The new roof trapped the noise of forty five thousand people and sent it crashing down onto the pitch. It felt like standing inside a jet engine.

Michael Sterling stood in the tunnel. He adjusted his purple silk jacket. He looked to his left.

There stood the giants. Liverpool.

They looked like a team of super soldiers. They were tall. They were broad. They smelled of expensive shampoo and victory.

Arne Slot the Liverpool manager stood at the front. He was bald and calm. He looked like a chess grandmaster who knew he was going to win in three moves.

Behind him was Alexander Isak. The 150 million pound signing. The Swedish striker looked bored. He was chewing gum like he was waiting for a bus not a Premier League match.

And then there was Mohamed Salah.

The Egyptian King did not look happy. He looked furious. His eyes were burning. He was not looking at the Barnsley players. He was looking at Isak. The new signing had stolen his spotlight. The King wanted his crown back.

Arthur Milton stood next to Michael. He was shaking.

"Boss," Arthur whispered. "Salah looks like he wants to kill someone. And Isak looks like a robot. We are fighting Skynet and a Pharaoh at the same time."

"We are Misfits Arthur," Michael said calmly. "We like fighting giants. The bigger they are the louder they fall."

But Michael knew the truth. This was the hardest game of the season. Liverpool were unbeaten. They had scored thirty goals in ten games.

THE LOCKER ROOM

Ten minutes before kickoff. The dressing room was silent.

Usually there was music. Usually Isaiah King was dancing. Usually Diego Nunez was eating a snack.

Today there was fear.

Jan Visser was staring at his gloves. Enzo Silva was pacing back and forth like a nervous dog. Even Sergio Ramos looked serious.

They knew the odds. The pundits said Liverpool would win 4 to 0. The bookmakers gave Barnsley no chance.

Michael walked to the center of the room. He did not use the tactical board. He did not draw lines or circles.

He just looked at them.

"Raise your heads," Michael said softly.

The players looked up.

"I see fear," Michael said. "I see you looking at their team sheet. You see Isak. You see Salah. You see Van Dijk. You see hundreds of millions of pounds."

He walked over to Diego Nunez.

"Diego. Are you scared of a price tag?"

"No Papa Michael," Diego grunted. "Paper money burns."

"Exactly," Michael said. He turned to the room. His voice began to rise.

"They are the elite. They stay in five star hotels. They have private jets. They have never had to fight for scraps. They expect to win. They think they just have to turn up and we will roll over."

Michael slammed his hand on the table. The water bottles jumped.

"But they forgot where they are!" Michael shouted. "This is not Anfield! This is Barnsley! This is Yorkshire! It is cold here! It is wet here! The air tastes like coal and iron!"

He pointed at Enzo Silva.

"Enzo! Do they know what it feels like to be bitten by a Pitbull?"

"No Boss!" Enzo shouted jumping up. "I will show them!"

He pointed at Sergio Ramos.

"Sergio! Do they know what it feels like to face a Matador who has won everything?"

"They will learn today," Ramos said standing up. His eyes were dark and dangerous.

Michael looked at Leo Stone. The fifteen year old boy was sitting in the corner.

"Leo," Michael said. "They have wonderkids. They have superstars. But they do not have a Phantom. Show them that you cannot buy magic."

Michael opened the door. The roar of the crowd flooded in.

"They think they are gods," Michael said. "Go out there and show them that gods bleed."

"WE ARE THE MISFITS!" Diego Nunez roared.

"WE ARE BARNSLEY!" the team screamed back.

The fear was gone. Replaced by fire.

THE MATCH: THE ANGRY KING

The game started at a blistering pace.

Liverpool did not wait. They attacked instantly.

Arne Slot had set them up perfectly. They pressed high. They moved the ball so fast it was a blur.

Minute 10.

Mohamed Salah received the ball on the right wing. He was angry. He wanted to prove a point.

He ran at Enzo Silva.

Enzo tried to tackle. Salah dropped his shoulder. He was gone.

Salah cut inside. He curled a shot.

BANG.

The ball hit the crossbar. The sound rang around the stadium.

"Wake up!" Jan Visser screamed at his defense. "He is trying to kill the net!"

Minute 20.

It was Isak turn. The 150 million pound man received a pass from Trent Alexander Arnold.

Isak was fast. He sprinted past Tom.

Diego Nunez came across. The Bull versus the Robot.

Diego slammed into him.

But Isak was strong. He bounced off Diego and kept running.

"What?" Diego gasped. "He is made of metal!"

Isak shot. Low and hard.

Jan Visser dived. He got a fingertip to it.

The ball rolled inches wide.

Barnsley were hanging on by a thread. They were in the boxing ring with a heavyweight champion and they were taking punches to the face.

THE GOAL

Minute 35.

The pressure finally broke the dam.

Liverpool won a corner.

The ball came in. Van Dijk won the header. Jan Visser saved it.

But the rebound fell to Salah.

