Anfield

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July 30, 7:00 PM (UK Time) – UEFA Cup Third Qualifying Round, First Leg

Dundee United faced Premier League giants Liverpool at home.

Tannadice Park, Dundee United's stadium with a capacity of just 18,000, was packed to the brim with passionate supporters.

Although Dundee United was only a mid-to-lower-table team in the Scottish Premier League, the league itself only had 12 teams. With Scotland typically allocated five European competition spots after UEFA's restructuring, Dundee United had managed to qualify for European competitions once every few seasons. Though they only reached the UEFA Cup, it was still an opportunity to compete on the European stage.

Historically, Dundee United had its moments of glory in Europe. The club was one of only four Scottish teams to reach a European final, alongside Celtic, Rangers, and Aberdeen.

Tannadice Park had witnessed legendary encounters against some of Europe's biggest clubs, including La Liga's Barcelona, Serie A's Roma, and Bundesliga's Borussia Mönchengladbach.

However, this match marked the first time Dundee United faced an English powerhouse in a European competition.

Due to historical rivalries, there was always a certain level of tension between Scotland and England, including in football. While major English clubs had a strong following in Scotland, there were still many Scots who resented England's dominance.

With the small stadium unable to meet the high demand, ticket prices soared, but that didn't stop fans from filling every seat.

Liam Carter had been doing his best to impress in training, but having only joined the squad a week earlier, he wasn't included in the matchday squad.

Ultimately, Dundee United suffered a predictable defeat despite the raucous support from the home fans.

Liverpool's captain, Steven Gerrard, scored a goal, while French striker David N'Gog netted twice. The match ended in a 3-0 home loss for Dundee United.

Though Liam hadn't expected to play, the heavy defeat still left the home supporters disappointed.

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Despite the loss, life went on. The team had to continue training and preparing for the return leg at Anfield.

Liam remained determined in training, working hard to prove himself. Finally, on August 5, assistant coach Toby Harrison read out the squad list for the trip to Liverpool.

"Liam Carter..."

It was just a routine roll call, but for Liam, it meant everything—this was his first time making the matchday squad.

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On the morning of August 6, the Dundee United squad boarded a bus to Liverpool.

With their hopes of advancing all but gone after the first-leg defeat, the club had seemingly given up on the tie. Instead of taking a flight, they opted for a cost-effective bus ride—Liverpool wasn't far from Scotland, making it a reasonable choice for a small club.

At 7:30 PM, the second leg kicked off at Anfield.

Liam stepped into the famous stadium for the first time, catching sight of the legendary "This is Anfield" sign in the visitors' tunnel. However, he knew he had to wait for his opportunity—he was starting on the bench.

As expected, Liverpool dominated possession from the start, forcing Dundee United into a defensive posture. There was little suspense about the outcome.

"The Scottish Premier League has been in decline for years," said veteran BBC commentator John Mortensen. "Aside from Celtic and Rangers, no other team seems capable of competing in Europe. Dundee United today is no exception."

With Liverpool controlling the match, the commentary team shifted their discussion to Dundee United's European history.

"I remember Dundee United was quite a force back in the day," Mortensen's co-commentator chimed in.

"Yes, they had a brief rise in the 1980s. That was when they won their only league title, which qualified them for their only European Cup campaign. They reached the semi-finals that year but were eliminated by Roma."

"They actually won the first leg 2-0 at home and had a great chance to reach the final. But they lost 3-0 away and were knocked out."

"Interestingly, Liverpool won the European Cup that season. If Dundee United had beaten Roma, they would have faced Liverpool in the final. It took until today for these two teams to finally meet in a European competition."

"Three years later, Dundee United made another deep run in Europe, this time in the UEFA Cup. They shocked everyone by reaching the final."

"The most famous moment came in the quarter-finals against Barcelona. At the time, Barcelona had English stars like Gary Lineker and Mark Hughes, and most people expected an easy win for them. But Dundee United defeated them home and away—one of the biggest upsets in British football history."

"To this day, that victory over Barcelona is considered one of the top ten greatest European upsets by a British club."

"Unfortunately, they lost the final 1-2 to Swedish club IFK Göteborg, missing out on their only chance at European silverware."

"Since then, Dundee United has faded back into the role of an ordinary Scottish club."

As Mortensen continued his storytelling, the first half ended with Liverpool leading 1-0 thanks to a goal from N'Gog.

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At halftime, Dundee United's manager, Peter Houston, remained composed. He had expected a loss coming into the tie, and with the team trailing just 1-0, it was actually better than he had anticipated.

Since qualification was already out of reach, he decided to give some young players a chance.

"Stuart, Liam—you two are coming on in the second half. Go show what you can do. Don't let Liverpool look down on us."

Liam, though aware they were already 4-0 down on aggregate, still responded enthusiastically, "Yes, coach!"

"The fourth official is raising the substitution board," Mortensen commented. "It looks like Dundee United is making changes. Are they going for a last-ditch effort, or are they just giving up?"

"They're bringing on No. 25 Stuart Armstrong for No. 8 Scott Robertson, and No. 36 Liam Carter for No. 16 Morgaro Gomis."

"Clearly, these are young players getting a chance. Armstrong, born in 1992, is 18, while Carter, born in 1993, is only 17."

As Liam stepped onto the pitch, he could hardly believe it. His first professional appearance had arrived—on a European stage, at the iconic Anfield.

Though he knew it was largely due to circumstance, the moment still felt surreal.

Now, it was time to prove himself.