
Manchester United faces Ajax for a spot in the final, while Liverpool and Tottenham compete for the other.
Liverpool has been remarkable this season. Not only have they relentlessly pursued United in the league, but they've also stormed through the Champions League to reach the semifinals.
However, this success has placed Liverpool in a dilemma.
On one hand, they've never won the Premier League title since its inception, leaving them lagging behind their archrival Manchester United in top-flight championships. With Mourinho guiding United to two Premier League titles, the Red Devils now boast 22 top-flight championships, compared to Liverpool's 18 old First Division titles.
If Liverpool loses the league title to United again this season, their deficit will grow to five championships, solidifying United's dominance.
On the European stage, Liverpool currently holds an edge. They've won the Champions League five times, compared to United's four, and have three UEFA Cup titles, exceeding United's single Europa League win. However, United does have one Cup Winners' Cup title, which Liverpool lacks.
Overall, Liverpool leads United 8–6 in major European trophies. This historical success underpins the belief of Liverpool fans that their club is England's greatest football institution.
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Yet, the current circumstances are unfavorable for Liverpool.
Not only do they trail United in both points and goal difference, but their Champions League opponent, Tottenham, is also arguably stronger than United's Ajax.
If Liverpool fails to win both the Premier League and the Champions League this season, they risk being caught by United in Champions League trophies while falling further behind in domestic titles. Such an outcome would weaken their claim as England's preeminent club.
This pressure has pushed Liverpool into an all-out pursuit of glory on both fronts.
Liverpool has risen to the challenge. In the league, following a draw with United at Old Trafford, they've achieved nine consecutive wins, including victories over Everton, Tottenham, and Chelsea.
They remain unbeaten in 15 games, with their last loss dating back to a 2–1 defeat at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium.
Across the season, Liverpool has only suffered one loss—the fewest among Premier League teams. Even United has lost twice.
Despite Liverpool's resilience, United holds significant advantages.
With the world's most valuable squad and unmatched depth, United is considered the strongest team in football today. Liverpool's ability to compete on two fronts owes much to their determination and collective hunger for victory.
Every Liverpool player shares the same inner voice: they must not lose to Manchester United again.
They must defend their legacy as England's greatest club.
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Meanwhile, United has little time to dwell on their rivalry with Liverpool.
Their immediate focus lies on facing Dutch powerhouse Ajax.
To prepare for the decisive home leg against Ajax, Mourinho and his coaching staff compiled extensive dossiers on Ajax. These included reports on their domestic league matches, Dutch Cup games, and Champions League fixtures, along with player data and analyses of both their strengths and weaknesses.
Mourinho's desk in the coaching office was overflowing with materials, reflecting the thoroughness of their research.
It's safe to assume that Erik ten Hag's Ajax was conducting similarly meticulous preparations.
This semifinal clash isn't just about millions in prize money. It's about reaching the final, competing for the trophy, and unlocking over €100 million in potential revenue, including millions in Champions League winner bonuses.
From a business perspective, this is a deal worth billions of euros. Any company handling such a high-stakes transaction would spare no effort in its preparation.
Mourinho even made rooming arrangements with a purpose.
Bruno Fernandes and İlkay Gündoğan were paired together, signaling their likely partnership in midfield for the match. The intention was clear: to give them a chance to strategize and find ways to dismantle Ajax during the game.
The night in Manchester passed quietly, like any other matchday eve.
Bruno spent some time on a call with Liu Xian'er, who had traveled with the team's other partners and family members but was staying in a separate area of the hotel. Contact between the groups was prohibited.
Afterward, Bruno spoke briefly with Gündoğan before turning in.
In his system training simulator, Bruno spent the night practicing against Ajax's defensive setup, familiarizing himself with their backline. He hoped to deliver a stellar performance the following night at the Millennium Stadium.
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