Chapter 21 – The Ripple Effect

24 September 2012

The morning after Anfield felt like the calm after a storm. But in truth, the storm had only just begun.

The headlines came in waves :

"The Future Has a Name: Alexander Marshall"

"Manchester's Teenage Ace Dazzles at Anfield"

"United's Golden Boy? Believe the Hype."

Sky Sports News – Post-Match Analysis Segment

The studio lights gleamed off the polished desk as Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville sat side by side, highlights of United's 3–1 win over Liverpool playing on the screen behind them.

The slow-motion replay showed Alex darting down the right, chopping inside, then bursting toward the byline before whipping in that perfect cross.

Jamie Carragher, arms crossed tightly, grimaced as the clip looped again."He came off the bench and changed the game. Vision, composure, and that ball for Van Persie… that's not normal for a 16-year-old."

He leaned forward, brow furrowed."I hate to say it — especially after what he just did to my club — but that lad's got something in him. You can see it in how he glances before the cross, how he times the weight. That's not a hopeful ball. That's precision."

Gary Neville smirked, unable to hide his pride."You can't coach that kind of calm in chaos. You're either born with that final-third intelligence, or you're not."

He motioned toward the screen, where the camera froze on Alex mid-cross, body contorted like an artist finishing a brushstroke.

"Sixteen years old," Gary said again, almost in disbelief. "He's not just playing with the big boys — he's thinking faster than most of them."

Carragher exhaled sharply through his nose."And he didn't shy away from the moment. Anfield. Hostile as ever. Rattling tackles, 40,000 screaming at him. Most kids that age would panic, pass it back, or take a wild shot. Not him."

Neville chuckled."I was watching from the gantry and turned to the producer and said, 'He's going to make something happen.' Five seconds later, boom — Van Persie taps it in. Could've written it."

Carragher shook his head, clearly torn."Still hate that it happened against us, but credit where it's due. United might've found something special here. Scary thing is… he's just getting started."

The host cut in."And this isn't just a one-off, is it? We've seen flashes in the League Cup, that run against Wigan—"

"Exactly," Neville nodded. "There's consistency in his decisions. That's what separates a talent from a proper player."

Carragher, now slightly slouched, groaned theatrically."Can we go back to talking about midfield zonal coverage or something? I've had enough praise for a United teenager for one evening."

Laughter in the studio. Neville leaned back with a grin."Get used to it, Jamie."

Match of the Day looped the cross again and again.

One bounce.

A whip.

An assist.

Anfield stunned.

Football Fan Forums & Rival Pundits – The Other Side of the Hype

While Sky Sports praised Alexander Marshall's breakout Anfield moment, other corners of English football were far more reserved — and vocal.

On RedCafe.net, one user posted:

"Yes, the kid looked good. But let's not act like one good cross makes him the second coming of Ronaldo. Seen this hype train before."– Username: RioAintGod

Another added, bluntly:

"He's 16. He'll burn out by 20 like the rest of them if they're not careful."– Username: BitterBlue19

Meanwhile, on BlueMoon (Manchester City Forum), the comments were, predictably, colder.

"United fans already polishing the Ballon d'Or for him after one assist lol. Let's see how he handles it when the goals dry up."

"Another Federico Macheda in the making. Good debut, yeah. But come back when he can carry the team through a season."

Pundit Reactions from Rival Clubs

Jermaine Jenas on BBC Radio 5 Live offered a more tempered view:

"He's clearly talented, but let's not get carried away. I want to see how he handles a proper low block, when he's got to unlock ten men behind the ball. That's when you separate the flair players from the top ones."

Chris Sutton, appearing on BT Sport, was typically blunt:

"Everyone's raving about this kid. But football isn't Instagram clips and highlight reels. He's had a good week, but can he do it week in, week out when defenders are kicking lumps out of him? I'm not convinced yet."

