Soccer: I became Bruno Fernandes.

Chapter 461: The Quadruple Winners

Near the edge of the penalty area, Darmian made a sliding pass into the box. Rashford went for the ball, but Mertesacker got there first and cleared it. Kante intercepted the ball and passed it to Lingard. Lingard took a long shot, but Holding blocked it, sending the ball out for a corner. Lingard and Rashford immediately raised their hands, signaling that Holding had committed a handball.

"Handball!" Mourinho shouted from the sidelines. "Handball! Holding seems to have blocked it with his hand," Lineker added. Referee Anthony Taylor hesitated before signaling for a corner kick, much to Mourinho's displeasure. Replays showed that the ball did indeed hit Holding's right hand, and Arsenal had dodged a bullet.

...

From the corner, Bruno whipped the ball into the box. Rashford, marked by Mertesacker, couldn't make proper contact, and the ball bounced off the back of his head, causing chaos in the Arsenal penalty area. In the scramble, Carrick managed to sweep the ball to Rooney. Under pressure from Bellerin, Rooney opted not to shoot and instead passed it to the top of the penalty area.

Then, a figure charged forward, meeting the ball with a powerful shot. "Darmian! A shot!" The shot was strong, and Ospina tried to save it. "He spilled it!" The ball rebounded from Ospina's hands, and Bruno, who had followed up, was the quickest to react. He slid in and poked the ball over the line into the empty net.

"GOOOOOOOOOOALLL!!!!!!" "Bruno! His second goal of the match, and Manchester United lead Arsenal 2-0!" "In the 39th minute, Manchester United go two goals ahead, thanks to Bruno!"

On the sidelines, Mourinho pumped his fist in celebration. "Bruno's goal gives Manchester United a two-goal lead, easing the pressure on Mourinho. For Mourinho and United, this is a very safe scoreline!"

...

On the pitch, Bruno was surrounded by jubilant teammates, all celebrating joyously. The FA Cup, often dubbed the "Wenger Cup," had been a crucial trophy for Arsene Wenger throughout his tenure at Arsenal. Under his leadership, Wenger had reached the FA Cup final seven times before, winning six titles, making him the most successful manager in the competition's history. Beating Arsenal in the FA Cup was no easy feat.

On the other side, Wenger covered his face with his hands, feeling dejected. "The 'Wenger Cup' isn't safe anymore! Should I really leave?" he thought.

...

Despite his usual calm demeanor, Wenger was not one to give up easily. For Arsenal, the team he had devoted over twenty years to, Wenger decided to fight back. Trailing 0-2, Arsenal had no choice but to go all out and attack.

Just before halftime, Manchester United intercepted the ball in their own half and launched a quick counterattack. Kante passed to Carrick, who made a long pass forward. "Counterattack! Counterattack! United's counterattack!"

"Rooney is running for the ball, with Holding chasing him!" Rooney controlled the ball beautifully and sprinted forward. Despite Holding's desperate efforts, he couldn't catch up to the burly forward. Facing the lone defender Mertesacker in the box, Rooney used his speed to outpace him. He then feigned a shot, tricking Ospina into diving before pulling the ball sideways and slotting it into the empty net.

"GOOOOOOOOOOOALLLL!!!!!!" "Rooney! The third goal! Manchester United 3-0 Arsenal!" "A familiar game, a familiar rhythm, a familiar formula," the Manchester commentator boasted arrogantly. "Arsenal are once again being dismantled by United."

...

With Rooney's goal extending the lead to 3-0, Wenger stood on the sideline, his expression blank. The camera zoomed in on Wenger, capturing his defeated look. The commentators speculated on what Wenger might be thinking at that moment. In reality, his mind was filled with a sense of failure and helplessness.

Arsenal's defense was failing, and their attempts to outscore Manchester United were falling apart. For Wenger, who had led Arsenal through its glory days, this was brutal.

