The Road to the Promised Land: Chapter 28

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== The Gallowgate, Kakeru's Return ==
Following the victory over Aston Villa in the FA Cup, Manchester United were quickly back on the job with the next Premier League match in mind. As for Kakeru, the race for a return to match fitness was successful as he earned a right to feature for the Manchester United U23 team in their home match at Leigh Sports Village against the Fulham U23 team on a Friday evening.
Friday January 11
Manchester United U23 vs. Fulham U23 (Premier League 2 match 15)
Leigh Sports Village, Leigh, UK
This match was part a competition that is officially named as the Premier League 2. It has a system of 2 divisions, with 12 teams each, and the factor of relegation and promotion. The competition itself has a greater focus on technicality, physicality, and intensity to bring players as close to first-team experience as possible. As such, the age limit for players was raised from Under-21 to Under-23 in the summer of 2017. Nevertheless, other rules specific to the Premier League 2 include the right for each team to field a goalkeeper and up to 3 outfield players above the age limit.
Compared to the other 23 clubs in the Premier League 2 divisions, the Manchester United U23 team was barely holding its own in the middle of the pack in the lower division. However, United had a policy of keeping academy-based players around the club only if they are close of making the senior team by age 20 or 21. Otherwise, academy-based players aged over 21 would either be sent on loan or sold to other clubs. As a result, the U23 team was often relying on teenagers, who would normally play in younger age categories, against teams of grown-up men. However, Kakeru's inclusion to the U23 team as the captain for the night provided a major boost as the little Red Devils were already leading 3-1 at halftime through Kakeru's contribution on all of United's 3 goals – 2 goals and an assist.
In the 62nd minute:
David Stowell (MUTV): You have to say that it has not been the best night for Fulham. Not only they had to face the quality of a striker like Kakeru Aizawa, but United are keeping it very compact.
The Fulham U23 players were looking to move the ball forward from the center circle. However, the player with the ball didn't expect how quickly Kakeru would sneak from behind to steal the ball away from him.
David Stowell (MUTV): Aizawa wins it back for United. Now it's De Vries who takes it over...
Just after Kakeru won the ball back, he made a quick side pass on the right and towards Dutch teenage winger Timothy de Vries. In a matter of seconds, the action arrived right on the edge of the Fulham U23 team's penalty area. Then Timothy attempted to dribble his way through the Fulham U23 defenders, but he found no gap in front of him. In a split second, Timothy tapped the pass to his left, where Kakeru got himself into a bit of open space just inside the penalty area.
David Stowell (MUTV): De Vries finds Aizawa. Is this the hat-trick?
With enough time and space to take full advantage of, Kakeru easily whipped the shot past the Fulham U23 goalkeeper and into the top corner of the goal.
David Stowell (MUTV): Absolutely fantastic! It's Aizawa with a 3rd goal on the night, and that should wrap things up for United! It's now 4-1.
Kakeru celebrated his hat-trick goal with the rest of his teammates. Unlike most veteran players who play with the U23 team, Kakeru's joy was just contagious to the others around him. For him, he couldn't ask for a better display ahead of real business coming ahead with the senior side.
David Stowell (MUTV): You can see what it means to him to bag a hat-trick tonight. It was a beauty of a strike too. You have to think that a return to the first team is not that far away now.
Meanwhile in the stands:
"That was just superb!" Sarah said.
"Yeah, that was the exclamation mark he wanted to put for tonight." Noriko replied.
"Kakeru looks ready for the next challenge now." Nana said.
"Yeah, and I think the U23 coach got his orders. He's calling a substitution to replace Kakeru now." Noriko replied.
"I think we can start looking for a pizza to order after the match for all 4 of us." Nana said.
"Preferably something that has a good mix of meat and veggies." Sarah replied.
"Got it." Noriko finished.
David Stowell (MUTV): Well, that was the last action of the night for Kakeru Aizawa. What a great night for him. He has written the whole story of this match with 3 goals and an assist tonight.
