The sky above Manchester Cityâs main stadium was filled with the roars of the Cityzens, creating an atmosphere that was overwhelmingly electric.
Almost 60% of those in the stands supporting Manchester City were local fans, and this was not an unfamiliar scene for the people of Manchester. It was precisely this vibrant atmosphere that ignited an even stronger fighting spirit within the home team.
PHWEEEEEE~
From the very beginning, Manchester City took charge of the game, firmly controlling the tempo. It was evident that the Manchester United players looked fatigued; their pressing and movement lagged at least one step behind Cityâs intensity.
Butt pressured Zidane, while PoborskĂœ focused on limiting his influence, as Manchester United aimed to wrest control in midfield. However, their efforts were thwarted by Cityâs superior movement and tactics.
SLAP!
Ferguson, on Unitedâs sideline, slapped his forehead as he began to see the weaknesses of his 4-4-2 formation.
The 4-4-2 was one of the most common tactics in English football, and coincidentally, Ferguson was employing it in this match. Many criticized Englandâs persistent use of 4-4-2 as outdated, but Ferguson himself did not share that opinion.
Players are not static; once on the field, they do not simply stand still in their assigned positions. On both offense and defense, the 4-4-2 can evolve into many variations, offering a high degree of tactical flexibility.
For example, with one central midfielder pushing forward and another sitting back, the 4-4-2 can transform into a diamond midfield. If the two wide midfielders tuck inside, it can become a narrow diamond midfield, freeing the flanks for full-backs to join the attack. The forwards can drop deeper while the wingers push forward, creating shapes like 4-2-3-1, and so on. Thus, the 4-4-2 formation is anything but rigid.
It is superficial to judge a teamâs tactics solely based on the starting formation. In Italian football, famous for its tactical sophistication, teams can shift formations three or even four times during a match, constantly adapting to the flow of the game. This is one of the true charms of football tactics.
11th minute: David May received the ball from Schmeichel, passed it to Butt, who then laid it off to Ryan Giggs. But the moment Giggs got the ballâBANG!
"Makélélé! Makélélé!"
From behind, MakĂ©lĂ©lĂ© executed a clean tackle. Then a tidal wave of cheers erupted from the stands as passionate fans chanted MakĂ©lĂ©lĂ©âs name, surprising even the player himself.
"Wow, that guy really packs a punch!"
A father and son watching the derby were astonished at how City were playing today.
"I know, I know! His name is Claude Makélélé! He used to play in France!" the little boy proudly told his father.
Seeing this, Ferguson anxiously yelled from the sidelines.
Zidane and Makélélé had long developed a strong understanding. Much like in the French national team, when Makélélé played behind Zidane in midfield, he prioritized solid defensive duties and rarely ventured forward, often leaving a noticeable gap between them.
However, at Cityânow with Pirlo alongside himâthe dynamics were completely different.
Pirloâs presence not only liberated Zidane but also unlocked MakĂ©lĂ©lĂ©âs attacking potential. In the past, when paired with Van Bommel, his role was more about shielding Pirlo through sheer physicality and raw power, overwhelming opponents to protect the orchestrator.
Now, with MakĂ©lĂ©lĂ©, the approach was more nuanced. Whenever opponents tried to close down Pirlo, he would simply shift the ball to MakĂ©lĂ©lĂ©, who would then read the situation and decide the next moveâwhether to push forward, switch play, or recycle possession.
This was the key difference between Makélélé and Van Bommel.
"Bloody Ryan!" Seeing Giggs lose the ball, Ferguson was fuming.
Originally, Giggs had been a vital part of Unitedâs attackâhis individual skill often bringing unexpected rewards. But in this game, he was more of a
relay station
.
Whenever the ball reached him, he would quickly pass it away after drawing Cityâs attention. He rarely dribbled through midfield before releasing the ball, and almost never attempted a shot on goal.
Cole dropped back to hassle opponents, while Ronny Johnsen pushed forward to help in defense.
Thanks to Cityâs counterattacking strategy, they remained disciplined, maintaining their shape even when out of possession, refusing to be drawn out unnecessarily.
Under pressure, Pirlo received the ball from Makélélé.
Butt immediately closed in, anticipating a trademark Pirlo long passâbut Pirlo didnât take the bait. Instead, he calmly played the ball back to MakĂ©lĂ©lĂ©, and the two exchanged a quick series of passes.
After three crisp touches, MakĂ©lĂ©lĂ© returned the ball to Pirlo. This time, Pirlo suddenly surged forward, shaking off Buttâs marking before threading a precise straight pass to Zidane. But just as Zidane turned to collect it, Denis Irwin came from behind and brought him down, committing a foul.
PHWEEEEE~
Referee Poll blew the whistle, signaling a free kick.
The United players, without protest, stepped back, their eyes locked on Zidane.
As the Frenchman rose to his feet, he placed the ball downâand before even straightening fullyârolled it backwards.
A pass!
Pirlo, stationed near the center circle, took control. With a single, silky touch, he launched a long, arcing ball over the heads of Butt, PoborskĂœ, Giggs, Beckham, and Denis Irwin.
On the left flank, Ronaldo was waiting just outside the penalty area. He cushioned the ball on his chest under pressure from Neville, and in the instant it hit the ground, he deftly nudged it aside with the outside of his boot. The transition from control to pass was flawlessâefficient yet elegant.