Even Danny Murphy on TalkSport joined the cautionary chorus:

"He reminds me of a young Aaron Lennon — pace, bravery, decent delivery. But the game's littered with youngsters who fade once the novelty wears off. Let's see him in December, in the cold, in a nil-nil away to Stoke."

Roy Keane – ITV Football

Appearing on ITV's Premier League Highlights, Roy Keane gave a predictably sharp take:

"Listen, the kid did well — good composure, decent delivery — but let's not lose the plot. He came on when Liverpool were stretched and tired. The real test is when the team's playing poorly, and it's up to him to carry them. That's where great players make the difference."

He then added with a dry smile:

"I've seen more promising kids than I can count. Talent's the easy part. Mentality, work ethic — that's what matters."

Alan Shearer – Match of the Day

Alan Shearer, on Match of the Day, offered a more measured analysis:

"It was a brilliant assist, no doubt. The weight, the timing — that's elite vision. What I liked most was how calm he looked. Didn't rush it. Didn't panic. That's rare for a player his age."

But he followed up with "Let's be honest though — we've seen players explode onto the scene and then fizzle. The Premier League is relentless. If he keeps doing this through the winter, then we'll talk."

Gary Lineker – Twitter & The Rest is Football Podcast

Gary Lineker took to Twitter that night "Alexander Marshall. Sixteen. Plays like he's twenty-six. That assist was sublime. United might just have a gem on their hands."

Later, on The Rest is Football podcast, he added. "He reminds me of Beckham— clever, confident, sees things early. You can't teach that. The real trick now is not overhyping him. Let him grow. But yes… England should keep an eye on this one."

Social Media and Fan Reactions

By midday, #MarshallMagic was trending on Twitter.Clips of his assist went viral — over 2.3 million views in 12 hours.

"Bro really said 'I'm him' at Anfield. This kid's not normal. #MUFC"

"16 YEARS OLD. Assist at Anfield. Give him the Ballon d'Or already."

"Sir Alex still cooking in 2012 Marshall is generational."

On United fan forums, discussions exploded.

"This lad's got Beckham's delivery, Giggs's balance, and Rooney's grit. The new lad is insane."

"Never been more hyped about a youth player. He plays like he's already in the league for 10 years. None of that rookie feeling to it"

One poster simply wrote:

"He's not the next someone Ronaldo or Rooney. He's the first Alexander Marshall."

Talk Shows and Analysis

Across the league, managers were asked about him in pressers.

Brendan Rodgers (Liverpool Manager):"Credit to the lad. He came on and made a difference. His pass for the second was pure quality. We'll have to watch him closely next time."

Roberto Mancini (Manchester City):"For a young player, he play with experience. But we focus on our team." (He shrugged, clearly annoyed by the press obsession.)

Paul Lambert (Aston Villa):"Saw the match — kid's electric. Not many at that age would have that awareness in that atmosphere."

Chris Hughton (Norwich):"You can't teach instincts like that. If United protect him right, he could be world-class."

Inside Carrington

The sliding doors of the training gym parted with a soft whoosh, and Alex stepped inside — only to be greeted by a sudden chorus of claps and whistles.

"Look who it is!" Rio Ferdinand called out, towel slung over his shoulder. "Anfield Assassin in the flesh!"

Rooney grinned, tossing him a protein bar like it was a medal."Big-time now, eh? Can't even walk into Tesco without being recognised. Bet your mum's answering autograph requests at the bakery."

Laughter echoed around the room.

"And don't get used to all this attention," Giggs chimed in from a leg press machine. "One bad pass and we'll all pretend we never knew you."

"Cheers, lads," Alex chuckled, scratching the back of his neck.

Tom Cleverley leaned in, fake-serious. "Try not to crash the servers with all your highlight reels, yeah? You nearly ended my career with that one-two yesterday."

Alex smirked. "To be fair, I gave you an assist. That's a lifetime supply of praise from me."

