The Road to the Promised Land: Chapter 31

Irons vs. Red Devils, The Rift :Previous «Home Page» Next: The Batttle of Old Trafford - 1st Half
== The Flowers of Manchester ==
"Never forget the importance of history..." – Author unknown.
"It's one of those incidents that you can remember exactly where you were, and I can remember listening to the radio in my parents' room in Oxford and bursting into tears. And I think, if you're a United fan or you weren't a United fan, the nation wept that day." – Jim Rosenthal (Sports broadcaster).
...
Following their most recent victory, making it 10 consecutive wins strong in all competitions, everything seemed to be going for the best for Manchester United as the team was preparing for the big Premier League clash against Arsenal at the top of the Premier League. However, the current week was also about a sad anniversary of an event that marked both a whole generation and the club forever on the 6th of February 1958.
Wednesday February 6
Aon Training Complex, Carrington, UK
11:15 AM GMT
Fueled by the anger that stemmed from Ryoma Oda's incendiary comments about him at the end of the AFC Asian Cup final, Kakeru displayed a level of energy in training that was beyond everything everybody was used to. His teammates, especially Nana and Yusuke, had little choice but to follow the high tempo set by the Knight in the Area. Even on a chilly morning, players who hoped to be in the team for the next match had to compete in every single duel.
"Clarkey! Pass!" Nikolaj, from the half-team with yellow dibs, shouted.
However, Kakeru was quickly applying pressure upon the veteran English defender.
"No, you don't!" Kakeru, from the half-team with no dibs, said.
Feeling pressured to take a quick decision, Chris chose to make the pass forward to Nikolaj. The Danish midfielder was hoping to make ground forward, but he was stopped cold in the middle of the pitch when Yusuke arrived with a well-timed standing tackle to take the ball away.
"Well done, Yusuke!" Kakeru said.
From there, Yusuke quickly passed the ball forward to Nana, who ran forward on the attack.
"Stay sharp! Alex, you go!" Matthias, who captained the half-team with yellow dibs, ordered.
Aleksandar rushed to face Nana. However, the Little Witch shook the Serbian midfielder off by combining a Witch Turn with an "Alley" dribble.
'Got him!' Nana thought.
Feeling that the danger was arriving towards the yellow team goal, it all came down to a 2v2 contest: Kakeru and Nana against Matthias and Chris.
"Watch him, Clarkey!" Matthias shouted, ordering Chris to man-mark Kakeru.
"Come on, Skipper!" Nana dared Matthias to go after her.
Nana tried to shake Matthias off with a couple of feints, but the veteran defender didn't bite. Finally, Nana attempted to run around Matthias by the outside. Playing by the book, the German defender was physically pushing Nana further on the outside to prevent any possibility of a shot. Nevertheless, Nana had something else in mind.
'Here we go.' Nana thought.
Nana stopped her run before she stepped a foot back to create a little more space or herself. Then the Little Witch performed a dinked pass towards the far post. Chris appeared to be in a good position to intercept the pass in the air, but Kakeru quickly ran towards a position where he could get in front of Chris and attempt the header.
"IN!" Kakeru shouted.
Surprising Chris completely by gaining the right position, Kakeru timed his jump in the air perfectly to head the ball into the back of the net. The players with yellow dibs were stunned.
PEEP!
"Well done, Aizawa!" Andrew said.
"Nice goal, Kakeru!" Nana gave Kakeru a double high-five.
"Thanks! Nice pass, Seven!"
Meanwhile, Matthias was not happy at the way some of his teammates played sloppily.
"YOU'RE SLACKING OFF, LADS! WAKE UP!" Matthias shouted. "Clarkey! You had to cover Knight!"
"I'm sorry, Skipper! I let him slip by." Chris replied.
"Instead of watching the ball, you have to watch the man! Everyone, if we play like that against Jenpa or Araki, we will get killed!" Matthias said.
"Skipper's right! We have to be sharp out there. More than that, we must be aggressive. Against Arsenal, being sloppy and lacking concentration won't forgive." Yusuke added.
"Yeah, let's get this right. Restart!" Nikolaj rallied his teammates.
Meanwhile on the touchline, Andrew saw the scene unfolding.
