Chapter 38

As the warm-up neared its end, tension filled the air in the away locker room at Old Trafford. Brendan Rodgers stood at the center, rallying his players with a fiery speech.

"Go all-out on the attack! We're not just here to win we're here to win beautifully! With so many of Manchester United's key players missing today, this is our chance for revenge!"

Hearing their manager's words, Liverpool's forwards exchanged excited glances.

Rodgers had set up his team in their familiar 4-3-3 formation:

- Goalkeeper: Mignolet

- Defense: Skrtel and Sakho as center-backs, with Enrique on the left and Kolo Touré on the right

- Midfield: Lucas as the defensive anchor, flanked by Gerrard and Henderson

- Attack: Moses, Suarez, and Sturridge leading the line

On the bench sat Brad Jones, Aspas, Alberto, Wisdom, Ibe, Martin Kelly, and Sterling.

Compared to their last meeting with Manchester United, Liverpool's lineup remained largely unchanged—except for one key return: Luis Suárez.

The Uruguayan striker, having recovered from injury, was the focal point of Liverpool's attack. Since joining from Ajax in 2011 for €26 million, Suárez had quickly become Liverpool's talisman. His first full season (2011–12) yielded 11 league goals and 6 assists, but his real breakthrough came in 2012–13, netting 23 goals second only to Robin van Persie while also providing 5 assists.

Suárez had missed the previous clash against United at Anfield due to injury. Forced to watch helplessly as his team suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat, he had burned with frustration. Now, with Rodgers pushing for an all-out assault, he saw his chance for revenge.

Manchester United, get ready. Today, at Old Trafford, I will score!

Meanwhile, in the home dressing room, Jin Taige had just finished outlining his tactical plan.

United would stick with their trusted 4-4-2, but due to injuries and suspensions, there were significant changes in the lineup.

- Goalkeeper: De Gea

- Defense: With Ferdinand and Vidic injured and Jones suspended, Jin Taige had no choice but to field his only two available center-backs Smalling and Van Dijk. Youngster Alonso started at left-back, with Rafael on the right.

- Midfield: Injuries to Kanté and Carrick, coupled with Giggs's exhaustion from the previous game, left Jin Taige with limited options. Fletcher was tasked with shielding the defense, while Kagawa played further upfield. Mahrez and Nani occupied the wings.

- Attack: Rooney led the line, while Van Persie was rested due to fatigue. Instead, Icardi got the nod up front.

The substitutes' bench consisted of Alisson, Evra, Anderson, Ashley Young, Valencia, Giggs, and Martial.

With nearly all his fit players in the matchday squad, Jin Taige knew he was walking a tightrope. Another injury could force him to dip into the youth ranks. However, with Kanté and Vidic's recovery progressing well and Jones returning after his suspension, there was a glimmer of relief.

After the warm-up, Jin Taige gathered his players and broke down Liverpool's setup.

"Rodgers is going all-in on the attack. Their *-3-3 is aggressive, and even though we're at home, we'll have a tough fight ahead."

Rafael, full of confidence, pounded his chest. "Boss, we smashed them 3-0 at Anfield last time. We'll do it again and march forward in the League Cup. Treble here we come!"

Jin Taige grinned. "That's the spirit!"

Rooney stepped forward, his expression serious. "Boss, don't worry. We'll make sure our 'guests' feel the full weight of an Old Trafford welcome."

With Giggs resting, Rooney had been handed the captain's armband for the match. At 28, he was one of United's most experienced players, and Jin Taige had complete trust in him.

From the back of the room, De Gea chimed in. "Boss, you said it yourself at the press conference: 'See Liverpool, beat Liverpool.' We're all fired up!"

Jin Taige nodded. "I have faith in you all. Go out there and show Liverpool what Manchester United is all about!"

He then went over the final tactical details. The session took longer than usual, as several young and reserve players were in the lineup. They listened intently, eager to prove themselves.

With everything set, Jin Taige raised his fist. "Go out there and finish Liverpool!"

The players erupted in cheers and stormed out of the locker room.

In the tunnel, Liverpool's squad was already waiting. Eyes locked, tension crackled between the two teams. A few players exchanged words, their competitive fire already burning.

At the front, Jin Taige and Rodgers crossed paths. Neither acknowledged the other.

15:00, September 25, 2013—Manchester United vs. Liverpool in the League Cup, Round Three.

The stage was set for another battle in English football's fiercest rivalry.

Liverpool's players, especially the forwards, were fired up.