Seeing the numbers on the electronic board, Kakeru gave the captain's armband to the regular U23 captain. On the way towards the touchlines, Kakeru gave a few high-five handshakes to his teammates and gave a good round of applause to the decent-sized attendance at Leigh Sports Village, who showed their appreciation with a standing ovation. They supporters wished they could see more of Kakeru, but they perfectly understood why he was pulled off just after the hour mark. Kakeru's return to the senior side was only a matter of time.
"Good game, Aizawa." the Manchester United U23 coach said.
"Thanks, Coach. It really feels great to score goals again." Kakeru replied.
"How do you feel? Tired?" the coach asked.
"If I played 15 minutes more, maybe a little. Still, I feel good now."
"Thanks, Aizawa. Outstanding." the coach finished.
In the stands, Andrew Butler and his coaching staff were monitoring Kakeru's performance very closely. They were also impressed by Kakeru's 62-minute performance.
"I know Kakeru has always shown a lot of energy on the pitch, but there's something different about him tonight." Michael Schneider said.
"He looks more ruthless and more determined than before." Andrew replied.
"I was thinking that he would hesitate a little when he should get in those 50/50 challenges. It would have been normal after his injury, but I saw the opposite." Kieran O'Sullivan added.
"So what's your opinion about him?" Andrew asked.
"I say he should be in the squad against Newcastle." Kieran replied.
"I agree with Kieran. He would do well coming off the bench." Michael added.
"I will go one step further: he will start against Newcastle." Andrew finished.
The game continued with United doing most of the attacking work, but they couldn't find the back of the net. The Fulham U23 team cut the deficit down to 2 goals with one of their own, but it was not enough to worry the little Red Devils. The match ended with a 4-2 victory for the Manchester United U23 team. After the match, Kakeru was given the word to prepare his return to the senior side in the next Premier League match in 3 days.
Often referred by the residents of Newcastle upon Tyne as "The Gallowgate", St. James' Park is known as one of the most intimidating stadiums in England because of the rowdy home support from 50,000 Newcastle United supporters, mostly wearing black and white striped shirts, at every home match. Moreover, the source of the gloomy nickname given to the south stand of the stadium and, sometimes, to the stadium itself comes from the fact that the southern part of the stadium was built where the city's gallows once stood.
Just a couple of days ago – on January 12, Arsenal, who were left without playmaker Ryuichi Araki and midfield destroyer Ryoma Oda because of the Asian Cup, were humiliated by Liverpool at Anfield by a score of 5-1. As a result, the door was open for United to cut the deficit with the top of the table from 6 to 3 points with Arsenal. St. James' Park has not been kind to Manchester United a number of times over the years, but the Red Devils knew that it was a match they had to win at all costs.
Monday January 14
Newcastle United vs. Manchester United (Premier League match 22)
St. James' Park, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
7:45 PM GMT
Sitting in the dressing room, Kakeru was taking a moment to do a little sports visualization to get the vibes right ahead of his return to the senior side. When Kakeru was done, Nana came to speak to him.
"A few butterflies?" Nana asked.
"Only a few, but I know they will go away when I hit the ground running." Kakeru replied.
"That's good, Kakeru."
"Let's just think about the 3 points for now. We need to catch up with Arsenal while Araki and Oda are at the Asian Cup." Kakeru finished. Nana nodded.
Then Andrew came in front of the players to make one final address before the start of the match.
"All right, everyone. I don't need to tell you how important this match is, and I don't need to tell you what happens when anybody takes that lot [Newcastle] too lightly. Keep it tight, work hard, stay sharp, and chances will come. We've all seen the team sheet. One man doesn't make a team. But with Aizawa back in the team, it won't do us any harm. You all know what you have to do. So get out there and stick it to them! COME ON!"
The players replied with cheers and pumped-up shouts as they got up and walked out of the dressing room.
"Let's show them, Kakeru." Nana said.
"With no Jonjo Shelvey in their team today, you go and tear them to pieces, Seven." Kakeru replied.
