Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 116

116. The Catastrophe

“Don’t be too rough today. The defenders are wearing two layers of clothing.”

Wout Weghorst is known for using his elbows and knees effectively, but he’s also good at pinching.

It’s no wonder the defenders avoid facing Wout Weghorst during Burnley’s internal training sessions.

“Just get out of the way, and nothing will happen.”

The opposing team player who heard Wout Weghorst’s words looked dumbfounded.

“You do know that *not* getting out of the way is their job, right?”

Wout Weghorst scoffed at his national teammate, who was hovering just outside his reach.

“If you’re so concerned, why don’t you come and stop me?”

“Me? Why would I, with those guys over there?”

Manchester United’s central midfielder, Donny van de Beek, chuckled.

Having played for the prestigious Ajax in the Netherlands, Donny van de Beek was expected to become a world-class midfielder. He transferred to Manchester United in the summer transfer market of the 2020/21 season for a transfer fee of £35 million. However, he failed to make a significant impact and was sidelined by successive managers.

He was even loaned to Everton last season after being deemed surplus to requirements, and he experienced the team’s relegation.

During that period, he didn’t look good whenever he was with the national team, but with the appointment of Erik ten Hag this season and the addition of his Ajax midfield partner, Frenkie de Jong, he has been performing well and looks much better.

“Looking good, huh?”

“Me? I feel like I’m alive again.”

“That’s good to hear.”

Wout Weghorst, who was continuing the conversation, gave a slight push to Donny van de Beek, who was smiling, and suddenly dashed toward the goal.

“Oh no!”

Donny van de Beek, who was initially responsible for marking Wout Weghorst in the defensive situation, realized his mistake, straightened his posture, and hurriedly followed him.

However, unlike Donny van de Beek, who briefly lost his concentration while talking, the veteran striker, who had not lost his focus on the game, didn’t miss the attacking opportunity.

“Jamal! Over here!”

At Wout Weghorst’s loud shout, signaling his position with a raised hand, Jamal Lewis, who was dribbling the ball down the left flank on a counterattack, quickly looked up to confirm his location.

“I’m on it!”

Almost simultaneously with Jamal Lewis’s left foot lifting to cross, captain Harry Maguire, who was directing the defensive line, shouted to his teammate and ran towards Wout Weghorst.

The newly signed central defense partner, Lisandro Martinez, is excellent in defense and has outstanding passing ability, but he is only 178 centimeters tall.

Usually, he doesn’t get easily pushed around in aerial duels, but today he met the wrong opponent.

Except for Liverpool’s world-class defender Virgil van Dijk, no defender in the Premier League can guarantee an advantage in a 1-on-1 contest against the Dutch giant. As he leaped towards the incoming cross, Harry Maguire braced himself for the impending impact and jumped with him.

Thud!

The sound of giants colliding was heard, but unfortunately, Harry Maguire’s height wasn’t enough to overcome Wout Weghorst, who had gained sufficient momentum by running a longer distance.

“No···!”

In Harry Maguire’s receding vision, he saw the opposing team’s central striker heading the sharply curving cross, turning his head.

And behind him, he saw the desperate expression of goalkeeper David de Gea, who was desperately reaching out and throwing himself towards the ball that had changed its trajectory to the upper right corner of the goal.

“Waaaaa!!!”

Amidst the enthusiastic cheers of the home fans in the stands, the excited voice of the stadium announcer echoed.

“Goal! It’s a goal! In the 11th minute, number 9 for the Clarets! The name of the man who scored is~!”

“Wout! Weghorst!!!”

It was the beginning of the game that Manchester United fans would later call ‘The Turf Moor Catastrophe.’

***

“Stay calm! There’s plenty of time! Close the gaps!”

Having conceded the opening goal, Manchester United began to circulate the ball, closing the gaps tightly as if not giving up any attacking opportunities.

Although they conceded an early goal, conversely, they could think that they have plenty of time to score an equalizer.

In contrast to Erik ten Hag, who was ordering his players to remain calm from the away team’s technical area, Hyungmin gestured wildly, instructing the Burnley players to press forward.

“Push them!”

Pushed back by Burnley’s intense forward pressure, the ball circulating in Manchester United’s territory rarely crosses the halfway line.

Eventually, Manchester United’s attacking midfielder, Bruno Fernandes, unable to bear it any longer, gestured for the ball and dropped back into his own territory, crossing the halfway line.

“No! Don’t give it to him!”

Erik ten Hag, discovering his player deviating from the pre-arranged position, urgently shouted to stop him, but right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who had been circulating the ball at the back, looking for an opportunity, instinctively connected a pass after spotting his teammate open in the center.

“Bruno!”

Confirming that the team’s attacking midfielder had the ball, Manchester United’s attackers scattered and charged towards Burnley’s penalty box.

