The two weeks of the International Break felt like two years. T

Michael Sterling sat in his office. He missed the noise. He missed Isaiah King shouting about his shoes. He missed Diego Nunez complaining about small portions of food.

But then the doors opened.

They were back.

Arthur Milton walked in first. He was holding a stack of papers. He looked like a child on Christmas morning.

"Boss," Arthur said. "Have you seen the reports? Have you seen the numbers?"

"I saw the highlights Arthur," Michael smiled. "But show me the numbers."

Arthur placed the papers on the desk.

INTERNATIONAL DUTY REPORT

NAME: KAI SORA

TEAM: JAPAN

MATCHES: 2

ASSISTS: 3

DISTANCE COVERED: 4.5 KM

NOTE: He stood in the center circle against Brazil and passed the ball through the legs of Casemiro. The Brazilian fans applauded him.

"He nutmegged Casemiro," Michael said shaking his head. "In a friendly match."

"He said Casemiro was standing in his light," Arthur chuckled.

Michael looked at the next one.

NAME: KENJI SATO

TEAM: JAPAN

MATCHES: 2

DISTANCE COVERED: 28 KM

NOTE: The Japan manager asked if Kenji has a motor in his legs. Kenji apologized for running too fast.

"Standard Kenji," Michael said.

NAME: ISAIAH KING

TEAM: ENGLAND

MATCHES: 1 (Substitute appearance)

MINUTES PLAYED: 20

GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS: 1 Assist

NOTE: He set up Harry Kane for the winner against Italy. Then he tried to teach Harry Kane a TikTok dance. Kane looked confused.

"He is a star Arthur," Michael whispered. "He played twenty minutes and he changed the game."

"And Pavard," Arthur said pointing to the last sheet. "He played ninety minutes for France. Clean sheet. He looked like a Rolls Royce parked in a garage of Fiats."

The Misfits were not just Barnsley players anymore. They were international stars.

Michael walked down to the canteen. The noise was back.

Isaiah King was standing on a chair. He was wearing his England training kit. He was telling a story to the academy kids.

"So there I was," Isaiah shouted. "Wembley Stadium. Eighty thousand people. Harry Kane looks at me. He says Isaiah give me the ball. I say Harry wait your turn. I dribble past two Italians. Then I give him the ball. Boom. Goal. You are welcome Harry."

The academy kids looked at him with wide eyes.

"Did he really say wait your turn?" Diego Nunez asked. Diego was sitting in the corner with his leg up. He was eating a whole chicken.

"Maybe not those exact words," Isaiah admitted grinning. "But he thought it."

Kai Sora was sleeping on his new bed in the corner. He was wearing a Japan jersey.

Kenji Sato was bowing to the dinner lady.

"Thank you for the food," Kenji said. "The sushi in Tokyo was good but your mashed potato is elite."

The dinner lady blushed.

Michael clapped his hands.

"Welcome home!" Michael shouted.

The room went silent. Then they cheered.

"Boss!" Isaiah jumped down. "Did you see me? I am an England legend now."

"I saw you Isaiah," Michael smiled. "You did well. But put the England shirt away. Today you are Barnsley. And we have a giant to kill."

Later that afternoon the squad gathered in the media room.

Michael wanted them to see something. He turned on the big TV on the wall.

It was a popular football talk show. Two famous pundits were sitting on a sofa arguing.

"Look," the first pundit said. "Barnsley are a fun story. They have the Japanese boy who passes like a wizard. They have the London kid with the pink boots. But let us be serious."

"Serious about what?" the second pundit asked.

"The FA Cup," the first pundit said. "They drew Manchester United. At Old Trafford. In the Fourth Round. Barnsley beat United in the league at home yes. But Old Trafford? Under the lights? United will want revenge. Ten Hag will want blood."

"I do not know," the second pundit argued. "Barnsley have momentum. They have spirit. And they have that manager. Michael Sterling. He does not play by the rules."

"Rules?" the first pundit laughed. "Sterling plays a right back in goal and a striker in midfield. It is chaos. Chaos eventually fails. I predict United win 3 to 0. The fairy tale ends on Saturday."

Michael turned off the TV.

The room was silent.

Diego Nunez growled. It was a low dangerous sound.

"They talk too much," Diego said. "They sit on sofas and eat biscuits. They do not know war."

"They think we are lucky," Michael said looking at his players. "They think the league win was a mistake. They think we cannot do it again."

He looked at Benjamin Pavard.

"Benjamin. You played in World Cup finals. Is Old Trafford scary?"

Pavard smiled. It was a cold smile. "It is just a stadium Boss. The grass is the same size. The fans are loud but they cannot tackle."

"Exactly," Michael said.

He looked at Isaiah.

"Isaiah. You played at Wembley. Are you scared of Old Trafford?"

"No Boss," Isaiah said. He touched the England badge on his chest. "I am a Lion now. Lions do not fear devils."

"We go there," Michael said his voice rising. "We go to the Theatre of Dreams. And we turn it into a nightmare."

Friday. The Press Conference.

The room was packed. Journalists from all over the world were there. The Barnsley story had gone global.

Michael sat at the table. He wore his club suit. He looked calm.

"Michael," a journalist from the BBC asked. "You face Manchester United again. They are angry. They say the league defeat was an accident. How do you respond?"

Michael leaned into the microphone.