From across the room, Nani shouted, "Oi, when you're done signing shirts, come warm up. We've got rondos and Rooney's already cheating!"

"I don't cheat," Rooney grumbled, clearly not meaning it. "I just win creatively."

Phil Jones added, "Yeah, creative like elbowing me in the ribs every round."

Everyone laughed again — the energy in the gym was electric.

Scholes, quiet as always, walked past Alex on his way to the treadmill. He paused, gave a firm nod, and continued on without a word.

Alex blinked. It wasn't loud. It wasn't flashy. But it meant everything.

"Did Scholes just nod at you?" Danny Welbeck whispered theatrically. "Mate, that's rarer than a unicorn sighting."

"I think I can retire now," Alex joked, grinning from ear to ear.

Sir Alex stepped into the gym then, arms behind his back, surveying the banter. The noise instantly settled — not out of fear, but respect.

He looked at Alex and raised a brow. "You can soak up the praise later, lad. Champions aren't made in highlight reels. They're made here."

Alex straightened up instantly. "Yes, boss."

But even as he joined the warm-ups, a few of the lads still clapped behind him. Just enough to remind him — he'd arrived.

He just had to keep going.

Later in the evening.

Alex scrolled through the highlights on his phone — the pundits, the tweets, the forum posts. Praise, doubt, hype, warnings. It was dizzying.

The knock on the door startled him.

Sir Alex stood by the door, a cup of tea in one hand.

"Busy being famous, are we?"

Alex stood quickly. "No, I—uh... just watching the segment. Sky Sports."

Sir Alex stepped in, closed the door behind him, and walked to the window. He spoke without turning:

"You're going to hear a lot over the next few weeks. People telling you how brilliant you are. Others saying you're overrated. Most of them have never played a minute of top-flight football."

He turned then, gaze firm but not harsh.

"Don't ever let the praise get to your head or the criticism get to your heart."

Alex nodded, the words sinking in.

Sir Alex walked over, setting the tea down on the table and placing a hand on Alex's shoulder.

"You've got something special, son. I've seen it. But talent's just the beginning. Stay humble. Stay hungry. And keep listening — especially when I shout at you."

Alex smiled.

"Yes, boss."

Sir Alex nodded once, then added more softly:

"You remind me of a lot of players i coach throughout the years. Beckham, Cristiano. Scholes. Quiet, but always watching. But you've got Rooney's edge too. Don't lose it."

As he turned to leave, he paused at the door.

"One more thing. Your dad came to the match. Didn't want to bother you before, but… he was proud."

That hit harder than anything else. Alex blinked fast, looking away.

Sir Alex smiled knowingly and left.

Alone again, Alex sat down — not to watch highlights, but to open the calendar on his phone.

Next match: Tottenham Hotspurs

Another chance to prove it wasn't a fluke.

That night, two system pings lit up his interface.

[MENTOR PATH – Wayne Rooney]Progress Increased: +10%

Trigger: Match Impact & Chemistry Recognition

[MENTOR PATH – Paul Scholes]Progress Increased: +8%

Trigger: Tactical Movement Recognition

Alex blinked.They were watching.

Alone in his room later, Alex watched the clip again — not out of ego, but study.

He paused the moment he glanced up before crossing.

He saw Van Persie's run before Van Persie even knew he was going to make it.

Was that instinct?Was it the system?Or something deeper?

A soft knock on the door. His mum peeked in.

"You're trending in five countries," she said proudly. "Don't let it get to your head, okay?"

Alex chuckled. "Never."

But in his chest, a fire burned quietly.

He wasn't there yet. Not even close.

System Prompt

[NEW MISSION UNLOCKED – National Eyes]

Objective: Continue Senior Appearances (Minimum 3/10) to Trigger England Call-up

Progress: 1/10

[The media hype might seem excessive for one game but the british media always overhype british players. Especially young talent. So i think it's quite realistic]