Just as everyone expected Ronaldo to dribble, Capdevila came bursting up the left wing like a thunderbolt. His sudden overlapping run caught Nevilleâs attention, and Ronaldo did not disappointâthreading a perfectly timed through pass. Neville turned to chase, but he was already a step too late.
Capdevilaâs dash forced the entire United backline to pivot and recover. Without hesitation, he whipped in a low, driven cross towards the near post, where Larsson and David May were locked in a fierce physical battle.
The duel made Schmeichel hesitateâunsure whether to come off his lineâunaware that Zidane, the original free-kick taker, was ghosting into the danger area.
Realizing he couldnât reach the ball, Larsson cleverly leaned into May, preventing him from clearing.
The cross zipped past both men, and only then did Schmeichel spot the real threat. He spun to his right, but it was too lateâ
Zidane!!!
Charging in at the back post, Zidane met the ball in stride and calmly slotted it home.
BANG!
The stadium erupted.
"Zinedine Zidane! His third goal this season! What a strike! Heâs done it againâand at Maine Road, no less! Capdevila, who has cemented his place in the starting lineup this season, has been brilliantâa full-back by trade, yet vital in both defense and attack! Manchester City now lead Manchester United 2â0 at home!"
After scoring, Zidane pointed toward the Manchester City badge on his chest, facing the erupting City fans. His teammates quickly rushed over, and they embraced tightlyâa perfect display of unity and passion.
"Martin, I think if only the forwards had been involved, United might have dealt with it. But Capdevilaâs unexpected burst completely exposed a weakness. LookâNevilleâs calling Beckham over. Iâm betting heâs telling him to drop deeper. Otherwise, how can Neville handle both Ronaldo and Capdevila on his own? Itâs laughable. Just keeping Ronaldo in check without making a mistake is already hard enough."
"Ha, I agree. Ferguson doesnât look happy at all. In the past few matches, he hasnât cracked a smile. Heâs pointing at his players right now, clearly demanding more effort."
On the touchline, Pellegrini and Mourinho raised their arms in celebration before sharing a quick hug.
The camera zoomed in on them as Maine Road erupted.
"I knew it!!!"
Richardâof course, watching from the United Statesâwasnât going to miss the Manchester derby.
Stuart also pumped his fist in the air, while Ian from Goldman Sachs, on the other end, sighed and rubbed his temples.
"No way. This is United weâre talking aboutâthey can still turn this around."
"Ha! Havenât you been watching how theyâve been playing?" Stuart mocked, grinning at his friend, knowing Ian was a United supporter.
Ian could only shake his head before turning his attention back to the document in his hands. "Alright, letâs focus. Mr. Richard, thereâs something I need to discuss with you."
Richard paused mid-celebration. Spotting the document Ian held, he nodded. "Go ahead."
Ianâs voice took on a more serious tone. "First, Iâd like you to hear me out without jumping to conclusions."
"Why are you trying to scare us before youâve even said anything?" Stuart laughed, but Richardâs expression instantly shifted to a stern focus.
"Iâve been reviewing Appleâs governance structure," Ian began, "and I think thereâs a problem."
As a seasoned financial analyst from a major firm like Goldman Sachs, this was Ianâs area of expertise.
The sudden change of topic made Richard frown. He hadnât been expecting this. "What kind of problem?"
Ian leaned forward. "Apple had independent business unitsâMacs, peripherals, softwareâeach run by its own general manager with its own profit-and-loss responsibilities. Each division had its own marketing teams, engineers, designers, and managers. This setup meant divisions competed for budget, attention, and prestige from top leadership. Soââ"
"That hierarchical, division-based structure often led to redundancies and internal power struggles?" Richard interrupted, catching on quickly.
"Exactly," Ian replied. "This kind of internal rivalry erodes collaboration and slows down decision-making. A general manager might block or delay a project that doesnât directly benefit their own P&L, even if itâs good for Apple overall. And if innovation required cooperation across divisions, it often stalledâbecause no single leader had authority over both sides."
Stuard nodded as he listening and Richard closed his eyes, picturing the organizational chart in his mind.
"On the surface, it looks solid," Richard said slowly. "But if you look closer, thereâs a critical vulnerability. People thought Appleâs problem was just bad productsâbut in reality, they were already weak from the inside."
A heavy silence settled over the room as everyone absorbed the weight of his words.
Suddenly, Richard broke the silence. "With a structure this fragile, itâs only a matter of time before someone takes notice. If we donât shore up our defenses, itâs not a question of
if
, but
when
."
"..."
"I see your point," Ian replied. "Thereâs a vulnerability in their company. But right now, theyâre operating without major issues, so I donât think itâs something to panic over. Letâs wait until the price drops lower."
Richard didnât respond immediately. Instead, he muttered under his breath, "With just a hundred million, I could seize control of the company... and with that, control of all its future assetsâworth trillions. If it were me, I wouldnât hesitate to strike such a vulnerable and lucrative target."
"..."
"What?"
Both Stuart and Ian stared, startled by Richardâs muttering.
Pulled from his thoughts, Richard shook his head. "Nothing. Now that Iâm aware of the weakness, Iâll make plans to address itâgradually." He paused, then lifted his gaze toward the window. "No matter what I say, a hostile takeover seems inevitable if Apple keeps delaying the acceptance of the funds they need."
---
A hostile takeover occurs when one company (the "acquirer") attempts to acquire another company (the "target") against the wishes of the target companyâs management and board of directors. The acquirer usually bypasses the targetâs management by appealing directly to its shareholders or by making an offer to buy a controlling stake in the company.