The legendary Red Devils coach: The road to success

Ferguson had to accomplish the task of defeating the main title rival at home and continuing to put pressure on Newcastle United in terms of points. The victory of this game was so important that the players did not even need to be mobilized. They knew very well what it would mean if the team continued to be winless for 5 rounds.

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Newcastle has emerged as a dark horse this season, continuing to lead the standings and becoming Manchester United's main rival in the championship race.

The sudden emergence of the Magpies was actually expected by everyone. The reason why they can have such an outstanding record is very simple. Just like the crazy investment of the Blackburn owner last season, they are also spending money crazily this season.

Famous coaches and stars make up the background of Newcastle this season. Famous coach Keegan received the chairman's unconditional support and frantically purchased superstars to build a strong team. As an English legend, Keegan had also ventured into the Apennine Peninsula and was well-informed. In this season, under Keegan's coaching, Newcastle played a new style of 442 formation and fast attack. They played fast and sharp like the Red Devils, played tough and often scored big results.

Since the beginning of the season, the Magpies under Keegan have been making rapid progress in the league and leading the standings. The Red Devils fell into a passive position after losing at the beginning of this season, especially in November and December when they failed to win several consecutive games and the points gap with Newcastle widened to 11 points.

The match between the two teams on December 1995, 12, became the game that Ferguson valued the most. This match became a match that Ferguson believed he could only win and not lose. If they won, the gap would be reduced to 27 points and they could still catch up, but if they lost, they would be 7 points behind. This was a situation that everyone could calculate.

"We will give Newcastle the warmest 'welcome' tonight," Ferguson wrote in the match journal. "Before the game, I motivated our players and asked them to learn from the 'Liverpool' players. We need to show the passion and attitude of the Liverpool players when they beat us at Anfield. I don't like to say this, but I feel that this is the fact. The team's performance in the past period of time has completely ruined the joy of many fans for Christmas. It's not that we can't accept defeat, but we can't accept the way and process of losing."

Ferguson said: "Now we have to beat Newcastle with a strong performance. This is a determination and a new change. We dare to make such a commitment because I really can't think of a more important game than this."

Ferguson thanked the fans for their continued support and expressed his expectations for the fans, hoping that they would give the team stronger support. Ferguson emphasized: "In the next 90 minutes, we need to keep the accelerator on the floor."

The Red Devils were indeed facing great difficulties at the time. Pallister was injured for a long time, Bruce was injured in the game against Leeds and would miss at least four games. The aging Paul Parker could not play as a central defender, so Gary had to partner with David May. Cantona had injured his head in the previous brave battle, and he passed the physical examination just before the battle started and started with an injury.

What appeared in front of the fans after walking out of the player tunnel was a Red Devils team with a shattered defense, but the strongest starting lineup in the midfield and frontcourt. Andy Cole was at the front, Cantona and Scholes were behind him, and Giggs, Beckham and Keane were in the midfield. With this starting lineup and formation, Ferguson obviously hoped to go all out, attack instead of defend, and win in one fell swoop!

Relatively speaking, Newcastle's lineup was much more complete. The Magpies changed their plan to attack fiercely at the start and deployed heavy troops to defend in the midfield and backcourt. The Red Devils did not shrink cautiously because of the weak defense, but actively tested the attack. Cantona and Scholes increased the range of their running, while Keane became a lone midfielder. After several probing attacks back and forth, the Red Devils seized an opportunity that was not considered an opportunity and launched a sharp counterattack. Irwin intercepted the pass of Robert Lee and Beardsley's two-on-one cooperation at the top of his own backcourt penalty area. Giggs got the ball in the back half of his left side. He immediately started to accelerate and charge, as if he was stepping on a hot wheel. Giggs accelerated all the way from the backcourt along the left side. There was no Newcastle player around him to interfere or block him. The Magpies did not realize the danger until Giggs crossed the center line. Giggs crossed the center line at high speed and continued to run with the ball. At this time, Cantona started from the right side, ran diagonally to the left front at high speed, and cut into the left side of the opponent's penalty area to meet. Cantona's forward run took away the opponent's central defender Peacock, and Newcastle's defense began to fall into chaos.

Giggs rushed to about 35 yards from the baseline. Newcastle's right back had been thrown off by him. Central defender Howe had to step forward in fear and prepare to knock down the Welsh winger one-on-one. Unfortunately, he had no chance. Giggs quickly destroyed his balance and did not give him the chance to foul. Cantona's forward run exposed the opponent's defense line. A huge space appeared directly between Newcastle's left back Beresford and the goal besides Peacock. The first player to appear in this open space was Cole, wearing the home red jersey. The clever Giggs found this gap. He stopped entangled with Howe and sent a high-quality pass in time.

This pass went from the left side to the right side of the penalty area, cutting through the opponent's double-layered position. The line, power and timing were all very cleverly controlled. A reporter from the Manchester Evening News said after the game, "Giggs's diagonal pass was like a long scimitar cutting butter. The precise pass broke through the opponent's seemingly solid four-man defense. Destroying the balance in a stable system, creating seemingly impossible gaps in a confined space, and creating killing intent without any signs, this kind of football can only be played by the Red Devils. In addition to his skills and speed, Giggs also demonstrated the beauty of precision." After receiving the ball, Cole faced the opponent's goalkeeper directly, and without any pressure, he pushed the ball directly into the low corner of the opponent's goal.