'They know they can do better, and their attitude shows it. If they keep pushing themselves like that, they will be ready for the Arsenal match. I don't know what has gotten into Aizawa, but I don't care for as long as he drives the team to do better like he does now.' Andrew thought.
At the end of the training session, the Manchester United players became increasingly sharper and more intense in their execution in both attacking and defensive aspects of the game. Even though there was plenty of time before the day of the match, Andrew Butler was starting to have a very good idea about the team he would send to face Arsenal.
1:30 PM GMT
Following the team lunch, Kakeru, Nana, and Yusuke were taking a moment to chill out inside the training center. They were tired from the intense session, but they were also satisfied.
"That was a very good workout in the end." Kakeru said.
"One of our very best." Nana replied.
"Sure. On a different topic, I read that today is the anniversary of a tragedy in which Manchester United was involved." Yusuke said.
"Read? Didn't Noriko tell you about what the Munich Air Disaster means to her as a Manchester-born United fan?" Kakeru asked, slightly indignant.
"Well... the only thing she said is that she would tell me about it after she's done with work later today. Looks like she wanted me to discover about it on my own or through someone else." Yusuke replied.
"OK. What exactly did you read about it?" Nana asked Yusuke.
"February 6, 1958... Flying back from Belgrade, Manchester United were on an airliner that made a stop in Munich before the flight to England. The plane carrying the team, journalists, and supporters crashed on the 3rd attempt to take off. There was snow and slush on the runway. Out of 44 people on board, 23 died... including 8 players. I didn't really have time to dig deeper into the subject because I was mostly studying recently in my free time... OK, I know that's a weak excuse. Still, the words that came back often when I read what I could on Twitter were: The Flowers of Manchester."
"Let us fill the blanks for you, Yusuke. When that accident happened, United just got through to the semifinals of the European Cup, which was the old format of today's Champions League." Kakeru said.
"The 'Busby Babes', as United were called, were a group that had young, brilliant talents all produced by the club. They were on their way to become a very dominant team for years to come against big European teams. They could have overtaken Real Madrid as the best team in Europe in the young competition that was the European Cup, but all of those dreams were shattered on this day in 1958. United lost half of a team; eight players died, and two more never played again." Nana added.
"The manager at the time, Matt Busby, climbed out of the wreckage before he spent the next 3 months in hospital." Kakeru said.
"Damn. When did you first learn about all of this?" Yusuke asked.
"In the first month of February we ever spent in Manchester. Some of our senpais at the time, including Patrice Evra, told us about it. People in Manchester and some other places in England still talk about that moment today." Kakeru replied.
"You know... the first that came to my mind when I read into that 1958 tragedy was the accident that crippled that Brazilian team, Chapecoense, late in 2016." Yusuke said.
"Yeah, exactly. The whole soccer community in the world stood up as one in support of Chapecoense after the accident. They were awarded the Copa Sudamericana at the request of the Colombian opponent they were due to face in the final of that competition." Nana replied.
"Manchester United have a rich history. It's not just about winning trophies, but also about how the whole club was rebuilt and how everyone pulled together after the tragedy. The survivors of the crash rebuilt the team, and they finally won the European Cup just 10 years later. People say that the legend of our club and the massive worldwide support for the club stem from the crash and the rebuild that followed." Kakeru added.
"That's such a fascinating story." Yusuke said.
"If you think it was fascinating, wait until you meet someone who can tell you more about it than I'd ever do myself." Kakeru replied.
"What about the Flowers of Manchester?"
"For that, we have to make our way to the front of Old Trafford until 3:04 PM first. On the 6th of February of every year, we go there to pay our respects to those who died in the crash. The answer will unfold itself there, Yusuke." Kakeru replied.
"We will stop at a flower shop to buy a few bouquets before we get there. Then we will go to Old Trafford." Nana said.
"Yeah, but we have to wear the Paul Smith suits first. Anyone associated with the club who attends the ceremony has to wear the formal outfit." Kakeru finished.
Old Trafford, Manchester, UK
2:30 PM GMT
On the 6th of February of every year, it has become a tradition for fans to gather in front of Old Trafford and pay their respects to those who died in the crash. Flowers and messages are laid by several visitors under the Memorial Plaque, which is located on the outside wall of the East Stand. The focal point of this yearly memorial service is set to take place by the Memorial Plaque later at 3:04 PM, the time of the crash. At that precise hour, people gather to sing a song in honor the victims even after that many decades.