Central striker Cristiano Ronaldo went straight to the penalty box.

Left winger Jadon Sancho widened the play on the left, moving outside of Burnley’s right-back, Guglielmo Vicario.

Conversely, right winger Marcus Rashford cut inside of Burnley’s left-back, Charlie Taylor, arriving in the penalty box a step later than Cristiano Ronaldo.

However, there was something that Manchester United’s attack, elated by the rare attacking opportunity, had failed to consider.

The reason why Burnley had been able to dominate the midfield in almost every game since last season, unless they proactively gave up.

Nicholas Seiwald, who was a model student to his teammates but a figure of terror to opposing midfielders, sprinted with all his might and pounced on Bruno Fernandes.

Thud!

“Ugh!”

A violent tackle from the front.

Skillfully touching the ball first to take it away, then his upper body bouncing up.

And a body check that was clearly intentional but stopped just short of a foul, making it difficult for the referee to call.

Bruno Fernandes, whose face was instantly buried in the turf, let out a painful groan, but the moment Nicholas Seiwald confirmed he had the ball, Burnley rapidly transitioned into a counter-attacking formation.

Wout Weghorst, who was pressing at the edge of the penalty box, pushed both of Manchester United’s central defenders with his massive frame.

Sebastian Szymański, who had charged in from the midfield, and Karim Adeyemi, who had cut in from the sideline, penetrated into the penalty box, bypassing the center where three players were entangled.

Thump!

And with a dull sound, the ball that left Nicholas Seiwald’s foot flew into the penalty box.

“Mark them! Number 7 and number 8!”

Even in the face of a rapidly unfolding counterattack, Manchester United’s goalkeeper David de Gea quickly issued instructions to the defenders without panicking.

However, unlike left-back Luke Shaw, who was closely chasing Karim Adeyemi, right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka was stuck marking Jamal Lewis, who was sprinting down the sideline.

With both central defenders tied up with Wout Weghorst, Donny van de Beek and Frenkie de Jong, who were guarding the midfield, were running over, but it was too late.

And the one who received Nicholas Seiwald’s pass and faced the goalkeeper in a 1-on-1 situation was none other than Burnley’s Polish international midfielder, Sebastian Szymański.

The young midfielder smiled as the ball fell in front of him and unleashed a shot with the outside of his left foot.

“Damn it···!”

Goalkeeper David de Gea cursed and threw his entire body, but the ball, which curved sharply to the left, passed through the lower right corner of the goal, leaving only an afterimage.

“Yes! That’s it!”

The Burnley players jumped up with cheers over their young teammate, who was standing in the middle of Manchester United’s penalty box, raising both arms and roaring.

***

“Welcome! Welcome to the Jungle!”

“Kim’s got fun and games!”

“Kim’s got everything you want honey!”

“Kim knows the names!”

“In the jungle, welcome to the jungle!”

“Watch it bring you to your shaking knees!”

(Guns & Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle”)

With the away fans silenced, Turf Moor echoed with the rough voices of the home fans, filled with joy.

Following Wout Weghorst’s opening goal in the 11th minute, Sebastian Szymański and Wout Weghorst scored consecutive goals in the 23rd and 25th minutes, bringing the score to 3-0.

The third goal was in a situation almost identical to the second goal, with Wout Weghorst shaking off the marking of Harry Maguire, the other central defender who was attached to him, while Manchester United’s central defender Lisandro Martinez ran to block Sebastian Szymański, who was penetrating into the penalty box.

It was clear that Manchester United’s players, who had conceded three goals in the first 25 minutes of an away game, were losing their morale.

The excited home fans were taking turns singing various chants, then raising their voices towards the manager who had planned today’s spectacular first half.

“It would be nice if they scored one more goal.”

Hyungmin, who was standing in the technical area, muttered as he saw Karolina approaching him.

Karolina glanced at the clock on the scoreboard and tilted her head.

“Is it possible? There’s not much time left?”

The clock was passing 43 minutes and heading towards 44 minutes of the first half.

Since it was a first half in which the away team was unilaterally beaten, there wouldn’t be much added time.

“Still, now is the chance.”

“Well, it’s good to score one more goal while they’re still out of it.”

Not all of Manchester United’s players have given up or lost their morale.

Cristiano Ronaldo in the front and captain Harry Maguire in the back were tirelessly encouraging their teammates, trying to lift the team’s atmosphere.

The problem was that some players responded to it, while others did not or could not, and the gaps between the players began to widen in the positions and movements directed by Erik ten Hag.

And the place where the gap is widening the most right now is the left flank of the defense, guarded by England international Luke Shaw, who is encouraging the defense along with the captain while revealing his aggressive tendencies and attempting counterattacks.

And there was a player on the field who had the same thought as Hyungmin.