THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME

Klopp didn't believe in overloading his players with long pre-match speeches. They knew what was at stake. They knew the battle that awaited them. His job wasn't to complicate things but to remind them of the details that would make the difference.

His sharp gaze scanned the room, lingering on each player for a fraction of a second. Then, in his usual no-nonsense tone, he began.

"Alright, lads. You already know how big this game is. But don't make it bigger in your heads than it needs to be. It's still football. Eleven against eleven. Just another step in our journey."

He took a deep breath, his voice steady but commanding.

"Stick to the structure. Stay disciplined in the 4-3-3. Our press is our biggest weapon—but only if we do it together. That means intensity. That means commitment. If one of us presses and the others don't, they will cut through us. City are too good to let us get away with that."

His eyes flicked toward Henderson, Fabinho, and Zachary.

"Midfield, you need to control the chaos. High press when it's on. Drop back when it's not. Be smart. They'll try to play between the lines—David Silva, Bernardo, those little magicians. Don't give them space. And when we win the ball, move it quickly. They don't like running backward."

Then, his focus shifted to the backline.

"Virg." Klopp nodded at Van Dijk.

"Sergio Agüero—he's sharp, always looking for half a yard. You know him. Stay tight, but don't let him turn. And watch the runs from Sterling and Sané. They'll try to isolate Trent and Robbo one-on-one. Don't let them."

Van Dijk gave a firm nod.

Klopp clapped his hands together, the sound echoing in the silent room. His final words were simple, but they carried the weight of every ounce of belief he had in his team.

"Boys, we've been here before. We know how to win these games. Just do what we do best—be brave, be smart, and fight for every ball. Now, let's go."

With that, the room stirred to life. Players stood up, clapping their hands, rolling their shoulders, shaking out the tension. The nervous energy transformed into sharp focus.

Zachary took one last deep breath. This was it.

As they stepped out of the dressing room and into the tunnel, the noise from the stadium grew louder, a deafening roar of anticipation. Zachary felt his pulse quicken, but it wasn't nerves—it was adrenaline. This was why he played. The biggest games, the grandest stages, the chance to make history.

The moment they walked out onto the pitch, the atmosphere hit them like an explosion. The Etihad Stadium was a cauldron of noise. Manchester City fans were in full voice, their chants reverberating through the cold January air. The boos for Liverpool's players were deafening, but the pockets of traveling Liverpool fans in the corner sang even louder, their defiance cutting through the hostility.

Zachary barely noticed the noise. He had long trained himself to tune out the distractions. His focus was just on the game.

Very quickly, the players moved through their pre-match routines—passing drills, short sprints, final stretches. Klopp watched from the sidelines, arms crossed, nodding approvingly. Soon enough, the warm-up was done, and the teams gathered in their respective halves for last-minute team talks.

Then came the final moment of stillness.

Both teams lined up, ready, the tension in the air almost tangible. The Etihad Stadium, bathed in bright floodlights, was a sea of blue, but in one corner, a pocket of Liverpool fans waved their scarves defiantly, their voices already rising above the home crowd.

Up in the commentary booth, Peter Drury set the stage for the millions watching around the world.

"So here we go, then—Manchester City versus Liverpool, a fixture that could define the season. And here are the warriors taking to the pitch.

For Manchester City, Ederson stands in goal, the ever-reliable presence between the sticks. A back four of Danilo, Vincent Kompany, John Stones, and Aymeric Laporte will be tasked with keeping Liverpool's frightening attack at bay.

In midfield, Fernandinho anchors the side, with the silky playmakers David Silva and Bernardo Silva pulling the strings ahead of him. And up front, three of the most dangerous forwards in Europe—Leroy Sané, Sergio Agüero, and Raheem Sterling—will look to carve open Liverpool's defense."

Drury barely paused for breath as he turned to the other side of the pitch.

"And for Jürgen Klopp's Liverpool—Alisson Becker starts in goal, a rock at the back for the Reds. The defense, as always, is marshaled by the commanding Virgil van Dijk, who partners Dejan Lovren at the heart of the backline. Trent Alexander-Arnold and Andrew Robertson, two of the best attacking full-backs in world football, take their places on either flank.

In midfield, Fabinho sits deep, Henderson leads by example, and alongside him, the newly crowned Ballon d'Or winner, Zachary Bemba, will be the creative spark. And then, the front three—electric, unpredictable, lethal—Mohamed Salah, Roberto Firmino, and Sadio Mané. A trio that has terrorized defenses across Europe."

Down on the pitch, the referee checked his watch. The clock struck 8:00 PM.

On cue, the whistle blew. Then, kickoff.

Agüero tapped the ball back, and instantly, City fell into their rhythm, shifting the ball left and right, probing for an opening. They were patient, moving with their usual controlled aggression, waiting for Liverpool to make a mistake.

But Liverpool weren't here to watch City play.

The moment Fernandinho received the ball in midfield, Salah, Mané, and Firmino pounced, closing in like a pack of wolves. Henderson and Zachary surged forward in support, cutting off passing lanes.

In a short while, City had nowhere to go.

Forced into a quick decision, Fernandinho lofted the ball toward Raheem Sterling on the right wing. But before it could reach him—

Andrew Robertson read it perfectly.

The left-back leaped and intercepted the pass with his chest before bringing it down cleanly. With no hesitation, he played it inside to Fabinho, who flicked it first-time to Henderson.

Henderson turned sharply and spotted Zachary drifting into an unmarked pocket of space just beyond the center circle.

The pass then came.

Zachary, always alert and keen, let the ball roll across his body before controlling it with his right foot. David Silva closed in, trying to press.

But with just a single, exquisite touch—Zachary nutmegged him.

The Liverpool fans roared while the City supporters groaned in frustration.

Zachary, though, didn't stop to admire his work. He was off.

One touch. Two touches. He burst forward, accelerating like a bullet, leaving Fernandinho trailing. The City defense scrambled to close him down, but they could only eat his dust.

Kompany and Stones stepped up, forming a wall. But Zachary had already spotted the gap. With a precise flick of his boot, he slid the ball wide to the right, where Salah was already sprinting past Laporte.

Salah took over, cutting inside as Zachary raced into the box.

The Egyptian King knew exactly where to put it. A low, driven cross flashed across goal.

Zachary sprinted forward, shaping to shoot. Ederson dived while the trailing Stones lunged—expecting the strike.

But at the very last second, Zachary let the ball run through his legs.

A dummy. A moment of sheer genius.

The ball rolled past both Stones and the goalkeeper and landed perfectly at the feet of Sadio Mané at the far post.

Bang!

Mané smashed the ball home, sending the Liverpool fans into delirium.

The Etihad was stunned. Liverpool had scored in just four minutes.

The celebration that followed was wild. Mané pointed at Zachary and Salah, acknowledging their roles in the goal. Klopp pumped his fists on the sideline.

Then, the commentary box came alive.

Peter Drury's voice soared.

"Ohhh, that is sensational from Liverpool! Ruthless, electrifying, and utterly brilliant! And Zachary Bemba—he has just pulled off a moment of magic! A nutmeg on David Silva, a surging run through the City midfield, and then—would you believe it—he lets it roll through his legs! The intelligence, the vision, the sheer arrogance! Sadio Mané finishes it off, but that was a goal made in Liverpool's high press and Bemba's brilliance!"

Jim Beglin groaned, shaking his head.

"That's an absolutely world-class move. Liverpool forced City into the mistake, won it back, and within seconds, they've sliced them open. Bemba's dummy—oh my days—he's just sent Ederson and John Stones into next week. That's pure street football intelligence.

Liverpool lead. And City have a real problem."