Having parked their vehicles in the East parking lot outside of Old Trafford, Kakeru, Nana, and Yusuke walked their way towards the East Stand. Carrying bouquets and dressed with their Paul Smith suits, the 3 Japanese players made their way through the crowd to drop the flowers alongside several others. Then Kakeru, Nana, and Yusuke prayed for a few minutes for the souls of the departed. After they finished praying, someone in the crowd called for them.
"Kakeru! Nana! Yusuke!"
"Mister Harry." Kakeru recognized Noriko's paternal grandfather walking towards the 3 Japanese players.
"I see you remain faithful to your habits."
"Since we learned this chapter of the history of the club, we never miss an occasion to honor the victims alongside common people on this day." Kakeru said.
"Has my granddaughter said she would come today?"
"She's working at the hospital for now, but she told me this morning that she would come here after finishing her shift later." Nana replied. "What about her father?"
"Bobby came here in the morning before going to work, so it's fine."
"Mister Harry. I was told you're 74 years old. Being a Manchester United fan since you were very young, you lived through that particular day in 1958. How did you react when you learned about the crash?" Yusuke asked.
"Oh... I heard the news at school. I was a young teenager back then, and I was crying my eyes out at school when the news got to me. The teacher took me to another room, and I was highly emotional about it. And I was thinking 'They can't be dead'. The teacher said to me 'Sorry, Harry. I'm sorry. They are.' I didn't stop sobbing for hours." Harry replied.
"I... I really don't know what to say." Yusuke said.
"Sometimes, I don't either." Harry said before he dabbed a tear in his eye. "It was the worst day of my life... as much as it was for several people in Britain who were old enough to remember that day. The only other time when the country wept altogether like that was when Princess Diana died. Those lads were common people from the working class to begin with before they rose together to become the first teenage superstars in English football. Back then, only singers and famous actors were recognized as superstars. They had plenty of talent, confidence, hunger and desire. It was magical to see that special group of young lads play such beautiful football, and yet always enjoy company with common people. Also at the time, no one thought about fielding teenagers against teams that had only grown adults in their late 20s and over as professionals. However, they were never afraid of anybody, and they defeated so many teams with style. Everything was possible for them... The 1958 Manchester United team could have been the greatest football team ever seen." Harry replied.
"How difficult was it for the club to rebuild everything, Mister Harry?" Yusuke asked.
"This is where the story has a better ending although it was painful at times. The board thought about shutting down the club for the rest of the season, but the coaching staff, especially the late Jimmy Murphy, worked so hard to keep the club going on, to start rebuilding the team right away, to rebound, and to aim towards glory again. Murphy said: 'It's not about honoring their memory. It's about showing who we are to the world. Showing we'll not be bowed by tragedy. Because how we are in the future will be founded on how we behave today'. They finally won the European Cup 10 years later. Bobby Charlton, who survived the crash, captained the team and scored twice in that final."
"The 8 players who died were just like us: young people who wanted to play football. Whenever I think of this tragedy, it reminds me of when my own brother died in an accident that could have taken my life as well. Just like when I took the burden of carrying on my brother's unfulfilled dreams instead of dwelling on the tragedy, the surviving players in 1958 did the same for their fallen comrades." Kakeru said in English to Yusuke so Harry would understand the conversation as well.
"Rising from the ashes time and time again, like the phoenix; this is the real legacy of the club." Nana said.
"I only wish I knew about the full story earlier. This is really big; a great story about turning tragedy into triumph." Yusuke said.
"It is never too late to learn, young man. If you can find your inspiration from that story to grow stronger and show the world what you are made of, just like the surviving players did, then you are bound to become a great."
"Thank you, Mister Harry." Yusuke replied. "What is the story behind the Flowers of Manchester?"
"It's the name of the song that describes the tragedy. It's the best way to remember about the event and those who passed away when we sing it at this time of the year." Harry said.
"The organizers of this event have lyrics sheets for everyone, Yusuke." Kakeru added.
"I'll grab a few sheets for all of us." Nana finished.
