Lingard in 2015?

Van Gaal sat in the dugout, looking utterly composed.

He did not take Bayer Leverkusen or Schmidt seriously at all.

Were Rooney and Mata really worth fielding?

There was still a Manchester derby in four days!

Everyone's eyes followed the ball's path to the right flank.

Lingard cushioned the ball with his chest.

Before BellArabi could stretch out his long, dark leg to block him.

He burst forward in an instant.

Sprint-dribbling through Bayer Leverkusen's half.

"Manchester United's number 35, young Jesse Lingard!"

"He is also one of Manchester United's outstanding academy products! He has just returned from a loan spell at Derby County!"

"Many Premier League legends believe he is England's Iniesta!"

"His running form isn't very standard, and he isn't that quick either. Is he cutting inside?! Why hasn't he passed? Martial has already found space!"

Amid the cheers of the entire stadium.

Lingard did not charge down the wing.

Instead, he carried the ball straight toward the middle!

Schmidt could not help curling his lips.

Sure enough, he was just a little bald egg with no real match experience! He was not fast, and his technique was rough. If Manchester United assistant coach Giggs were the one on the pitch, perhaps Bayer Leverkusen's back line would be panicking.

What happened next.

Wiped the smile right off the Bayer Leverkusen manager's face!

Kramer and Bender both closed in on Lingard!

One stuck out a foot.

The other launched into a sliding tackle.

"This ball is going to be lost!"

"He should have passed to Martial earlier—beautiful!"

A thunderous roar erupted at Old Trafford!

Facing Bayer Leverkusen's midfield barrier.

Lingard used no flashy feints.

He did not pass.

He did not slow down.

With the inside of his left foot, he nudged the ball to the right.

Just barely evading Kramer's outstretched foot.

Just as the ball was about to leave his control.

He flicked it with the tip of his right boot!

A graceful turn!

Evading Bender's flying tackle!

Then he suddenly accelerated!

Driving the ball swiftly into Bayer Leverkusen's backfield!

"Brilliant! Terrifying control between man and ball!"

"Still no pass? Depay has found space too!"

Bayer Leverkusen's defenders had never expected their double-pivot midfield pairing to fail to stop a Manchester United youngster!

Hilbert stayed tight to Depay.

Jonathan Tah marked Martial closely.

That left only Papadopoulos and Borges in front of Lingard!

"Varela has also made a late overlapping run down the flank!"

"Bayer Leverkusen are in real danger now!"

Thirty yards from goal.

Lingard faced the advancing Bayer Leverkusen defender.

A change of direction!

He shook free a shooting angle!

Before Borges could get into a covering position.

He lashed the outside of his boot fiercely into the ball!

Curling it into a bizarre, arrow-like trajectory!

Leno threw himself through the air!

He was just a fraction away from touching the ball!

As Bayer Leverkusen's net billowed high.

Old Trafford erupted!

1:0!!!

Martial spread his arms.

But no embrace came.

Lingard simply ran past him.

Then leapt into a rhythmic dance by the corner flag!

"It's in!"

"Brilliant! Young Lingard has produced an incredible solo run through Bayer Leverkusen's half, beating four men in a row!"

"An unexpected long-range strike! Leno had done all he could!"

"It must be said, Van Gaal has been exceptionally bold in giving young players opportunities! Manchester United's bench still has U19 captain Rashford and Januzaj!"

"We believe that once this group of youngsters matures, Manchester United will return to the summit of Europe in a few years!"

"Lingard scores from distance! Manchester United 1:0 Bayer Leverkusen!"

China's livestream chat.

Was flooded with bullet comments.

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[This little bald egg is insane! I thought he'd lose the ball before even reaching their half!]

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[He isn't physically strong, and he isn't especially quick either. How did he disrupt Bayer Leverkusen's defense like that? England's Iniesta, my ass.]

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[Don't seriously compare him to Iniesta! It's already 2015! Premier League academies really do not produce crude players anymore. Watch the replay—his dribbling changes of direction and touch rhythm completely crush the defenders from mid-table sides in the top five leagues.]

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[I think Bayer Leverkusen's defense simply does not understand this type of player well enough.]

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[Even a broken ship has three nails left. Manchester United taking on Bayer Leverkusen is still easy work.]

By the touchline.

Van Gaal was not overly excited.

He merely applauded lightly.

As though the goal had been entirely expected.

"The match has only just begun. Bayer Leverkusen has not yet tasted the real suffering."

On the other side.

Schmidt's face had turned ashen.

He called Bender and Kramer over and kept whispering to them.

His hands constantly gestured as well.

In the corner of the bench.

Leo Kang was slightly surprised as well: So Lingard in 2015 was this strong?

The match restarted from the center circle.

Kießling passed back to Çalhanoğlu.

The two sides began clashing fiercely in the middle and final thirds.

The ball moved quickly between Bayer Leverkusen's players.

Unfortunately.

They simply could not advance into the thirty-yard area.

Herrera and Fellaini, two central midfielders who would also have excelled as defensive midfielders, completely shut down Çalhanoğlu.

The latter had no way to release the ball immediately.

This made Bayer Leverkusen's attacking progression painfully slow.

Çalhanoğlu tried several times to break free.

But his ability to hold the ball from a standing start was utterly outclassed by Herrera.

If Kießling had not dropped back to offer support.

Manchester United would have long since won the ball and counterattacked.

Out on the flank.

BellArabi kept hurling trash talk at Lingard.

Yet Lingard wore a smile on his face.

"The match is intense, but BellArabi and Lingard are chatting and laughing."

"It is not uncommon for friendships to form between opponents on the pitch. Take Messi and Nesta, Cristiano Ronaldo and Godín—this is the charm of football!"

Bayer Leverkusen's wide midfielder flew into a rage and roared viciously, "Are you fucking mute too?!"

He suddenly realized that Lingard seemed unable to understand German.

A moment later.

BellArabi received a pass from his teammate.

Just as he prepared to shake off Lingard.

Bang!

Varela surged up from behind with a vicious sliding tackle!

BellArabi and the ball were both sent sprawling!

"No foul! The ball was tackled out of bounds first! Young Varela's style is somewhat reminiscent of Evra in his prime!"

"Varela is lowering his head to check on BellArabi's injury."

"It has to be said, this group of Manchester United youngsters has excellent sportsmanship! Premier League academies have always placed great importance on educating young players' character!"

On the pitch.

Varela lowered his head and fiercely warned BellArabi.

"This is Old Trafford! Shut your filthy mouth!"

BellArabi raised his hands "innocently" and protested to the referee.

After receiving permission, the team doctor hurried onto the field to examine his injury.

Çalhanoğlu looked helpless.

Fellaini and Herrera were too disgusting.

Like Ferguson's chewing gum, they kept sticking to him.

Schmidt began gesturing offensively to his two full-backs.

Not far away.

Van Gaal smiled.

"Why would a Bundesliga team make a player with such poor ability in physical duels the core of its midfield organization? Do they think he is Riquelme?"

"Bayer Leverkusen's players in the other positions are not weak at all. What a waste."

"Our little De Gea is about to fall asleep!"