Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 32

32. Time of Pain and Endurance

As the Burnley and Manchester City players battled in front of the goal, Burnley’s aggressive defense pushed Manchester City’s players back to the penalty spot.

Burnley firmly secured their advantage in front of the goal.

With goalkeeper Nick Pope and flanking defenders Charlie Taylor and Matt Lowton on guard, watching the players darting from the penalty spot towards the goal, Riyad Mahrez prepared to take the corner kick.

“Ah!”

Nick Pope groaned, sensing something was off.

A typical corner kick involves a high, arcing trajectory, making it difficult for the goalkeeper to punch away.

Since it’s an event within the penalty box, the goalkeeper, who can use their arms even after jumping, has a significant advantage, followed by tall central defenders who can defend with their backs to the goal.

However, Riyad Mahrez’s corner kick flew much lower and faster towards the six-yard box [the area immediately in front of the goal] than Burnley’s players anticipated.

Before the incoming ball could reach the nearest Burnley defender, Manchester City’s central defender, Nathan Aké, waiting on the right side of the penalty box, dove in.

Burnley’s players were startled by Nathan Aké’s sudden header, which intercepted the ball flying fiercely at almost chest height, redirecting it into the bottom left corner of the goal, shaking the net.

“Goal! It’s a goal! Number 6 for City, Nathan Aké!”

Hyungmin clicked his tongue, watching the cheering Manchester City players and home fans.

“When did they get so good at corner kicks?”

Arthur asked, observing the goal that resulted from a combination of precise positioning, coordinated player movements, and, above all, an accurate corner kick, despite the lack of significant height.

“Most teams facing Manchester City have been all-in on defense. They get so many free kicks and corner kicks that it seems they’re trying to turn that into a strength this season.”

Arthur looked at him with surprised eyes at Hyungmin’s words.

“You’ve already looked into it?”

“I have. More than just looked… Actually, they’re just good at taking corner kicks and free kicks, and there’s no special way to stop it. We just have to defend well, too.”

Half-time.

Manchester City, who dominated the first half with a whopping 64% possession, seemed confident in their advantage, probing Burnley’s goal without rushing.

Burnley’s players, as if remembering the passionate defense of the Sean Dyche era [referring to Burnley’s previous manager known for a defensive style], threw themselves to block shots, but apart from the shots that Manchester City generously allowed to pull Burnley forward, they couldn’t penetrate the opponent’s territory at all.

Hyungmin stood in the middle of the away team’s locker room, looking around.

His players, slumped in various spots, looked at their coach with expressions of frustration and annoyance rather than exhaustion.

Should I do something? No, can I even do anything?

Hesitating inwardly, Hyungmin decided to try something, even if it might not work, seeing the players’ desperate eyes searching for a breakthrough.

“It won’t be easy, but there’s one thing we can try.”

Hyungmin forced a relaxed smile towards the players who were looking at him with curiosity and hope.

“Overall, almost all Manchester City players can pass, but in relaxed situations, the ball is often passed to Kevin De Bruyne. After all, he’s the most creative and aggressive player in Manchester City.”

“So?”

James Tarkowski asked impatiently, as if urging the coach who was stating the obvious to any team that had faced Manchester City.

“Again, it won’t be easy. Frankly, we can only use it once, and it’s close to a cheap trick. We’re going to set a trap for Kevin De Bruyne.”

“How?”

This time, it was Josh Brownhill with an intrigued expression.

“Okay, gather around here for a moment.”

Hyungmin gathered his players in front of the tactics board.

The second half, starting with Burnley’s kickoff, began after the 15-minute half-time break.

The start of the second half flowed much like the end of the first half.

The Manchester City players passed the ball around, drawing in Burnley’s players, occupying the space they vacated through passes, and constantly looking for openings.

However, as the second half began, Burnley’s players seemed to be accumulating fatigue, generally reducing the intensity of their pressure and focusing on the midfielders rather than directly pressing Manchester City’s defenders.

A small number of Burnley fans, saddened by their team’s shrinking performance, sang their support diligently, but Manchester City’s home fans, confident of victory, cheered their team even louder.

The trap that Hyungmin planned and Burnley’s players participated in was triggered.

51st minute of the second half.

In the increasingly relaxed space, Manchester City’s players comfortably exchanged passes, looking for opportunities.

As Burnley’s players retreated little by little, Manchester City’s line also advanced, and the space behind the defense line gradually widened.

Nathan Aké, who had received the ball from the defense, passed it to Jack Grealish, who was playing as a left winger.

Jack Grealish was trying to penetrate through a triangle pass after passing to Kevin De Bruyne, who had come to receive the ball.

However, as soon as the ball left his foot, Burnley’s Karim Adeyemi and Hannibal Mejbri, who were standing in a blind spot not easily visible to Jack Grealish, sprinted towards Kevin De Bruyne.