Meanwhile at 171 kilometers (106 miles) from there, Noriko and Sarah were watching the match from Noriko's (and Kakeru and Nana's) apartment in West Didsbury. Of course, it was impossible for them to be with the away supporters since it would have taken 2 hours and a half worth of a bus ride or a train ride to get from Manchester to the northernmost Premier League-hosting city of Newcastle upon Tyne. Noriko and Sarah got to the apartment just in time after dinner before the match would begin.
"Interesting lineup this is." Sarah said.
"Yeah. Even though Marius van Leeuwen scored his share of goals in Kakeru's absence, I think Butler is looking to try something different, something more flexible with the attack." Noriko replied.
For the occasion, Noriko was wearing a unisex red T-shirt with a white collar and white sleeve edges. That T-shirt also has the classic coat of arms of Manchester embroidered on the left chest, which makes the piece of clothing look like a replica of the 1960s Manchester United shirt. 
"You're right. Besides, Van Leeuwen needs a rest after having played so many matches as our front man."
"I can't wait to see what Butler's plan will be. I guess he wants to see his forwards interchanging with each other." Noriko said.
"Nana is starting tonight in midfield too." Sarah remarked.
"I'm really happy that she does." Noriko replied. "Since Jonjo Shelvey is injured, there is one huge problem less to worry about in midfield. So she should have 'less' of a risky job out there tonight."
"We can all hope. The 3 points are the only thing that matters now."
Minutes later, both teams walked out. The Manchester United field players wore red shirts, white shorts, and black socks. Meanwhile, the Newcastle field players wore their traditional black and white striped shirts, black shorts, and white socks. Just as both teams were shaking hands, Noriko received a notification on her smartphone, of which she immediately checked in. It was around the exact same time as both teams walked out onto the pitch.
"What is it?" Sarah asked.
"It's Adam."
"McKola?"
"Yeah. He's at the stadium as you would expect. He just sent me this picture." Noriko replied.
"Let me see." Sarah said.
When both women looked at the photo, they could not restrain themselves from laughing. What they saw were 2 banners on the (southern) Gallowgate End at St. James' Park, and the banners said the following messages: "We are United" and "There's only one United & it's NUFC".
"What the hell is that?" Sarah asked between chuckles.
"More like: what the ****ing hell is that?" Noriko replied.
"Talk about embarrassing themselves, that has to top the lot." Sarah said.
"They have always been like everyone's deluded cousin who thinks he has accomplished something great when he has never done so." Noriko replied.
"Well, it's up to Kakeru, Nana, and the others to make sure Newcastle will look silly at the end of the night."
"Let's watch them go." Noriko finished.
In this match, Andrew sent the following 4-3-3 lineup: Jan Farkas (goalkeeper), Diogo Blanco (right-back), Chris Clarke (centre-back), Matthias Köhler (centre-back and captain), Andrew Shaw (left-back), Nana Mishima (central midfielder), Aleksandar Rukavina (central midfielder), Nikolaj Kristiansen (central midfielder), Kevin Flynn (right forward), Kakeru Aizawa (striker), and Anthony Laurent (left forward). The core of Andrew Butler's experiment was to play Kakeru as the spearhead of the attack in a totally flexible front 3.
In response, Newcastle sent the following players in Rafa Benitez's customary 5-4-1 formation: Martin Dúbravka (goalkeeper), DeAndre Yedlin (right-back), Fabian Schär (right centre-back), Jamaal Lascelles (centre-back and captain), Florian Lejeune (left centre-back), Matt Ritchie (left-back), Ayoze Pérez (right midfielder), Isaac Hayden (central midfielder), Sean Longstaff (central midfielder), Christian Atsu (left midfielder), and Salomón Rondón (striker). Newcastle had a number of players ruled out with injuries, including English midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, who often proved to be a thorn in the side of the Red Devils.
For the first half, Manchester United attacked towards the Gallowgate End while Newcastle attacked towards the (northern) Leazes End. Unlike what often happens in matches when teams take time to study each other before serious actions are taken, the action was about to pick up the pace early on.
In the 4th minute:
Rob Hawthorne: Lascelles... long ball forward.
From deep in his own half, the Newcastle captain launched a long ball forward in the Manchester United half. Then Aleksandar headed the ball in the opposite direction, but only as far as for a Newcastle midfielder to reach the loose ball before he passed to a teammate on the left.