The Red Devils lead 1-0!

Many fans at the scene were worried that Cole would not score when he received the pass from Giggs, fearing that he would waste opportunities repeatedly like before. When Cole scored with a clean shot, the Theatre of Dreams erupted in a huge cheer. Facing Keegan, who once looked down on him, Cole was very calm and his shot was perfect. This was the calmest goal he scored this season, and Ferguson's patience with Cole finally paid off.

From the time that Irwin intercepted the ball in the penalty area, to Giggs' counterattack and Cole's goal, only 9 seconds had passed. The Red Devils played a classic quick counterattack, which broke through the opponent's porous defense before the opponent had time to set up their defense!

The Red Devils took the lead, and Newcastle had to abandon the conservative strategy and actively press forward to attack. Newcastle's players are indeed strong, and their tactical changes are also effective. Newcastle United quickly suppressed the Red Devils, and Cantona had to retreat deep to the midfield. The other Red Devils midfielders were confused by the opponent's blockade, and the defense felt pressure and could only hold on. In the 32nd minute, the Magpies midfielder also quickly advanced after stealing the ball. Forward Ferdinand also got a single opportunity on the right side, which was very similar to Cole, but he faced the Red Devils' goalkeeper, the Great Dane Schmeichel. Schmeichel played at an excellent level in this game. Even though the temperature on the scene was minus 3 degrees, Schmeichel, who played in long trousers in the severe cold, was extremely brave. He attacked in time when Ferdinand got the ball, and blocked the opponent's forward's shot with his legs, defusing the crisis.

The Red Devils maintained a 1-0 scoreline until the end of the first half, and the fans were extremely happy. Ferguson gave the players instructions in the locker room to fight the opponent in the midfield. "We can't let them advance into the penalty area. The defense will be very passive and will make mistakes under pressure, so we must boldly press out and fight the opponent in the frontcourt. Our advantage lies in the running and speed in the frontcourt, everyone must remember this!"

After the start of the second half, the Red Devils really regained the advantage by fighting hard in the midfield. At the beginning of the second half, the Red Devils played a wonderful attack on the right. After Irwin crossed the center line, he passed the ball to Cantona who was close to this side. Cantona attracted the defense and passed it back to Beckham. Beckham immediately passed it to Cole who ran out of space again. Cole took the ball and turned around to face the opponent's goalkeeper directly. Unfortunately, he seemed to lack confidence this time. His speed was too slow and the opponent's defender chased him and interfered. He had to gently push the ball to Giggs who was inserted on the left. Giggs did not hesitate and shot the ball. Unfortunately, Giggs' right foot was not as accurate as his left foot, and his shot hit the crossbar and bounced out!

Ferguson cried out in shame on the sidelines, "Andy is such an idiot!"

The Red Devils still had the upper hand after missing this great chance to score, and their attack finally had a chance to bear fruit. In the 5th minute of the second half, Beckham passed the corner kick from the right to the back post, but no one could get it. The ball bounced off the ground and was caught by Cole, who passed it back to Phil Neville, the left back who came in from behind. Neville showed a long pass technique that was no less than his brother's. He made a long pass and passed the ball to the right back post in the penalty area. The Newcastle team was busy spreading out to grab the ball, while the central defender directed everyone to press forward to create offside, and there was chaos in the penalty area. The ball fell to the back post and no one was there to clean it up or mark the opponent. Roy Keane, who came in from behind, stopped the ball steadily without any obstruction, and calmly shot the ball into the goal.

Red Devils 2-0 Newcastle!

Newcastle was anxious after falling behind by two goals. They did not organize any fierce counterattack in the next 40 minutes. The Red Devils also fought back, but missed the chance to score again. In the end, the game ended with the Red Devils winning by two goals.

Ferguson said: "We played a top performance and dominated the game. Our attack was fast and smooth, going straight to the point, with fierce and accurate firepower. Such Red Devils obviously overwhelmed Newcastle. This game is very important, and it also shows that we have an advantage in strength. Their points advantage is actually not solid, but a castle built on the beach. From ten points to seven points, we have enough confidence to catch up!"

Keegan said after the game: "We didn't play well enough to get three points at this stadium. We may have respected our opponents too much and were overwhelmed by their fierce pressing. The response we could give was too weak. I believe we will learn from our mistakes and play better games in the future."

"The points prove that we are the better team. The Red Devils are in extremely unstable form. I don't want to comment too much on them. I firmly believe that we are the strongest. When we return to our home court, we will have a strong response."

English football media concluded after the season that the Old Trafford battle was an important turning point. The Red Devils defeated the powerful and fierce Newcastle with a nearly broken lineup, making it possible to catch up and surpass in the second half of the season, and also gave the Red Devils room to catch up.

Ferguson certainly knew that the significance of winning this game was incomparable. After the game, he led all the players to thank the four stands, thanking the die-hard fans who came to the stadium to support their home team in the cold. The faces of nearly 50,000 Red Devils fans were filled with smiles, singing songs, and enjoying the beauty of victory. Ferguson was finally able to enjoy the cheers and celebrations of the fans in a difficult schedule. He commanded the Red Devils to defeat the ambitious Keegan and his black and white army with a convincing game. Ferguson proved his strength in tactics and command, and also proved the team's tenacity and strong offensive capabilities.

This is the best Christmas present for them.