Then Nana went to one of the organizers of the main gathering, and got the lyrics sheets from him. In the few minutes coming before the fateful time of 3:04 PM, the group of fans sang a few tribute songs, and read poems in honor of the Busby Babes. Several Manchester United officials and the current club captain, Matthias, were present as well.
When the clock hit 3:04 PM at Old Trafford, the small crowd started singing a song that was originally written by a man named Eric Winter. The song was later recorded by a folk group named The Spinners, which included vocalist and Salford-born United fan Mick Groves. Titled "The Flowers of Manchester", the song described the tragedy. It was that the only sound that was heard from the people gathered by the Memorial Plaque, including Kakeru, Nana, and Harry joining their voices in the singing while Yusuke was silently reading the lyrics on the sheet.
One cold and bitter Thursday in Munich, Germany,Eight great football stalwarts conceded victory,Eight men will never play again, who met destruction there,The flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester.
Matt Busby's boys were flying, returning from Belgrade,This great United family, all masters of their trade,The pilot of the aircraft, the skipper Captain Thain,Three times they tried to take off and twice turned back again.
The third time down the runway disaster followed close,There was slush upon that runway and the aircraft never rose,It ploughed into the marshy ground, it broke, it overturned,And eight of the team were killed when the blazing wreckage burned.
Roger Byrne and Tommy Taylor, who were capped for England's side,And Ireland's Billy Whelan and England's Geoff Bent died,Mark Jones and Eddie Colman, and David Pegg also,They all lost their lives as it ploughed on through the snow.
Big Duncan he went too, with an injury to his brain,And Ireland's brave Jack Blanchflower will never play again,The great Matt Busby laid there, the father of his team,Three long months passed by before he saw his team again.
The trainer, coach and secretary, and a member of the crew,Also eight sporting journalists, who with United flew,And one of them was Big Swifty, who we will ne'er forget,The finest English 'keeper that ever graced the net.
Oh, England's finest football team its record truly great,Its proud successes mocked by a cruel turn of fate.Eight men will never play again, who met destruction there,The flowers of English football, the flowers of Manchester.
After the song, Kakeru, Nana and Yusuke took their time to have a chat with visiting fans outside of Old Trafford about football, about the Munich Air Disaster and other topics. A few former United players were also mingling with the fans for the occasion as well. As it already got dark at around 5:40 PM, Noriko arrived outside of the stadium where she spotted her boyfriend, her friends and her grandfather standing by the Memorial Plaque. By that time, the crowd had dwindled considerably.
"Hello, everyone."
"Hi, Noriko!" Kakeru and Nana exclaimed.
"I'm glad you're finally here." Yusuke said.
"You finally made it, Noriko." Harry added.
"You were the one who taught me what this day meant for all United supporters, Grandpa. I wouldn't spend a 6th of February in Manchester without paying my respects to the Babes."
Noriko then put her own bouquet of flowers alongside several others that were laid on the ground for the occasion, and prayed for a minute. Then Noriko joined her friends before they continued watching the procession of people paying their respects.
"A broken plane, a broken dream, a broken heart, a broken team, no word said, a silent vow, we loved you then, we love you now... This is the phrase every supporter and player of this club should always remember on this day and even beyond." Noriko said.
"Since you told us those words during our first February in Manchester, Nana and I have never forgotten them." Kakeru said.
"You could have told me about how much this event meant for the people here." Yusuke said.
"I'm sorry. I wasn't sure if my words would have been enough to tell you how big this is. Kakeru, Nana, and I knew that Grandpa bring the right emotion through his own experience than I would ever do. He is the storyteller in our family after all." Noriko replied.
"And you were right: I truly had goosebumps when I listened to your grandfather. That feeling also carried over when people sang 'The Flowers of Manchester'."
"So how do you feel now?" Noriko asked.
"Seriously? I feel inspired. I only came back from the Asian Cup, but I really want to go out there, fight for my teammates, and do whatever it takes to win to honor that team from more than 60 years ago."
"Yusuke... I know you have what it takes to become a great, and I will support you all the way." Noriko finished before she and Yusuke smiled at each other.
Kakeru quickly took a glance and smiled when he saw Yusuke and Noriko. But just as he turned his gaze back towards the area where the flowers were laid, the most unexpected sight unfolded in front of him and him only.