Rob Hawthorne: Longstaff… to Matt Ritchie...
Kevin tried to take the ball away from Matt Ritchie, but the Newcastle left wing-back held his ground as he continued his run forward. Then Ritchie crossed the ball inside the Manchester United penalty area, but Chris headed the ball away.
Rob Hawthorne: Ritchie crossing in... Cleared by Clarke...
The ball looped high in the air and then dropped down towards the front of the penalty area. Instead of trying to shoot, Newcastle midfielder Isaac Hayden headed the ball back inside the Manchester United penalty area.
Rob Hawthorne: Hayden... back in for RONDÓÓÓÓN!!!
Having stayed in an onside position, Newcastle striker Salomón Rondón struck the volley into the back of the Manchester United goal, much to the disbelief of the Manchester United defenders and goalkeeper. In an instant, St. James' Park erupted into joy.
Rob Hawthorne: IT'S A DREAM START FOR NEWCASTLE! Less than 5 minutes in, Salomón Rondón strikes on the volley to put Newcastle United in front.
Alan Smith: Well, when you don't clear the ball with authority, this is what happens. Matt Ritchie sends the cross into the box, but Chris Clarke made a poor clearance. After that, Hayden only had to head the ball back in for Rondón. He was onside. Clarke didn't move forward quickly enough to put Rondón in an offside position.
Disgusted, but not disheartened yet, the Manchester United players looked to come back even harder at Newcastle.
"This ain't over yet, Kakeru." Nana said.
"We're only getting started." Kakeru replied.
On the following restart, Kakeru passed the ball to Nana. Within seconds, Manchester United started laying the siege inside the Newcastle half. 
Rob Hawthorne: Shaw... Kristiansen...
After Shawzy passed the ball to Nikolaj, the Danish midfielder moved a few yards ahead with the ball before passing the ball forward to Kakeru. Standing for a split second with his back to the Newcastle goal while a Newcastle defender was pressing up, Kakeru flicked the ball sideways for Nana to take it.
Rob Hawthorne: Aizawa... flicking it towards Mishima...
Everyone in the Newcastle camp expected Nana to take a shot from her position, but the Little Witch was having none of it. In fact, she spotted Kakeru making a 180-degree turn and then making a run forward.
"Kakeru!" Nana shouted.
With a perfectly executed flick from the outside of her right boot, Nana made an audacious chip pass towards Kakeru's run. Inside the Newcastle penalty area, Kakeru moved some distance away from the nearest Newcastle defender while staying onside. The Japanese forward then instinctively blasted a powerful left-footed strike out of Dúbravka's reach and into the top corner of the goal, silencing all of St. James' Park but for the 3,000 Manchester United supporters located in the upper tier of the Leazes End.
Rob Hawthorne: And AIZAWAAA!!! Magnificent! Less than a minute after Newcastle opened the score, Kakeru Aizawa scores on his return to the first team, and Manchester United are now level at 1-1 in a flash.
Kakeru celebrated his goal with the full fist to the sky. It was the perfect scenario he personally wanted for his return in the Premier League.
"YOSHAAA!!! (ALL RIGHT!!!)" Kakeru shouted.
"Well done, Kakeru!" Nana hugged Kakeru in the celebrations.
"Well done!" Nikolaj added.
"Nice!" Matthias added.
"Come on! Let's go!" Kakeru spurred his teammates to go for more.
Alan Smith: They always say you're mostly vulnerable right after scoring a goal, but that was an excellent buildup by Manchester United. Kristiansen finds Aizawa, who knows he's under pressure. He plays the one-touch to Mishima, who then chips the ball into the run of Aizawa. With all the time and space, the Japanese forward finishes off with a perfect volley on his weaker foot. This is football of the greatest quality between Aizawa and Mishima.
Rob Hawthorne: Japan's Footballing Sweethearts have done it again. Kakeru Aizawa has scored his 12th Premier League goal of the season; 16 in all competitions for Manchester United now.