The Egyptian King did not hesitate. He smashed the ball into the roof of the net.

GOAL.

Liverpool 1. Barnsley 0.

Salah did not smile. He did not run to the fans. He just picked up the ball and ran back to the center circle screaming at his own teammates to play faster.

"He is scary," Arthur Milton whispered from the bench. "He plays like he hates the ball."

"He hates losing his status," Michael said. "We have to use that anger."

HALFTIME

Barnsley 0. Liverpool 1.

It could have been worse.

In the locker room Michael was calm.

"We survived," Michael said. "One goal is nothing. They are frustrated. Salah is screaming at Isak. Isak is ignoring everyone. They are a team of individuals."

He looked at Erik Olsen. The Viking had barely touched the ball.

"Erik," Michael said. "They are playing a high line. Van Dijk is arrogant. He stands on the halfway line."

"I see the space Boss," Erik said. The golden aura flickered around him. "But the ball does not come."

"It will come," Michael promised. "Leo. Find him."

THE SECOND HALF: THE TURN

The second half began.

Barnsley changed the tempo. They stopped respecting Liverpool.

Minute 55.

Enzo Silva won a tackle against Mac Allister. It was a crunching tackle.

"Get up!" Enzo shouted. "This is England!"

The crowd cheered. The energy shifted.

Minute 65.

Michael made a change. He brought on Jamie Vardy for Isaiah King.

"Chaos Jamie," Michael said. "Go annoy Van Dijk."

"With pleasure Boss," Jamie grinned.

Jamie Vardy ran onto the pitch. He immediately ran past Van Dijk and whispered something. Van Dijk looked annoyed.

Minute 70.

The moment came.

Liverpool were pushing for a second goal. They committed men forward.

Ramos intercepted a pass. He chested it down calmly inside his own box.

"Leo!" Ramos shouted.

He passed to Leo Stone.

The Phantom was in space.

He turned. He saw the Liverpool defense was high.

He saw Erik Olsen starting his run.

Leo hit a pass that defied physics. It curved around Trent Alexander Arnold. It landed perfectly in the path of the Viking.

Erik Olsen was through.

He ran.

Van Dijk chased him. The Liverpool captain was fast.

But Erik was powered by the golden aura. He was powered by the desire to be the best.

He reached the box. Alisson came out.

Erik did not panic. He chipped the ball.

It floated over the Brazilian goalkeeper. It hung in the air for an eternity.

It dropped into the net.

GOAL.

1 to 1.

The Fortress exploded.

Erik Olsen stood with his arms wide. The Viking had conquered the Dutchman.

THE CLIMAX

The last twenty minutes were war.

Liverpool were angry. Arne Slot stood on the touchline looking less like a chess master and more like a worried man.

Salah tried to do everything himself. He shot from impossible angles. He ignored Isak.

"They are breaking," Michael said to Arthur. "Their egos are clashing."

Minute 88.

The game was tied. A draw would be a great result.

But the Misfits wanted more.

Diego Nunez won the ball in defense. He ran forward. The Bull was charging.

"Go Diego!" the crowd roared.

Diego passed to Jamie Vardy.

Vardy held the ball up. He waited.

He saw Leo Stone making a run into the box. The ghost was moving.

Vardy backheeled the ball.

Leo Stone collected it. He was surrounded by red shirts.

Konate came to smash him.

Leo did a drag back. Konate slid past him.

He was eight yards out.

He looked at the goal.

He saw the bottom corner.

He placed the ball gently.

It rolled past Alisson hand. It kissed the post.

It went in.

GOAL.

Barnsley 2. Liverpool 1.

Bedlam.

Michael Sterling ran down the touchline. He jumped into the arms of Arthur Milton.

Leo Stone was buried under a pile of purple shirts. Even Jan Visser had run the length of the pitch to join the celebration.

FULL TIME

The referee blew the whistle.

Barnsley 2. Liverpool 1.

They had beaten the super team. They had beaten the millions.

Mo Salah walked off shaking his head. Isak looked confused.

But the Barnsley players stayed on the pitch. They held hands. They bowed to the fans.

Michael walked over to Diego Nunez. The giant was bleeding from a cut on his eyebrow but he was smiling.

"We ate the giants Papa Michael," Diego said.

"We did Diego," Michael said. "We did."

He looked at the league table on the big screen.

Barnsley moved up to 3rd.

They were not just surviving. They were title contenders.

Michael felt the vibration of his phone.

[SYSTEM ALERT]

[GIANT KILLER ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED]

[REPUTATION: ELITE]

[NEXT TARGET: THE BRAZILIAN HEIST]

Michael smiled.

They had beaten Liverpool. Now they had one month to steal Endrick from Real Madrid.

The Dynasty was not just awake. It was hungry.

"Arthur," Michael said walking to the tunnel.

"Yes Boss?"

"Book the tickets to Madrid. We are going shopping."

Arthur grinned.

"I will pack the ham Boss."

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