Kevin De Bruyne was surrounded before he could even properly receive the ball.

The two young Burnley prospects roughly challenged the world-class Belgian midfielder, snatching the ball from his feet.

Sensing the crisis, Jack Grealish and Manchester City’s left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko rushed to support De Bruyne.

“No! Hold your positions!”

Manchester City’s coach Pep Guardiola and veteran midfielder Fernandinho, who started the game, shouted simultaneously from the technical area, but both players had already left their positions.

Karim Adeyemi, who had stolen the ball, pushed it to Burnley’s midfielder Josh Brownhill, who had come up from behind.

And Josh Brownhill played a long pass to Hannibal Mejbri, who had started running forward as soon as the ball was stolen.

Oleksandr Zinchenko, Kevin De Bruyne, Nathan Aké, and Julian Weigl, a total of four Manchester City players, chased Hannibal, who had broken through Manchester City’s defense line in an instant.

Including John Stones and Kyle Walker, who were running towards the goal to support the goalkeeper, a total of six players desperately chased Hannibal Mejbri’s tail.

Hannibal Mejbri barely suppressed a laugh that seemed about to burst out.

He fired a strong shot to the right of Manchester City’s goalkeeper Ederson, who was hesitating to come out due to his defenders being too close.

It was the moment when Burnley’s consolation goal went in, thanks to Hyungmin’s cheap trick.

“Uwaaa!!!”

Hannibal ran to the corner flag, shouting with joy, and all of Burnley’s players piled on top of him.

“Well done! You rascal!”

Karim Adeyemi, who always arrived first, lifted him from behind, cheering.

“Yes, that’s it!”

Chris Wood and Jack Cork cheered, hitting the club’s emblem on their shirts at the booing Manchester City home fans.

Hyungmin shook his head, watching his players.

“I told you, it’s a cheap trick, a cheap trick. This won’t last long.”

Glancing to the side, Jack Grealish and Oleksandr Zinchenko, who had lost their positions while chasing the ball, were being summoned to the home team’s technical area, receiving brief and quick instructions and a scolding from coach Pep Guardiola.

Seeing the slightly annoyed faces of the Manchester City players, Hyungmin trembled with a slight sense of unease.

The ensuing Manchester City kickoff.

Although they had conceded a goal, the Manchester City players exuded composure.

A firm belief and confidence that they would soon make up for it and eventually win.

For Burnley’s players, the tedious feast of passes began again.

Phil Foden back-passed to defensive midfielder Julian Weigl.

Julian Weigl passed to midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, who was standing on the left.

Kevin De Bruyne back-passed to left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko, and Zinchenko passed back to Jack Grealish.

The unhurried Manchester City’s passing continued.

Jack Grealish, who received the ball, leisurely passed it to Kevin De Bruyne despite the exact same situation as the previous goal.

Kevin De Bruyne, who lightly brushed off Burnley’s midfielder Hannibal Mejbri, who was trying to win the ball again, back-passed to Oleksandr Zinchenko.

This time, Zinchenko even passed back to Manchester City’s central defender Nathan Aké.

In the moment that Hannibal Mejbri paused, his eyes momentarily drawn to the ball.

Nathan Aké immediately delivered the ball with a long pass to Kevin De Bruyne, who had turned and started penetrating at high speed after passing the ball.

Hyungmin’s face turned pale at the sight of the exact same scoring situation unfolding.

Kevin De Bruyne, who had charged to the goal line in an instant, sharply turned to the left, dragging Burnley’s defensive midfielder Jack Cork and central defender Ben Mee, who were following him, towards the corner flag.

With all of Burnley’s players looking only at the right side where Kevin De Bruyne had broken through, Kevin De Bruyne, who lightly shook off Jack Cork again, turned around in an instant and crossed with his right foot towards the penalty spot.

“Ugh!”

Hyungmin, who realized Manchester City’s plan at that moment, screamed, covering his head, but now even the players on the field and the spectators could grasp the hidden meaning of the plan.

The Manchester spectators, sensing a goal, stood up one by one.

In the meantime, Manchester City’s right winger Riyad Mahrez, who had leisurely penetrated to the unoccupied left side, lightly received the cross and fired a shot.

Burnley’s players failed to react to Riyad Mahrez until the moment the ball passed through the goal.

“Goal! It’s a goal! City’s second goal, the scorer is Riyad~ Mahrez~!”

Amidst the cheering announcer’s shout mixed with the cheers of the home fans, it was the moment when Manchester City widened the score difference with Burnley again.

As the Manchester City players, who were cheering after scoring, returned to their own half.

Kevin De Bruyne, who discovered Hyungmin with a dumbfounded expression after having his cheap trick returned to him, waved his hand at him with a friendly smile.