Meanwhile in West Didsbury:
"Great play, guys! Great goal, Kakeru!" Noriko exclaimed.
"Beautiful football that!" Sarah replied.
"The one-touch stuff was gorgeous. Only Kakeru and Nana would know where to find each other with stuff like that."
"And we couldn't ask for better timing with that goal after we conceded."
"Yeah, that was a perfect response." Noriko finished.
Having quickly equalized after conceding the first goal of the match, momentum stayed with the Red Devils. For several minutes, the visitors from Manchester were maintaining control of the ball for long stretches of time. The Magpies were trying to contain their opponents' attacks as much as possible, but it was a dangerous game for Newcastle as one mistake in their defensive zone could open up the gap Manchester United were looking for.
In the 19th minute:
Rob Hawthorne: Aizawa... Shaw with the ball in...
Seeing Shawzy making the overlapping run, Kakeru passed the ball into the former's path. Then Shawzy crossed the ball inside the penalty area. The ball flew too high for Anthony, which allowed Newcastle captain Jamaal Lascelles to head the ball away.
Rob Hawthorne: Cleared by Lascelles.
The cleared ball fell to the feet of Isaac Hayden, who chose to make a back pass towards DeAndre Yedlin. Then Yedlin and Kakeru came up facing one another on the edge of the penalty area. For 3 seconds, none made the first move until Yedlin attempted a long pass forward. It was at that moment that Kakeru threw himself in front of the pass attempt with the ball touching Kakeru's shoulder. The Newcastle players appealed for a hand ball, but the referee denied the appeals. As a result, the ball fell into Nikolaj's feet.
Rob Hawthorne: Kristiansen... gets it forward to Laurent...
Nikolaj made a pass forward to Anthony, who chose to return the pass to his Danish teammate. Nikolaj was in a good position to shoot as many Newcastle defenders were following the attackers before the last pass. Having created enough space for himself, Nikolaj blasted the shot with power and accuracy into the bottom corner of the goal, to Dúbravka's right.
Rob Hawthorne: KRISTIANSEEEEEN!!! Shows his quality! And Manchester United have taken the lead at St. James' Park with 2 goals inside the first 20 minutes of the match. Newcastle United 1-2 Manchester United.
The Newcastle supporters inside St. James' Park, especially the ones in the Gallowgate End, were still furious at the referee for not awarding a free kick on what they believed to be a hand ball against Kakeru. But nothing was going to overturn the referee's decision.
"Great goal, Nicky!" Kakeru congratulated his Danish teammate.
"Nice!" Nana added.
"Well played!" Anthony added.
Alan Smith: It is a touch of class by Kristiansen, but it all started with a mistake by DeAndre Yedlin. He had all the time and space to clear the ball down the pitch, but he did not expect Aizawa to throw his body in the way. It hit Aizawa to the shoulder; good decision by the referee. And after that, Kristiansen takes the return pass from Laurent, and produces a perfect strike. Dúbravka had no chance.
Meanwhile in West Didsbury:
"That's how to do it!" Noriko exclaimed.
"Come on, Kristiansen!" Sarah added.
"I didn't saw it at first, but Kakeru really drew that mistake by being persistent."
"Yeah, he's the one who jumped in front of that clearance attempt."
"He's eating every blade of grass to create openings. Love his effort so far." Noriko finished.
The turnaround left Newcastle shell-shocked. What was worse for the Magpies is the fact that the Red Devils were not done just yet. The visitors were looking to give themselves clear daylight between them and the home side. Only a few minutes later, the team in red shirts went at the throats of the opposition.
In the 26th minute:
Rob Hawthorne: Kristiansen... Blanco... back to Kristiansen.
Attacking from the right side, Diogo arrived just short of the Newcastle penalty area. The Portuguese right-back then made a short drop pass to Nikolaj. Facing a Newcastle player, the Danish midfielder then alternated between dribbles, short runs, and stops along the lateral side of the penalty area. When Nikolaj finally created enough space between himself and the Newcastle player, he unleashed a cross towards the front of the Newcastle goal.
Rob Hawthorne: Still Kristiansen. The cross coming in...