With the match at this stage, Wenger knew United had essentially won. Trailing by three goals at halftime with morale low, the match seemed unwinnable. Although the game wasn't over and there was still time in the second half, Wenger's thoughts were more focused on Arsenal's future.

Mourinho's Manchester United seemed like a giant beast that had suddenly risen. With their current strength and Mourinho's coaching ability, this team would dominate the Premier League for the foreseeable future. It wouldn't just be Arsenal struggling; even Guardiola's Manchester City, Conte's Chelsea, and Klopp's Liverpool would find it challenging to dethrone United.

...

Arsenal had already missed out on next season's Champions League. Wenger couldn't bear to think of a future where Arsenal continuously missed out on the Champions League. Reflecting on this match and past defeats to United, Wenger knew where Arsenal's weaknesses lay.

Since Vieira left, Arsenal hadn't had a reliable defensive midfielder. Wenger's gaze fixed on Kante, filled with envy. In his eyes, it wasn't Rooney, Lingard, or even Bruno. The most crucial player for this United team was the 26-year-old French midfielder Kante.

If only Arsenal had Kante... But the world doesn't work on "ifs."

At halftime, Manchester United led Arsenal 3-0, with goals from Rashford, Bruno, and Rooney. They were almost assured of victory in this FA Cup final.

Before the second half began, Wenger made several substitutions. Coquelin came on for Xhaka, and veteran Giroud replaced the nearly invisible Welbeck. The strategy was clear: stabilize the midfield to prevent further goals and strengthen the attack with Giroud, hoping to score a consolation goal.

With defeat certain and the trophy out of reach, Wenger's goal was now to avoid a humiliating defeat.

...

By the 65th minute, the score remained 3-0 in favor of Manchester United. Mourinho began to make substitutions. Rooney was replaced by Mata, with Bruno and Lingard pushed up to the front line. This adjustment quickly paid off. Bruno and Lingard took turns attacking Arsenal's flanks, stretching their defense thin.

Bruno made a sudden inward cut, drawing defenders' attention, then delivered a through ball. Carrick surged forward into the box, squared the ball to Mata, who let it run, allowing Rashford to strike. The ball curved past Holding's sliding tackle and under Ospina's arm into the net.

4-0! Rashford scored his second of the match. Wenger covered his face in despair.

Mourinho then subbed off Rashford, bringing on Herrera. Kante was also replaced by Fellaini, giving the latter a rare appearance.

With Kante off the field, United's midfield defense weakened. In the 79th minute, Giroud assisted Ramsey to score, reducing the deficit to 1-4. But that was all Arsenal could manage.

Five minutes later, Bruno's direct free kick beat Ospina, sealing the score at 5-1. United celebrated exuberantly, while Arsenal's players looked defeated, their spirits broken.

In the stands, some Arsenal fans began to leave early, unwilling to witness their team receiving the runner-up medals. Such scenes were rare in a final, highlighting the fans' pain and disappointment.

United fans, however, couldn't contain their joy, standing up, singing, and dancing in celebration of their imminent victory.

...

"This is the most one-sided FA Cup final in history," Lineker lamented. "Arsenal couldn't even put up a fight to trouble United."

Andy Gray added more harshly, "Another humiliating defeat. Wenger must realize that times have changed. If Arsenal doesn't make significant changes and continue their frugal spending, the gap with United will only widen. Forget about competing for the league title; even a top-four finish will become increasingly difficult."

The fourth official held up the board showing two minutes of stoppage time. However, the referee chose to ignore it and blew the final whistle right at the 90-minute mark. The camera caught Arsenal captain Mertesacker and his teammates sighing in relief: the nightmare was over.

"The match is over! 5-1! Manchester United have defeated Arsenal 5-1 in the FA Cup final."

"Congratulations to Manchester United and Mourinho. They have successfully defended the FA Cup! In a final with almost no suspense, United crushed Arsenal with a massive advantage."

"The 2016-2017 FA Cup champions—Manchester United!"

(End of the chapter)

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