'Nii-chan?' Kakeru asked in his thoughts.
Kakeru saw his late brother Suguru standing by one of the fences restricting the area to visitors. Suguru was wearing a plain black suit, a plain white shirt, a matte black tie, a black winter coat, and plain black shoes as if he attended a funeral himself. The eldest of the Aizawa children appeared to be invisible to anyone else around else around, as expected from a ghost. However, the sight became even more astonishing for Kakeru when other figures appeared alongside Suguru. Those were the 8 Busby Babes who lost their lives in the crash, all wearing suits and coats from that day back in 1958.
'So you really played with the Busby Babes in heaven, right?'
From the distance that separated them, Suguru looked into Kakeru's eyes and smiled. At the same time, Kakeru started hearing Suguru's voice in his head.
"The Babes are group of very good guys to play soccer with, just like so many others I met in heaven. They are very good, and they are exactly what people thought they would become: a very dominant team." Suguru's voice said.
'What is heaven like?' Kakeru asked in his thoughts.
"It's the place where dreams come true. If you believe the impossible, the incredible can come true." Suguru replied.
'I envy you in some way, Nii-chan.'
"No, Kakeru. I envy you because you have something very real to play for. You will have to push yourself harder to beat a few old friends." Suguru's voice said.
'I don't think I can call one of them as my friend anymore, not after what he said.' Kakeru replied.
"Well, that's a shame for him. No matter what happens, just give it all out there to make your team win. It's not just about 90 minutes, but it's about 94, 95, or even 97 minutes. Show your opponents what you're made of."
'I will, Nii-chan. We will win, I swear!' Kakeru pledged in his thoughts.
"That, I trust you. Good luck, Kakeru."
After those final words, the spirits of Suguru and the Busby Babes started walking away until they disappeared completely from Kakeru's line of sight. The Japanese striker was still shocked to see his late brother appear on such particular occasion, but he also knew there was always a reason behind Suguru's appearances although those became a very rare occurrence over the years.
"Kakeru, what are you thinking?" Nana asked.
"Oh! Nothing, really. I just blanked out for a moment." Kakeru replied.
"I see."
"Well, I think we can go home now. You guys still have some preparation to do before the Sunday match." Noriko said.
"She's right. Arsenal won't care if we remember the Munich Air Disaster today or on Sunday." Yusuke added.
"Fine, let's go home then." Kakeru replied.
"One more viewing of 'The Feud: Ferguson v Wenger' should do us lots of good." Nana said.
"Yep, let's do one more of that." Kakeru finished.
Then Kakeru, Nana, Yusuke, and Noriko made their way together back to the duplex in West Didsbury. Later in the evening, the 4 friends watched a documentary that showed the mindset of the players and coaches during the fiercest years of the rivalry between Arsenal and Manchester United.
Sunday February 10
Manchester United vs. Arsenal (Premier League match 26)
Old Trafford, Manchester, UK
12:45 PM GMT
On the previous day, Manchester City suffered a setback in their own bid to retain the Premier League title as they lost in London against Tottenham Hotspur. As a result, Manchester United and Arsenal were guaranteed to remain in the top 2 by the end of the 26th match in the Premier League ahead of the second Manchester/North London confrontation in the weekend. Arsenal (20 wins, 1 draw, 4 losses – 61 points) looked to extend the gap at the top of the standings from 3 to 6 points. However, second-place Manchester United (18 wins, 4 draws, 3 losses – 58 points) had an opportunity to go back to the top of the Premier League table on better goal difference than Arsenal's with a win. Old Trafford was under the spotlight on a chilly afternoon in February. Even on a day when the home match closest to the Munich Air Disaster anniversary is supposed to be a moment to pay tribute, it was the biggest test of the season so far.
Tension was already filling the air before the match even started. Noriko, her father, her grandfather, and Sarah were on their way to get inside Old Trafford through the Munich Tunnel, under the South Stand. As they walked some distance away from the line of Arsenal supporters entering the Southeast corner of the stadium under heavy police surveillance, they could hear insults coming out from both groups of supporters. Even Noriko threw a few obscene gestures towards the Arsenal supporters a little earlier.
