Chapter 838: The Dark Past
At 8 PM on December 29, 2020, Manchester United hosted Wolverhampton Wanderers.
This was a marquee fixture of the Premier League's 16th round—and also United's final match of 2020.
Originally, it was set to be United's final game ever at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, but since Manchester remained a high-risk area during the pandemic, fans were still not allowed into stadiums. Meanwhile, the new Old Trafford had just been completed but still required final equipment and safety checks. After thorough discussions among club executives, United postponed their return to the new stadium until the following season's opener.
As such, all remaining home fixtures of the current season would continue to take place at the Millennium Stadium.
After two consecutive impressive seasons, Wolves' "dark horse" buzz had faded in their third Premier League campaign. After fifteen matches, they had recorded six wins, three draws, and six losses, ranking 11th in the table.
Even so, Wolves put up a stubborn fight against United. The fixtures had been relentless, and though Mourinho rotated as much as he could, fatigue was catching up with his players. United's performance lacked sharpness.
After forty-five minutes of grinding play, the score remained 0–0 at halftime.
...
Inside the United dressing room at the Millennium Stadium, only the sound of heavy breathing broke the silence.
Facing a resilient Wolves side, everyone had given their all, each player visibly drained yet determined.
Soon, Mourinho entered with Rui Faria to deliver halftime instructions. The tactical setup would remain largely the same, but with a few positional tweaks.
He wanted Bruno to pressure Wolves' young right-back Ki-Jana Hoever more aggressively.
At just 19 years old, Hoever's inexperience made him a potential weak spot.
Bruno immediately nodded, promising to exploit any opening he could find.
Mourinho also urged İlkay Gündoğan to push higher, particularly targeting Wolves' left flank.
In the middle, Harry Kane's role was to pin the center-backs and hold off the defensive midfielder.
By pushing both Bruno and Gündoğan forward, Mourinho aimed not only to tighten pressing but also to weaponize their creativity on the counterattack—especially Bruno, whose vision and technique could decide the game.
"Alright, everyone, that's how we approach the second half," Mourinho concluded.
"This match will come down to patience. Stick to our game plan and wait for the opposition to make a mistake. When the chance comes, one strike—one fatal blow!"
"The players have returned to the field," said the commentator. "They look energized again—ready and confident."
"Here comes United's superstar, Bruno Fernandes—recently crowned Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year winner for the third consecutive year, surpassing Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to claim the title of best player in the world."
"United fans hope he'll continue his incredible form and inspire another victory tonight."
...
The second half kicked off.
United stuck to their original approach, with Bruno and Gündoğan taking more advanced positions.
Wolves, under sustained pressure, retreated deep and settled into a compact counter-attacking shape.
United created a few half-chances but lacked end product. It wasn't until the 64th minute that they registered a truly dangerous move—Bruno combined with Rashford down the left, who fed Gündoğan on the edge of the area. The German rifled a shot wide.
That miss made Wolves even more cautious. They tightened their back line and waited for counterattack openings.
Sensing this, Mourinho reinforced midfield defensive stability through substitutions, biding his time for Wolves to slip up.
As time ticked away, anxiety began to set in among United's players.
Having dominated English football for years and won nearly every trophy available, United carried the pride of champions—the weight of expectation pressing hard.
Wolves, on the other hand, grew in confidence with each successful defensive stand.
Mourinho noticed the shift and urged calm from the touchline, reminding his men to stay patient. Even a draw wouldn't hurt their eleven-point cushion at the top of the table.
...
As the match entered stoppage time, everyone assumed United were heading for their second straight draw in this brutal holiday run—until everything suddenly changed.
Perhaps emboldened by repeatedly repelling United's attacks, Wolves grew reckless. They decided to push forward for a late counterattack of their own.
In the 91st minute, Hoever advanced down the right. Bruno sprinted in from midfield to challenge, forcing a hasty cross into traffic.
Out of respect—and fear—of Bruno's defensive tenacity, Hoever avoided direct contact and misplaced his pass. Luke Shaw intercepted on the left and quickly played Bruno forward.
Bruno controlled the ball, turned, and angled diagonally toward the penalty area.
He burst into a sprint—years of discipline had honed his dribbling to an almost instinctive rhythm, each stride precise and perfectly measured.
His acceleration shredded Wolves' midfield, surging straight at their back line.
Harry Kane read the play instantly—moving wide right to open space and pull a defender away.
Conor Coady stepped up to close Bruno down, using his body, but Bruno, instead of yielding, accelerated again and muscled him off balance.
The Wolves defense was in complete disarray—Coady beaten, the backline exposed.
As Bruno reached the edge of the box, Romain Saïss abandoned his mark on Kane to confront him head-on.
...
At the top-left arc of the box, Bruno saw Saïss rushing across and coolly slipped a diagonal pass into the right channel.
Rashford anticipated it perfectly, sprinted forward, and before goalkeeper Rui Patrício could react, slotted a sharp low shot into the net.
"Goal!!!!"
"Rashford!!!!!"
"What a pass from Bruno Fernandes! Rashford strikes in the 92nd minute to finally break the deadlock!"
Bruno sprinted in celebration, leaping onto Rashford's back as the English forward charged toward the stands where United's fans were seated.
Substitutes and teammates poured in from all directions, surrounding the pair in jubilation.
"Magnificent! Bruno carried the ball thirty meters from midfield before slicing through Wolves' defense and setting up the winning goal!"
"A stunning assist and a proof of sheer individual brilliance!"
...
With that stoppage-time winner, United earned victory in their final match of 2020.
In an exhausting and turbulent year, both Manchester United and Bruno ended on a high.
Because of pandemic-related disruptions, United had played only 35 league matches in 2020—registering 28 wins, 5 draws, and just 2 losses, the best record of any Premier League side.
They had also played 11 Champions League matches, winning 9, drawing 1, and losing 1—claiming the European Cup once again.
In addition, United reached the FA Cup final, won the League Cup, and captured the UEFA Super Cup.
For Bruno personally, 2020 was extraordinary. Across all competitions, he made 53 club appearances, scoring 58 goals and providing 35 assists.
In the Premier League, he had 34 appearances for 37 goals and 24 assists.
With Portugal's national team, he added 4 goals and 4 assists in 6 matches, helping them reach the UEFA Nations League semifinals.
In total across club and country, he had played 59 matches, scoring 62 goals and providing 39 assists—directly contributing to 101 goals. It was his fifth consecutive year surpassing 100 goal involvements since 2016.
The next day brought more good news for United fans—Newcastle held Liverpool to a 0–0 draw at St. James' Park.
That result meant, as 2021 approached, Manchester United had extended their Premier League lead to a commanding 10 points—bringing their fifth consecutive league title within reach.
The table now stood as follows:
Manchester United – 16 matches, 14 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss, 43 points
Liverpool – 16 matches, 9 wins, 6 draws, 1 loss, 33 points
Aston Villa – 16 matches, 9 wins, 2 draws, 5 losses, 29 points
Leicester City – 16 matches, 9 wins, 2 draws, 5 losses, 29 points
Everton – 15 matches, 9 wins, 2 draws, 4 losses, 29 points
Southampton – 16 matches, 7 wins, 5 draws, 4 losses, 26 points
Chelsea – 16 matches, 7 wins, 4 draws, 5 losses, 25 points
Manchester City – 14 matches, 7 wins, 4 draws, 3 losses, 25 points
(END CHAPTER)
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