In front of the Chelsea goal, Gao Nuo needed to make a shooting decision in an instant.
Fofana blocked part of the right-side angle, and Kepa was moving towards the left side of the goal.
Gao Nuo saw the situation clearly at a glance and kicked the middle of the ball hard with his left foot.
A low shot threaded through Fofana's legs and quickly rolled towards the bottom right corner of the goal.
No matter how fast Kepa's mind reacted, his body couldn't keep up with the change in his center of gravity. He stopped his movement to the left, but his body could only awkwardly remain in place, half-kneeling, as the ball rolled into the goal.
Goal!
Manchester United 2:1 Chelsea.
Gao Nuo scored the goal and ran quickly towards the corner flag, performing his familiar passionate knee slide at Old Trafford.
"Roar—!!!"
Amidst the shouts of the home fans, Carrick punched the air. This goal perfectly demonstrated his tactical ideas, and he felt genuinely happy.
Zhan Jun and Zhang were also busy, praising Manchester United's goal in the live broadcast room.
"Gao Nuo's goal was incredibly exciting. He shot to the opposite corner, and it even went through Fofana's legs first. This shot showed both skill and courage!"
"Yes, exactly. This goal also has Carrick to thank. He just made personnel adjustments and a formation change, and the team scored immediately. You could say it was a divine substitution!"
"Yes, this goal first came from Kante's long-range pass, and then Mount's and Rashford's passes were also excellent."
"Indeed, Kante's first touch of the match! It seems two years in Saudi Arabia haven't made Kante decline. That long-range pass was incredibly precise, and Mount's performance was equally outstanding. Both of them showed no mercy against their old club."
"This isn't easy for Chelsea to take, but the drama of revenge against former clubs is not uncommon. Let's refocus our attention on the pitch."
Trailing by one goal, Chelsea's offense became even fiercer. In the opening match of the new season, no one wanted to return defeated.
On Manchester United's side, Carrick still didn't play conservatively by strengthening the defense. While the team withstood the pressure, they constantly pressured the opponent through counterattacks.
The two teams held each other in check on the field, making for a very exciting match.
Unfortunately, too little time was left for Chelsea.
Sterling's 'happiness' and Mbappé's speed failed to break through Manchester United's goal.
Of three good quality shots, Sterling shot wide, and Mbappé's two shots were blocked by Nübel and Pau Torres respectively.
On Manchester United's side, Rashford's lob shot went slightly over the goal.
Gao Nuo had a one-on-one opportunity in the final moments of the game, but unfortunately, Kepa performed brilliantly this time, charging out from an extreme distance and touching the ball with his toes, deflecting it out of bounds.
Finally, after 90 minutes, Manchester United defeated Chelsea 2:1, securing a winning start to the new season.
Gao Nuo, who didn't score a brace, wasn't disappointed. After all, the team won, and both old and new teammates performed well. The team was moving in the right direction.
At the post-match press conference, Carrick brought Gao Nuo with him.
Daily Report: "Hello, Mr. Carrick, congratulations on your first victory as Manchester United manager. Please share your thoughts on today's match."
Carrick: "Thank you. We did very well in today's match. Perhaps we still need more time to gel, but I am satisfied with the players' ability to execute tactics."
"Especially Gao Nuo. From the first training session I saw him, I felt like I had known him for a long time. We have an extraordinary understanding in terms of tactical ideas and game comprehension."
Factual Report: "Mr. Carrick, winning the opening match must feel great. Please tell us about Manchester United's goals for this season."
Carrick: "Three months ago, Manchester United had just completed a successful season, but we all know that the team's rebuilding work is still ongoing. We will not lose ourselves because of a certain moment or a certain championship. We need to keep moving forward."
"This season, the team has made a lot of efforts in the transfer market, and my squad has been strengthened once again. At the same time, the young players in the team are growing, and many are ready to contribute to the team."
"As for the goals, I just want to say, glory belongs to Manchester United!"
Three Days Two Reports: "Mr. Carrick spoke highly of Gao Nuo. Can Gao Nuo talk about his chemistry with the new coach?"
Gao Nuo: "Thank you, Mr. Carrick, for the praise. The victory is the effort of the entire team. I am very happy to be a part of Manchester United. I enjoy the pleasure of playing here, and supporting and executing the coach's tactics is the job of every professional player."
Football Weekly: "Mr. Gao Nuo, with the arrival of Mbappé, plus Haaland and you, some media are saying that the Premier League has entered a three-way battle. What are your thoughts on this?"
Gao Nuo: "Haha, thank you to the media friends for the recognition. Personally, I still have a certain gap compared to Haaland and Mbappé, but in terms of the Premier League title race, Manchester United certainly has great competitiveness, and I will contribute my strength to the team."
On August 20, 2025, Manchester United visited the Emirates Stadium to challenge Arsenal.
In the 59th minute of the match, Vanderson broke through on the wing and, despite the defense, passed the ball to the middle. Bruno Fernandes seized the opportunity and shot from the edge of the penalty area, the ball finding the bottom right corner of the goal.
Manchester United took a 1:0 lead.
In the 86th minute of the match, Vanderson, who provided an assist in the first half, was out of position defensively, and Arsenal's Smith Rowe broke into the penalty area from the left wing.
Smith Rowe, under pressure from Varane's defense, curled a shot directly into the top right corner of the goal from the edge of the box.
Nübel's save was slightly lacking, and the ball perfectly flew into the very corner of the goal.
Arsenal 1:1 Manchester United, equalizing in the final moments of the match.
After 90 minutes, the two teams shook hands with a 1:1 draw.
On August 23, 2025, Manchester United played their second consecutive away match, challenging Nottingham Forest.
In the 3rd minute of the match, Manchester United launched a lightning attack. The connection between Casemiro and Gao Nuo once again proved effective. Gao Nuo, receiving the ball in front of the penalty area, dribbled past a defender and scored from the edge of the box.
In the 35th minute of the match, Manchester United had a corner kick. Bruno Fernandes sent the ball into the penalty area, and Gao Nuo leaped high at the near post, heading the ball into the net to complete his brace.
In the 50th minute of the match, the recovered Neymar was in good form, dribbling past two opponents consecutively on the right wing. After cutting into the penalty area, he was fouled by a covering center-back, and Manchester United was awarded a penalty kick.
As usual, Gao Nuo, who had already scored two goals, took the penalty. With a run-up and a shot, he scored cleanly, securing his first hat-trick of the season.
In the 63rd minute of the match, Antony, who had just come on as a substitute, cut in from the wing. After a series of feints, his left-footed curled shot successfully found the back of the net.
Carrick was once again hailed as a 'divine' substitute.
It wasn't until the 82nd minute of the match that Nottingham Forest scored a consolation goal through Rade Krunic.
The full-time whistle blew, and Manchester United defeated Nottingham Forest 4:1, taking three points away from home.