"That's right! Shove your stinking mouth and your fugly face up your Cockney arse!" Noriko shouted at an Arsenal fan in the distance.
"VIEIRA – OH, OH, OH. VIEIRA – OH, OH, OH. HE GAVE GIGGSY THE BALL, AND ARSENAL WON **** ALL!" a few hundreds of Manchester United supporters sang outside of the stadium when they spotted the Arsenal supporters.
"I don't think I have seen such bad blood from United fans against Arsenal fans in quite a while now." Sarah remarked.
"With the top spot at stake, I'm not surprised. Besides, we all know what kind of people Arsenal fans are and have always been; it will never change." Noriko replied.
"Even so, I haven't seen such animosity between both sets of supporters since the days of Ferguson vs. Wenger. It was war between the 2 sides. After everything that has been said during the week, it has become so tense that even your mother gave her ticket to Sarah today." Robert said.
"That level of rivalry is just too intense for her, and I can understand her." Noriko replied.
"I hope our friends will be up for it. They will have to be at their best today." Harry said.
"By the way, Dad, are you sure this kind of high-intensity match is not too much for you?" Robert asked.
"Me?" Harry laughed out loud. "I have seen a lot worse in 26 years and a half under Alex Ferguson. I saw the 1990 brawl against Arsenal at Old Trafford. I was at Villa Park for the 1999 FA Cup semi-final replay. I was also here attending the 2 matches dubbed 'Battle of Old Trafford'. There won't be anything new for me with it comes down to a fierce match against Arsenal like in the old days."
'This is where the season will be played. I know you have prepared yourselves well enough for this. It's all about delivering on the pitch now.' Noriko thought.
1:10 PM GMT
In the Manchester United dressing room, the players were preparing themselves ahead of the match as they put on their match kits. It was rather silent in the dressing room as everyone was emptying their minds to get mentally ready for the match. In fact, the players were also that silent on the bus journey from the Lowry Hotel to Old Trafford. The tension was palpable, and it felt as if the players were going to war.
Then Andrew butler arrived in front of the players for the final speech before kickoff.
"Everyone... The Boss." Matthias said.
"Everyone... This is the one! I don't need to remind you of everything that was said and written about this match. I also don't think I need to tell you where we stand either. We had a rough time in December, but that's in the past. If Arsenal think they will walk over us that easily, then let's make sure they will regret it! Let them feel that they are in hell right now! This is United, this is Old Trafford, and NO ONE... and I say NO ONE walks over us!" Andrew said.
"YEEEEAAAAAHHH!!!" the players shouted with fiery enthusiasm.
"Perhaps it's fate that today is time to pay tribute to the Busby Babes, and you will have to play your best game so far. And should we win the day, we will be back at the top of the table, showing all of our critics how wrong they were to write us off. TODAY is the day! LET'S DO THIS!" Andrew finished.
The players gave a very loud round of applause and cheers after the speech before the players gathered together one last time to get pumped up between themselves. Leading the group was Matthias.
"Anyone in the day from Bratislava?" Matthias asked.
"That's Wolf!" Luke replied.
"Oh, that's me!" Jan said while his teammates responded with cheers and whoops in this little pre-match guessing game among players.
"Yeah, beautiful Bratislava." Matthias said. "What about Gothenburg?"
"That's me!" Erik replied to Matthias.
"Great Swedish city, Gothenburg." Matthias said under the cheers of his teammates. "Have we got Maastricht?"
"I'm here!" Marius replied.
"There he is from Maastricht!" Matthias said. "Anyone from the Northeast?"
"Oi! That would be me!" Shawzy replied with a smile.
"Anyone here born in sunny USA?"
"Hey, that's me!" Nana replied enthusiastically while Kakeru was hugging her. The players gave an even louder round of applause.
"Beautiful from sunny USA! Anyone here from Kamakura, Japan?"
"That's me!" Kakeru replied.
"Me too!" Yusuke added.
"That's better! We've got two!" Matthias said with a smile before he put on a more serious face. "What about... North London?"
"Nope, nope." the other Manchester United players replied. Some even started booing at the sound of North London.
"Come on, people! Say it!" Matthias asked for a louder response.
"BOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"
"Good... because I ****ING HATE ARSENAL!!!" Matthias shouted, and his teammates cheered in response.
