THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
chapter-702

Zachary could hear the thunderous chants loud and clear, even before they entered Anfield.

The fans had turned out in full force, knowing that this game wasn't just about three points. This was a battle for supremacy at the top of the Premier League.

Seven games in, Liverpool was unbeaten, sitting on 21 points. But City, just two points behind, were breathing down their necks, and a win for Guardiola's side would flip the table and hand them the advantage.

The tension was intense, but it wasn't the kind of tension that brought nerves. For Zachary, it brought focus. The electricity in the air heightened his senses, sharpened his mind, and as the bus finally pulled up to the stadium, he felt his pulse quicken.

Anfield was already buzzing, the noise echoing off its famous red-brick walls. The crowd was ready, and as Zachary stepped off the bus, he could feel the weight of their expectations bearing down on him. But it wasn't a burden—it was fuel.

Zachary followed his teammates into the stadium, the chants from outside filtering through the concrete walls. He could hear the familiar roar of the Kop, already in full voice. Every song, every chant carried belief, a belief that Anfield was unbreachable, that no team could come here and walk away with points.

But today's opponent was Manchester City—a juggernaut under Pep Guardiola, whose slick passing and ruthless efficiency had made them one of the most feared teams in Europe.

City's squad was brimming with talent—Kevin De Bruyne, Riyad Mahrez, David Silva, Sergio Agüero, and Raheem Sterling were all ready to test Liverpool's resolve.

In the dressing room, Zachary methodically pulled on his warm-up kit, blocking out the noise from the crowd. His focus was on the task at hand.

Klopp had been clear all week about the game plan: press high, disrupt City's rhythm, and strike with speed. It was a strategy tailor-made for Liverpool's aggressive style of play, one that had served them well against City in the past.

As he laced up his boots, Zachary felt the familiar surge of adrenaline. The team talk would come soon, but he didn't need any more motivation. He knew what this game meant—not just for the league table, but for the pride of the club, the city, and the fans.

By 3:30 PM, the teams emerged from the tunnel for their warm-ups. The roar of the Kop was deafening, a wall of sound that shook Anfield to its core. Zachary jogged onto the pitch with his teammates, feeling the energy surge through him. The fans were relentless, chanting and singing, their belief in the team evident with every word.

As Zachary stretched and passed the ball around, his eyes occasionally drifted toward the other end of the pitch, where Manchester City's players were warming up. He watched as Kevin De Bruyne moved effortlessly through drills, as David Silva orchestrated the rhythm of their warm-up, as Agüero darted in and out of cones with his trademark sharpness.

They looked ready. Sharp, focused, and hungry for a win. But Zachary wasn't intimidated. He trusted his teammates. He trusted Klopp. And he trusted himself.

As the warm-up concluded and the clock ticked closer to kick-off, both teams returned to the dressing rooms for final preparations. The noise from outside continued to filter through the walls, a constant reminder of the thousands of fans waiting for them to step onto the pitch.

Klopp stood at the front of the dressing room, his arms folded, his expression intense. The players sat in silence, their attention fully on their manager.

There was no need for a long speech—everything had already been said in the days leading up to the match. But Klopp, as always, had a way of injecting energy into the room with just a few words.

"Remember who we are," Klopp said, his voice steady but filled with passion. "This is our house, and nobody comes here and takes points from us. Go out there, fight for each other, and make the fans proud."

Zachary felt the fire ignite inside him. This was it. This was what they had been preparing for all week.

He glanced around the room at his teammates—Salah, Mane, Firmino, Henderson, Wijnaldum, Van Dijk. They were ready. They were a unit, a family. And today, they would show Manchester City why Anfield was the most feared ground in England.

At exactly 4:30 PM, the referee's whistle pierced the air, and the game began with a ferocious tempo.

Manchester City, true to their style, immediately looked to dominate possession. They moved the ball fluidly from the back, playing diagonal and square passes between their defenders and midfield, trying to draw Liverpool out and create space.

