Chapter 404: A Perfect Yet Regretful Year
After celebrating the victory with his teammates, Bruno walked to the sidelines to thank the fans cheering for him in the stands.
As he did, the Manchester United fans erupted in chants of "Bruno! Bruno! Bruno!" In the cold wind, some fans were so excited they threw off their down jackets, removed their shirts, and waved their arms vigorously to the rhythm of the chants.
As one of the most successful clubs in English football history, and perhaps the most successful, Manchester United has produced many superstars over the years. From the Holy Trinity to King Cantona, the Class of '92 stars, Roy Keane, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Rooney, these legends had their eras and were beloved at Old Trafford, the Theatre of Dreams.
Bruno, as the core midfielder of this Manchester United team, had led them forward with almost perfect performances since joining five months ago. Under his leadership, United had occupied the top spot in the standings from the start of the season, offering hope for a resurgence after three years in the doldrums. He had won over all the United fans, becoming the new king of this stadium.
The fans supported him not just because of his attitude towards them or his professional spirit, but simply because he played brilliantly and led the team to excellent results.
Bruno thanked them for their support by raising his hand and pounding his fist on the badge on his chest. "Forward, United!" he shouted, inspired by the exhilarating victory and the fervent atmosphere.
The fans in the stands echoed, "Forward, United!! Forward!"
...
After bidding farewell to the fans, Bruno headed towards the locker room, but he was intercepted by numerous reporters in the mixed zone, eager to hear from the player who had won the Premier League Player of the Month award for four consecutive months.
The Premier League Player of the Month award was established in the 1994-1995 season. Bruno, having won it four times, tied with Premier League legends such as Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Sergio Agüero.
Only three players in Premier League history had won the award more times: Steven Gerrard with six, and Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney with five each.
Notably, the three players who had won the award more than Bruno were all legends of the Premier League. Gerrard had retired, Van Persie had left the Premier League, and even Rooney, the only one still playing, was in the twilight of his career, his form declining, and had lost his starting position under Mourinho.
In short, their tally of Premier League Player of the Month awards was unlikely to increase.
Bruno, on the other hand, was a newcomer, in his first Premier League season.
In fact, Bruno was also the only player in Premier League history to win the Player of the Month award for four consecutive months.
Moreover, Bruno was almost certain to secure the December award as well, having scored seven goals and provided three assists in five Premier League matches in December, the highest among all players, leading United to five consecutive wins.
Clearly, Bruno had been dominant in the Premier League this season.
...
"We have great momentum," Bruno said confidently, still riding the high from the thrilling scene. "I think we can be considered title contenders."
The reporters laughed.
"I know some people have doubted us, but we will prove them wrong. We will win the next game, and the one after that, and the one after that. We will keep winning. As Mr. Mourinho said, we are not here to fight for a Champions League spot; we are here to win every game!"
His bold victory declaration left the reporters stunned, as Bruno, usually modest, spoke with such confidence.
After their initial shock, they quickly understood and laughed.
Perhaps this was what they called "the courage of a newborn calf"?
Of course, Bruno had every reason to speak confidently. He had scored 23 goals and provided 11 assists in 18 Premier League matches, leading United to 17 wins, and they were five points clear at the top of the table as the halfway point of the season approached.
Yes, United's lead was only five points because Chelsea had also beaten Bournemouth 3-0 at Stamford Bridge while United beat Sunderland.
It was Chelsea's 12th consecutive Premier League win!
Even as United kept winning, Conte's Chelsea hadn't fallen behind.
Nevertheless, United had secured the Premier League half-season title one round early.
...
Aware that Chelsea was also on a winning streak, Mourinho wasn't as arrogant as Bruno. At the post-match press conference, he simply praised the team's performance.
When asked about Bruno's comments, Mourinho responded calmly, "Every player has the right to express their opinions, and I have nothing more to say about that."
When pressed further, "Do you think United can keep winning?"
Mourinho said, "I don't want to put too much pressure on the team. We'll see if we can keep winning after a few more rounds."
He avoided the sensitive topic.
The reporters didn't press further, partly to avoid angering Mourinho, known for his fiery temper, and partly because United had just won their ninth consecutive league match.
In such circumstances, pressing on this issue seemed pointless.
It was better to ask about Mourinho's secret to success!
...
Five days later, on December 31st, again at 3 p.m., another match kicked off at Old Trafford.
This was the 19th round of the Premier League, with United facing Middlesbrough.
It was also United's final match of 2016.
And for United, today was a very important day. It was the 75th birthday of their godfather, Sir Alex Ferguson!
Naturally, United hoped to win, even win big, in such a match.
However, to cope with the congested Christmas schedule, Mourinho made significant changes to the starting lineup.
He rotated the entire back four, bringing in Ashley Young, Harry Maguire, Virgil van Dijk, and Luke Shaw; the midfield trio was also changed, with Marouane Fellaini, Ander Herrera, and Ilkay Gundogan replacing Michael Carrick, N'Golo Kante, and Juan Mata. Only Bruno and Ibrahimovic remained in the attack, forming a trident with Marcus Rashford.
Of the eleven who started the Boxing Day match, only De Gea, Bruno, and Ibrahimovic remained.
In the 3rd minute, Middlesbrough missed an opportunity. Adama Traoré intercepted Herrera and created a 3-on-1 counterattack, but his shot from the edge of the penalty area went wide.
United immediately launched a counter-attack, with Ibrahimovic's shot blocked by Middlesbrough's defense. Gundogan's corner kick found Fellaini, whose header from 10 yards was saved by Valdés.
...
In the 14th minute, United finally broke through. Rashford's cross from the left was headed back across goal by Gundogan, and Bruno, unmarked at the edge of the six-yard box, scored with a bicycle kick for his 76th goal of 2016.
Middlesbrough missed another chance in the 18th minute. Traoré's cross from the right found Friend, whose shot from 12 yards was blocked by Fellaini.
In the 38th minute, United missed a great chance. Bruno's no-look pass found Rashford, whose shot from 30 yards hit the left post.
A minute later, Rashford's cross from the left found Ibrahimovic, who scored from close range, but referee Lee Mason ruled it out for a foul on the goalkeeper.
United continued to dominate in the second half but it was Middlesbrough who scored first. In the 67th minute, Chambers' cross found Negredo, who headed the ball down for Leadbitter to score from 12 yards, leveling the match.
United kept pressing, but shots from Rashford and Ibrahimovic went wide. Gundogan and Rashford were fouled in the box but were ignored by referee Mason, drawing boos from Old Trafford.
With time running out and many fans thinking United would draw for the first time this season, they scored twice in two minutes.
In the 85th minute, Bruno's long pass found Ibrahimovic, who headed it down for Rashford to score from 10 yards, putting United back in the lead.
In the 86th minute, substitute Mata crossed from the right, and an unmarked Bruno headed the ball into the top right corner from 10 yards, sealing a 3-1 victory.
United ended the first half of the Premier League season with 18 wins and 1 loss from 19 matches, breaking Chelsea's record of 17 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss for 52 points in the 2005-2006 season, by reaching 54 points.
Bruno's brace brought his 2016 goal tally to 77, with 122 direct goal contributions, ending a perfect yet regretful 2016.
(End of the chapter)
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