"Accidents happen once," Michael said. "We beat City too. Was that an accident? We beat Arsenal. Was that an accident?"

He paused.

"People call us Misfits. They call us lucky. But luck does not run thirteen kilometers a game like Kenji Sato. Luck does not see passing lanes like Kai Sora."

"But you are missing Diego Nunez," another journalist pointed out. "Your defense is weak without the Bull."

"Diego is here," Michael said tapping his heart. "His spirit is on the pitch. And we have Benjamin Pavard. We have Shaun Higgins. We are not weak. We are adaptable."

"Erik ten Hag said he has a special plan for Kai Sora," a journalist said. "He said he will put a cage around him."

Michael laughed.

"You cannot cage smoke," Michael said. "Kai does not exist in one place. If they mark him here he appears there. Good luck to Mr Ten Hag."

Michael stood up.

"We are going to Manchester to win," Michael declared. "We do not go anywhere to draw."

Saturday. Old Trafford.

The stadium was magnificent. Seventy five thousand people. The Stretford End was a wall of noise.

The Barnsley bus arrived. The fans threw bottles at it. They shouted abuse.

Inside the bus Kai Sora was listening to classical music. Isaiah King was checking his hair.

Michael stood up as the bus stopped.

"Look at them," Michael said pointing at the angry United fans outside. "They are scared. They are shouting because they are terrified that the little team from Yorkshire is better than them."

They walked into the dressing room.

It was big. It was red. It was intimidating.

But the Misfits did not care.

Shaun Higgins put his lucky shin pad on the bench. The one Diego gave him.

"For the Bull," Higgins whispered.

Pavard was stretching. He looked focused.

Arthur Milton walked around giving everyone a piece of gum.

"Chew," Arthur said. "It helps the nerves."

Michael announced the lineup.

GK: Sam Jones

RB: Kenji Sato

CB: Benjamin Pavard

CB: Shaun Higgins

LB: Tom (Academy Kid)

CM: Kai Sora

CM: Arda Guler

CAM: Isaiah King

LW: Mateo

RW: Jamie Weston

ST: Danny Fletcher

It was attacking. It was brave.

"Tom," Michael said to the young defender. "You played against Son. Now you play against Rashford again. You know him. He is fast. But you are smart. Do not dive in."

"Yes Boss," Tom said. His hands were shaking but his eyes were steady.

"Isaiah," Michael said. "You are in the middle today. Number 10. I want you to run at Casemiro. He is strong but he is not as fast as you. Turn him. Twist him."

"I will make him dizzy Boss," Isaiah promised.

"Kai," Michael said.

Kai looked up.

"Control the chaos," Michael said.

Kai nodded. "I will conduct the orchestra."

They walked out of the tunnel.

The noise was incredible. UNITED! UNITED!

The Manchester United players looked ready. Bruno Fernandes looked angry. Rashford looked focused. Maguire looked big.

They wanted blood.

The referee blew the whistle.

KICKOFF

The game did not start slowly. It started with an explosion.

Manchester United pressed high. They ran at the Barnsley defense.

Minute 2.

Rashford got the ball. He ran at Tom.

Tom stood his ground. He did not tackle. He jockeyed.

Rashford tried to push the ball past. Tom blocked him.

"Good lad!" Higgins roared.

Minute 10.

Barnsley got the ball.

Kai Sora received it deep. Two United players rushed him.

Kai did a drag back. He spun. He passed to Kenji.

Kenji ran. The Engine was fresh from his international break. He sprinted past Shaw. He sprinted past Mount.

He crossed the ball.

Danny Fletcher jumped. Maguire jumped.

Maguire won the header.

"Keep going!" Michael shouted from the sideline.

Minute 20.

The game was a battle of styles. United wanted power. Barnsley wanted speed and precision.

Arda Guler was dancing. The Real Madrid loanee was enjoying the big stage. He nutmegged McTominay. The away fans cheered.

Arda passed to Isaiah King.

Isaiah was in the hole. Casemiro came to crush him.

Isaiah remembered the training. Use your body.

He leaned into Casemiro. He bounced off but he kept the ball.

He turned. He saw a gap.

He shot.

THWACK.

Onana dived. He pushed it wide.

"Corner!"

The game was open. It was exciting.

But United were dangerous.

Minute 35.

Bruno Fernandes played a magical pass. It split the defense.

Hojlund ran onto it. He was through.

Sam Jones came out.

Hojlund shot.

SAVE!

Sam saved it with his foot.

The ball bounced out. Rashford was there. The goal was empty.

Rashford shot.

BLOCK!

Shaun Higgins threw himself across the line. The ball hit his chest.

"NO!" Higgins screamed. "NOT IN MY HOUSE!"

The Barnsley fans in the corner went wild.

HALFTIME

0 to 0.

It was a stalemate. But Barnsley were holding their own.

Michael walked into the dressing room.

"We are doing it," Michael said. "We are frustrating them. Listen to the crowd. They are whistling. They are unhappy."

He looked at Kai.

"Kai. In the second half they will get tired. They are chasing you. When they get tired the gaps will open."

"I see the gaps Boss," Kai said. "They are small. But they are there."

"Isaiah," Michael said. "Keep running at Casemiro. He is on a yellow card. One more mistake and he is gone."

"We can win this," Michael said with total belief. "We can win at Old Trafford. Imagine the headlines."

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