But Liverpool was ready. With the thunderous support of Anfield behind them, they surged forward with Klopp's signature high press, closing down spaces and putting City under immediate pressure.

Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were relentless in their pursuit of the ball, forcing City's defenders to scramble.

In just the third minute, the press paid off. Salah closed down Benjamin Mendy on the left flank, forcing him to rush a pass.

Mendy, under pressure, sent a blind ball into midfield. It was a fatal mistake. Georginio Wijnaldum was there, intercepting the pass with ease. Without hesitation, he turned and played the ball forward to Zachary.

Zachary, now in possession, felt the stadium pulse with anticipation. Everything was in front of him. The City defense was caught off guard, their midfield scrambling to recover. Fernandinho rushed to close him down, but Zachary had already decided what he was going to do.

With a quick shift of his body, Zachary dummied to the left, tricking Fernandinho into lunging. As the Brazilian committed, Zachary pushed the ball past him with the outside of his boot and accelerated. He surged forward, leaving Fernandinho trailing in his wake.

Ahead of him, the City defense was stretched. Salah was already on the move, darting between Laporte and Stones, angling his run toward the box. Zachary's vision was clear. He spotted the gap and played an inch-perfect through ball, splitting the City defense with surgical precision.

Salah didn't break stride. The ball fell perfectly at his feet as he entered the box, and with Ederson rushing out to close him down, Salah remained calm. With a deft chip, he lifted the ball over the onrushing keeper.

Time seemed to slow as the ball floated through the air before nestling into the back of the net.

Anfield erupted like a volcano as Mohamed Salah's delicate chip sailed home. The noise was deafening—thousands of Liverpool fans roared in unison, a sea of red scarves and flags waving as they celebrated their team's lightning-fast start.

The opening goal had come in just the 3rd minute, and it sent shockwaves through the stadium.

Zachary sprinted toward Salah, a broad grin spreading across his face. His perfectly timed through ball had cut Manchester City's defense wide open, and Salah had done the rest with his sublime finish.

The Liverpool players swarmed their Egyptian talisman, celebrating wildly in front of the Kop.

Klopp, on the sidelines, couldn't musk his joy. He leapt into the air, pumping his fists as he celebrated with his assistants. His characteristic smile stretched from ear to ear as he turned to the crowd, urging them to raise the volume even more.

Across the pitch, Pep Guardiola's reaction was starkly different. The Manchester City manager, known for his intensity and tactical perfectionism, was furious. He immediately spun toward his players, arms outstretched, gesticulating wildly. His face was flushed with frustration.

Guardiola paced the technical area, hands on his head, shouting instructions to his team. He knew that Liverpool's high press had already caused damage, and if City didn't adjust quickly, the game could slip away from them. "Move the ball! Play better football!" he demanded, clapping his hands, trying to instill urgency into his players.

The City players exchanged quick glances, knowing that they had to respond fast. Guardiola's frustration was palpable, but his mind was already working on the adjustments needed to wrestle control back from Liverpool.

When play restarted, Manchester City came out with renewed focus. Their passing, which had been hurried and imprecise under Liverpool's early pressure, tightened up.

City began to assert more control, shifting the ball from side to side with their familiar precision. De Bruyne and David Silva, City's maestros in midfield, began to drop deeper, looking to pull the strings and bypass Liverpool's press.

But Klopp's men were relentless. Zachary, in particular, was a untiring on and off the ball. He pressed high, constantly harassing City's midfielders, forcing them into uncomfortable positions.

Every time De Bruyne or Silva received the ball, Zachary was there, snapping at their heels, cutting off passing lanes, and disrupting their flow.

In the 10th minute, City found some space. A neat combination between Silva and Mahrez sent Raheem Sterling sprinting down the right wing, his pace electrifying the crowd.

Sterling's eyes darted toward Sergio Agüero, who was lurking in the box, ready to pounce. But just as Sterling whipped in the cross, Joe Gomez came sliding in with a perfectly timed block, sending the ball out for a corner. The City fans groaned as another opportunity slipped away.