"Damn right!" Kakeru exclaimed.
"Who do we hate?" Matthias asked.
"ARSENAL!!!" the other Manchester United players replied altogether.
"WHO DO WE HATE?!" Matthias asked once more.
"ARSENAL!!!"
"COME ON! LET'S KICK THEIR ARSES!!" Matthias galvanized the players, who then got up and shouted all sorts of things as they walked out of the dressing room. They were pumped up and ready for battle.
1:20 PM GMT
A few minutes after the team talk, the Arsenal players arrived in the tunnel alongside the Manchester United players. The field players for the Gunners wore yellow shirts, blue shorts, and yellow socks while their United counterparts wore red shirts, white shorts, and black socks. As a symbol of mourning, all Manchester United players wore black armbands on their right sleeves.
While friends on opposite sides would speak to each other even on big matches nowadays, no one even said a word in the tunnel. Much to the Arsenal players' surprise, it was something they never saw at all. Araki and Ryoma looked at their Japanese opponents to their left, but Kakeru, Nana, and Yusuke showed no friendly look on their faces at all. Surprisingly, Ryoma was the one trying to break the silence.
"What's the matter? Cat got your tongues?" Ryoma asked.
"Think you can speak to me as if nothing happened after what you said in Abu Dhabi?" Kakeru asked back coldly.
Ryoma didn't reply, but Kakeru wasn't done at all.
"Hey. Just answer me, you phony!" Kakeru's voice was becoming more aggressive.
"Hey." Ryoma said.
"You think it's OK to speak ill of people to a journalist? I know everything, and I never thought you'd be that kind of trash until I learned about it." Kakeru said, using language that neither Araki nor Ryoma were not used to hear from him.
"Come on, Kakeru. That's enough." Araki said.
"Oh, you shut up!" Kakeru snapped back, stunning Araki completely.
"What do you want, Aizawa?" Ryoma asked.
"If you have any balls, then tell me straight in face what you said to that journalist."
"Come on, Kakeru." Nana tried to calm Kakeru down.
"Say the words, Oda." Kakeru demanded again.
Instead of giving an answer, Ryoma tried to look ahead in silence and keep his concentration. However, Kakeru wasn't finished.
"Not surprising... Because you're a hypocrite and a rat!"
Unable to take it anymore, Ryoma turned towards Kakeru. Both Japanese opponents started badmouthing each other, their faces only inches from one another. Players from both sides promptly tried to bring both men back to reason. A nearby TV camera was filming the incident from some distance just as the referee walked up both lines of players to try calming things down.
"Hey! Hey! Come on! Come on!" the referee ordered.
"You really want me to say it? You want it? Ryoma asked.
"You heard me. Let's get at it right now!" Kakeru replied.
"Kakeru! Ryoma! Calm it down!" the referee ordered.
Ryoma was then taken further up in the player line by Patrick Jenpa and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to avoid something reckless from Arsenal's best defensive midfielder by far.
"Calm down, Oda. We need you." Patrick said to Ryoma in Japanese.
"I'm not done with him. Not by a long shot." Ryoma replied.
"I know. Think about the game." Patrick said.
Meanwhile, Kakeru was held back by Nana and Marius. The referee then came up to make everything clear about future conduct.
"Kakeru, I'll make it clear: If I see you go after Oda, you'll be penalized. I'll tell him the same thing to him about going after you. Nothing more in here, understand?" the referee said.
"Yeah." Kakeru replied.
"Thank you."
Then the referee walked forward to make the same case to Ryoma. Meanwhile, Nana and Yusuke wanted more answers about the scene Kakeru just made.
"What was that about?" Nana asked.
"Yeah. Why did you do that?" Yusuke asked.
"I was trying to get into his head. Besides, I wanted to get that off my chest." Kakeru replied.
"Just don't get yourself sent off." Yusuke said.
"I won't, I promise." Kakeru finished with a smile.
Meanwhile, both sets of supporters started chanting all kinds of songs of praise in full voice for their respective clubs inside Old Trafford. Nevertheless, the entrance song started being played through the loud speakers inside the stadium. First suggested in late 2005 by former Manchester United captain Gary Neville to inspire players with the Mancunian attitude, the entrance song in the last few years has been "This Is the One" by the Stone Roses.