Meanwhile, the commentators introduced the game to the audience.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to our live coverage of the 2013–14 English League Cup third round, where Manchester United hosts Liverpool at Old Trafford!"

"Looking at the lineups, the biggest news for Liverpool is the return of Luis Suárez from injury. Last season, despite Liverpool finishing seventh in the league, Suárez was outstanding scoring 23 goals, second only to Robin van Persie. With interest from clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Juventus, many believe Liverpool won't be able to keep him much longer if he continues at this level."

"On the other hand, Manchester United is dealing with serious injury problems. Several defensive players are unavailable, leaving Jin Taige with a depleted squad. If this trend continues, he may not even have a full bench. The big question is: can this young United side successfully defend their home ground?"

In a crowded sports bar painted in Manchester United red, fans had gathered to watch the match. Dubbed the 'Scarlet Bar', it was packed with members of the "King of the Devils" fan club.

"Let's crush those Liverpool kids today!" one fan shouted.

"Why aren't you drinking?" another asked.

"Can't I skipped work and need to sneak back before my boss notices. If I smell like beer, I'm done for!"

"You coward!" The group laughed.

As the match began, Manchester United wore their traditional red kits, while Liverpool played in black away jerseys.

Liverpool kicked off, with Gerrard immediately passing back to Lucas, before sprinting forward alongside Henderson. Their front three Moses, Suárez, and Sturridge charged forward aggressively, pressing United's defense right from the start.

Lucas sent a pass to Moses, who immediately took off down the wing. With a sharp touch and a burst of speed, he breezed past Rafael, heading straight for the byline.

Seeing the danger, Smalling quickly shifted over, blocking Moses's path. Fletcher also dropped back to provide support. Under pressure, Moses attempted a cross, but the ball had already gone out for a goal kick.

Despite the failed attack, Liverpool's intent was clear they were here to attack relentlessly. United's defenders exchanged uneasy glances. They had expected Liverpool to be aggressive, but this level of intensity was unexpected.

At Old Trafford's Sir Alex Ferguson Stand, where the King of the Devils supporters were gathered, the early attack had everyone on edge.

Rodney, a die-hard fan, exhaled sharply. "That was close! If Moses had timed his cross better, Suárez and Sturridge were ready in the middle. Even Gerrard and Henderson were lurking outside the box!"

Cook, the leader of the fan club, nodded. "Liverpool looks ready to storm Old Trafford. We need to raise our voices and show them who runs this stadium!"

The fans erupted in chants, their voices echoing across the stadium.

Among them stood Manchester United assistant coach Albert Ferran. Suspended for one match, he had chosen to sit with the fans rather than the dugout.

Leading the chants, Ferran shouted, "Henderson has the ball! Boo him!*

Cook grinned. "It's an honor to have our assistant coach directing us today. We should have you here every match!"

Ferran glared at him. "Don't count on it! I'm not planning to get suspended again. Enjoy this while it lasts—now boo louder!"

United quickly regained possession, and their attacking trio sprang to life.

On the right flank, Mahrez was as dazzling as ever. Over the past few games, he had emerged as United's most dangerous winger, showing glimpses of a young Ryan Giggs. Even Giggs himself had praised him, calling Mahrez the perfect successor to his No. 11 shirt.

Against Liverpool's right-back Kolo Touré, Mahrez was unstoppable. With quick footwork and sharp turns, he left Touré spinning, before delivering a precise cutback into the box.

Shinji Kagawa was waiting.

Having been benched for several matches, Kagawa was determined to prove himself. He instinctively flicked the ball forward, threading a perfect pass to Icardi, who had positioned himself inside the penalty area.

Icardi vs. Škrtel.

Instead of engaging in a physical battle, Icardi outfoxed the towering defender. Using a quick turn, he shifted the ball to his right foot and, with a delicate toe-poke, sent the ball curling towards the bottom corner.

Liverpool's goalkeeper, Mignolet, was blindsided by Škrtel and reacted too late.

XXXX

"This game started with incredible intensity! The players from both teams are fighting tooth and nail!"

"If you just tuned in, you'd think you were watching a Premier League highlight reel or a Champions League knockout match but no, this is only the third round of the English League Cup! Manchester United vs. Liverpool at Old Trafford!"

"Just five minutes in, and the players are already locked in a fierce battle!"

"Mahrez takes on Yaya Touré one-on-one he's past him! He lays the ball off to Shinji Kagawa at the edge of the penalty area!"

