Chapter 65: Honeymoon ends
The halftime whistle had blown, and Derby County's players were jubilant as they made their way into the locker room. Wayne Rooney led the way, his broad grin infectious, as the team filed in. The air buzzed with excitement, and every pat on the back felt like a trophy.
David Jones was at the center of it all, still reliving the goal in his mind. His teammates were hyping him up, shouting things like, "Jonesy, that was unreal!" and "You're making Old Trafford your playground!" He could barely sit still, his heart pounding with a mix of adrenaline and disbelief. Rooney clapped a hand on his shoulder.
"You're doing great out there, kid," Rooney said, his voice calm but firm. "Keep it up, but remember—it's not over until it's over."
David nodded, his cheeks flushed. "We can do this, right? We're actually winning."
Rooney smirked. "One step at a time. Focus."
Meanwhile, in the Manchester United locker room, the atmosphere was completely different. Ole Gunnar Solskjær stormed in, slamming the door behind him. The players, heads hung low, sat in silence as Ole let loose.
"Are you kidding me?" he bellowed, his usually calm demeanor shattered. His eyes locked onto Luke Shaw. "You're letting a kid run circles around you! A kid! Do you want your place in this team or not?"
Shaw's face flushed with embarrassment, but before he could respond, Ole turned his attention to the entire squad.
"This is Manchester United! Start acting like it! I don't care what it takes—go out there and win this game. Show me you deserve to wear this shirt!"
The players mumbled their agreement, their pride stung. As they filed out for the second half, the determination on their faces was unmistakable.
The second half began with Derby County kicking off. David stood at the center circle alongside Martyn, the team's striker. The noise from the crowd was deafening, but David was locked in, ready to continue his magical night.