A girl consumed by fireWe all know her desireFrom the plans that she has madeI had her on a promiseImmerse me in your splendourAll the plans that I have made
Right after that set of lyrics, PA announcer Alan Keegan called the teams' arrival.
Alan Keegan: Old Trafford, this is the Theatre of Dreams. Will you please welcome Arsenal and MANCHESTER UNITED!!!
The welcome was deafening inside Old Trafford as a wall of cheers greeted the United players walking alongside their opponents towards the middle of the pitch. At the same time, a giant surfer flag displaying an old picture of the 1958 Manchester United team and the words "WE'LL NEVER DIE" was unveiled. The flag was then moved along by the supporters in the Stretford End.
This is the oneThis is the oneThis is the oneThis is the oneThis is the oneShe's waited for
This is the oneThis is the oneThis is the oneOh this is the oneThis is the oneShe's waited for
I'd like to leave the countryFor a month of SundaysBurn the town where I was born...
Then the song played in the speakers switched to the Premier League Intro theme. Both teams shook hands. Kakeru, Nana, and Yusuke each shook hands with Ryoma, but the 3 Japanese players in red each gave their best imitation of the Paddington Bear hard stare at Ryoma. Following the handshakes and the coin toss, the referee set up both teams on opposite ends of the center circle. United would start with the Stretford End in their backs while Arsenal were camped in the eastern half. Players from each team stood shoulder to shoulder ahead of the upcoming tribute to the victims of the Munich Air Disaster, whose names were displayed on the electronic boards that surround the pitch.
Alan Keegan: Old Trafford... Today's game sees us remember that twenty-three people tragically lost their lives on the 6th of February 1958 as the result of the Munich Air Disaster, including eight players and three members of staff - Geoff Bent, Roger Byrne, Eddie Colman, Duncan Edwards, Mark Jones, David Pegg, Tommy Taylor, Liam Whelan, Walter Crickmer, Tom Curry, and Bert Whalley. As everyone here this afternoon and all of our fans around the world know: Manchester United will never die. Old Trafford... Please be up standing, if you're able, for a minute of silence to remember those we lost. The minute of silence will start and finish on the referee's whistle.
PEEP!
For one entire minute, one could hear a pin drop as Old Trafford remained silent. For one minute, the rivalry was cast aside to remember the people who lost their lives in the tragedy.
PEEEEEEEEEEEEP!
Following the referee's whistle, the whole stadium roared as it was time to focus on the 3 points at stake.
Martin Tyler: Total respect by an entire stadium. Forever remembered. But it is now time to move from the pain of the past to the demands of the present with a summit meeting between the 2 best teams in the country at the moment.
On the main TV broadcast, the graphic first showed the starting players for Manchester United. Martin Tyler went through the main news regarding each line of the team.
Martin Tyler: Jan Farkas is in goal for Manchester United. Diogo Blanco sustained a minor injury in training, so it's Joel Muamba at right-back. In midfield, Yusuke Saeki returns as the holding midfielder following international duty for Japan at the Asian Cup while Nana Mishima plays in a more advanced role. Kakeru Aizawa and Marius van Leeuwen will start up front for Andrew Butler's side.
Then it was Arsenal's turn to have the news described about their starting lineup.
Martin Tyler: Bernd Leno plays at Old Trafford for the first time since a Champions League match in 2013 for Bayer Leverkusen. Laurent Koscielny marshals a back line that has remained surprisingly solid this season. Ryoma Oda and Ryuichi Araki, who have played in the Asian Cup final, join the midfield today. Patrick Jenpa, who continues to impress on his first season of English football, partners Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang up front. 
Both teams moved into their starting positions.
Martin Tyler: We've got the thrilling anticipation of a match with a massive incidence on the title race. Just like in the days of Sir Alex Ferguson against Arsène Wenger, it's Manchester United vs. Arsenal fighting for the top of the League, and it's LIVE!!!
As the final seconds before the 1:30 PM kickoff time winded down, players on both sides were ready to fight a battle for Premier League supremacy on Matchday 26.
Irons vs. Red Devils, The Rift :Previous «Home Page» Next: The Batttle of Old Trafford - 1st HalfCategory:Chapters
Category:The Road to the Promised Land