"Kagawa has the space for a long-range shot... but he's unselfish! A delicate pass through to Icardi in the box!"

"Icardi turns! A quick, controlled finish!"

"GOAL!!!"

"Mauro Icardi has delivered! The young striker puts Manchester United ahead 1-0!"

Icardi's goal sent Old Trafford into a frenzy!The entire stadium roared in celebration, the fans jumping, singing, and applauding.

In the stands, Ferran, United's assistant coach, blew his whistle loudly, shouting at the top of his lungs:

"LONG LIVE MANCHESTER UNITED! LONG LIVE JIN TAIGE! Icardi is a beast! FK LIVERPOOL!"

Rodney, standing beside him, gave Ferran a sideways glance. "You don't act like this when you're on the sidelines."

Ferran smirked. "Of course not! **The FA officials are there! I can't yell 'FK Liverpool' so loudly during a match. But up here? This feels amazing!"

"Hahahaha!"

The entire North Stand was a sea of joy.

Jin Taige and Scholes rushed to the sidelines, celebrating with their players. Taige embraced Icardi, applauding Kagawa for his perfect assist. Then, he turned to the rest of the team and shouted with passion:

"Keep playing like this! Stick to the plan! We're in control!"

Before the match, Jin Taige had laid out his tactical approach:

"At Anfield, Liverpool attacked relentlessly, and we hit them with counterattacks to win 3-0. But today, we're doing things differently."

"We're going to go head-to-head with Liverpool. From the first whistle, we attack aggressively. If we score first, they'll become desperate. The more they push forward, the more space we'll have to exploit."

"Icardi's movement and finishing are his strengths. Get the ball to him with direct passes, and he'll do the rest. But don't hesitate to take long shots if the opportunity arises!"

Taige expected an intense battle, but he didn't expect a goal this early.

"Five minutes in, and we're already 1-0 up."

As he returned to the dugout, Scholes turned to him with a question.

"Boss, why did you decide to go toe-to-toe with Liverpool? Wouldn't it have been safer to play a defensive counterattack like last time?"

Taige let out a sigh. "Paul, to be honest, a defensive counterattack would have been the safest approach. Liverpool would throw men forward, and with our speed up front, we'd have a better chance of winning."

"But..."

He glanced around and, making sure no substitutes were listening, lowered his voice.

"Look at our lineup today. Even if we count the bench, we don't have a single reliable defensive midfielder. Anderson, Ashley Young, Valencia, and Giggs all good attackers, but none are capable of shielding the backline. That's why I started Fletcher he's the closest thing we have to a proper defensive presence."

"And our center-backs? Both of them are already playing. If something happens to either of them, I'd be forced to put an attacking player in defense!"

Taige clenched his fist.

"With this squad, do you think we could survive a full game against Liverpool's attack?"

Scholes finally understood. "So, instead of trying to defend with a weak backline, you decided to outscore them?"

Taige nodded. "Exactly. Instead of waiting to be overwhelmed, I'd rather take the fight to them!"

Scholes chuckled. "Genius. This is why you're the boss."

Scholes suddenly remembered something else. "Wait…Why didn't you appeal Jones' red card? If we had appealed, even if we lost, his suspension would have been delayed, and he could have played today."

Taige leaned back. "Jones was devastated by that red card. If we appealed, the **FA would have sent investigators** to question him. That would've made things worse."

"Instead, I ended the issue quickly. A suspension isn't the end of the world. But if Jones had to keep reliving that mistake, it could break his confidence."

Scholes nodded. "That makes sense. Young players need to move on from setbacks quickly."

"Exactly," Taige agreed. "Look at Senderos at Arsenal. A couple of bad games against Drogba and his confidence was shattered forever. He went from 'Campbell's successor' to a benchwarmer for mid-table clubs."

Scholes grinned. "Alright, I get that. But why did you start a war of words with Rodgers before the game?"

Taige smirked. "Simple. Our squad wasn't in the best mindset after our last defeat. I needed something to fire them up. So, I lit a match under them and Liverpool became the fuel."

"Did you notice?" He pointed at the pitch. "This morning in training, everyone was sharper. And today, their attitude is completely different."

Scholes laughed. "So you provoked Liverpool just to boost our team's morale?"

"Exactly," Taige replied. "And judging by the scoreline, it worked."

As the two chatted on the sidelines, their focus briefly shifted away from the pitch. But in that short moment, the game took another dramatic turn.

Both teams were sticking to the same high-tempo, attacking style they had adopted from the opening whistle. Defensive discipline was almost non-existent even the full-backs were pushing deep into the opposition's penalty area, leaving both teams wide open.

14th minute—Liverpool attack.

Henderson muscled past Shinji Kagawa and surged towards Manchester United's penalty area. Ahead of him, Luis Suárez and two other Liverpool forwards were waiting, each a dangerous option.

"Henderson has multiple passing options!"

"But instead of playing it forward, he moves it laterally across the edge of the box!"

"Here comes Gerrard! The Liverpool captain is charging forward he strikes it with power!"

"GOAL!!! Liverpool equalizes!"

"1-1! It didn't take long for Liverpool to respond!"

Old Trafford's away section exploded in celebration. The traveling Liverpool fans, furious after conceding earlier, now roared with satisfaction, their chants echoing across the stadium.

"That's our captain!"

"Come on, Liverpool!"

"United are finished!"

The home crowd in the North Stand wasn't having it. Their deafening cheers soon drowned out the away section, pushing their team forward once again.

Scholes gritted his teeth on the sidelines. "Damn it! We let Gerrard have too much space again!"

Jin Taige shook his head. "Paul, you played alongside Gerrard for years you know how dangerous he is. Look at our midfield today. Who in that lineup could have stopped him?"

Scholes glanced at Fletcher and Kagawa, then sighed. He didn't need to answer. Deep down, he wished he could throw on a jersey and shut Gerrard down himself.

Taige, however, remained composed. "This was always going to be a high-scoring match. The key isn't stopping them completely it's making sure we outscore them. If we increase our attacking efficiency, we'll win."

Looking at the chaotic, end-to-end football unfolding before him, Taige thought to himself:

"The goal battle has begun!"

The match remained a furious back-and-forth contest, with both sides trading chances. But in the 27th minute, Liverpool struck again.

A long ball was launched into the Manchester United penalty area. Smalling mistimed his clearance, and the ball dropped straight to Daniel Sturridge.

"Sturridge controls it!"

"Left-footed strike GOAL!"

"2-1, Liverpool takes the lead!"

"What a finish from Sturridge! If not for injuries, he'd be England's best striker. That goal had everything pace, power, and precision! De Gea had no chance."

The Liverpool fans erupted again, their celebrations even wilder than before. On the Liverpool bench, Brendan Rodgers sprinted to the touchline, pumping his fists, savoring the moment.

As he celebrated, he glanced over at Jin Taige.

To his surprise, the United manager sat completely still, unshaken, his eyes locked onto the pitch. No frustration. No panic. Just focus.

Rodgers clenched his jaw. "Let's see if you're still that calm at full-time!"

Scholes, however, was restless. He turned to Taige, expecting a reaction.

But Taige simply waved a hand. "Relax. Keep watching."

Scholes frowned but said nothing. He knew Taige wasn't the type to panic over an early deficit.

Taige had already analyzed the situation:

"We've had just as many chances as Liverpool. If luck had been on our side, we'd be ahead already. The team is playing well. There's no need to change anything yet."

Plenty of time remained.

Manchester United's relentless attacking pressure finally paid off in the 39th minute.

This time, the spark came from Nani.

The Portuguese winger was back to his best, his dazzling dribbles causing havoc on the right flank. Just like Mahrez was tormenting Liverpool's left side, Nani was doing the same on the right.

The move started when Darren Fletcher intercepted Henderson's pass in midfield. Without hesitation, he sent the ball straight to Nani on the wing.

"Nani receives it—he's off! He accelerates down the flank!"

"Liverpool's José Enrique can't keep up! Now Mamadou Sakho is stepping in!"

"But Nani sees the opening! A perfectly timed pass into the box!"

Rooney was already in position, lurking on the right side of the penalty area.

"Rooney controls it he lifts his head! He sees Mignolet slightly off his line!"

"Instead of crossing, he goes for goal himself!"

"GOAL!!!"

"ROONEY SCORES!"

"Manchester United equalizes—2-2!"

Mignolet had expected Rooney to pass to Icardi, positioning himself for a potential header. But Rooney outsmarted him, firing a sharp shot into the near corner before the keeper could react.

Old Trafford exploded.

The North Stand shook as United fans roared in celebration, their voices drowning out everything else. Even the Liverpool supporters fell silent for a moment.

On the touchline, Jin Taige simply smirked.

"Rodgers, this game is far from over."