At the end of that cross, Kakeru outjumped the nearest Newcastle defender to head the ball past the Newcastle goalkeeper. Suddenly, St. James' Park was reduced into deafening silence but for the 3,000 away supporters.
Rob Hawthorne: AIZAWAAA!!! He's done it again! That's his second goal of the night, and Manchester United are 3-1 up to the good.
"Great goal, Kakeru!" Nana congratulated her fiancé by ruffling his hair.
"Huge goal!" Nikolaj said.
"Big one!" Kevin added.
"Thanks, guys!"
"Let's stuff those barcodes with more!" Matthias said.
"YEAH!" the Manchester United players replied.
With a 2-goal lead, Newcastle had no choice but to start attacking more. However, the overall limitations in Newcastle's attacking talent was a problem in the sense that sustaining attacks was not a forte. The same applies to any Premier League sitting in the bottom half of the table. Nevertheless, the Magpies would find a way to get very close to the Manchester United goal by using their favorite weapon: counterattacks.
In the 31st minute:
Rob Hawthorne: Rondón gets the ball before Rukavina.
Following a clearance by Fabian Schär from deep in his own half, Salomón Rondón managed to head the ball towards Ayoze Pérez in the middle of the park. The Spanish midfielder then launched an early ball forward towards Christian Atsu. The Ghanaian winger ran after the ball in an attempt to beat Chris for pace.
Rob Hawthorne: Pérez looking for the early ball to set Atsu away... He's going in on goal...
Atsu entered the Manchester United penalty area in full speed, but also came in an increasingly sharper angle with the goal. Running out of time, Atsu attempted to shoot the ball across Jan. However, the Manchester United goalkeeper easily caught the ball on the ground as the shot lacked the desired velocity.
Rob Hawthorne: Denied by Farkas.
The Manchester United players, coaches, and supporters sighed in relief. They knew that it was a dangerous moment at the back.
Meanwhile in West Didsbury:
"That was dangerous." Sarah said.
"Yeah. We are lucky that Christian Atsu is not known to be a prolific shooter." Noriko replied.
"Or perhaps Jan Farkas would have made a better-looking save."
"Or that too."
"Still, I hope we can score another one before halftime. I still have bad memories of us squandering a 2-goal lead in that stadium a few years back." Sarah said.
"I'm sure we're not done yet." Noriko finished.
The last Newcastle attack gave something for the Red Devils to be mindful about. Nevertheless, Manchester United could also play the counterattack very well. The visitors only had to wait for the home side to make one wrong move before the action would shift quickly in the other direction.
In the 36th minute:
Rob Hawthorne: Hayden... Rondón. He loses to Köhler...
As the Newcastle striker received the ball, he was immediately put under high pressure by Matthias. The German defender in red poked the ball just enough before he gained his position and started running a few yards forward. Then Matthias launched a quick and accurate ground forward pass towards Anthony on the left wing.
Rob Hawthorne: Laurent... Yedlin's after him.
Running inside the Newcastle half, Anthony had DeAndre Yedlin attempting to catch up from behind and Fabian Schär attempting to provide a block straight ahead. Then the French forward surprised the Swiss defender with a quick touch before he accelerated with a clear path on the Newcastle goal.
Rob Hawthorne: He gets through Schär. It's ANTHONY LAURENT...
Charging forward, Anthony ran with the ball and entered the penalty area. At 12 yards from goal, Anthony slotted the ball past Martin Dúbravka and into the back of the net, much to the despair of the 50,000 Newcastle supporters in the attendance.
Rob Hawthorne: IT'S FOUR! Anthony Laurent scores the 4th goal for Manchester United! And you have to feel this game could well be done and dusted with a little more than 50 minutes still to play.
Celebrating again in front of the Gallowgate End, the Manchester United players congratulated their French teammate. That goal basically made everyone in red feeling in much greater comfort while any bit of hope on the home side was blown into smithereens.
Alan Smith: That sums up a horrible evening for Newcastle as far as they're concerned. DeAndre Yedlin and Fabian Schär thought they could contain Anthony Laurent, but the Frenchman he got his way past Schär. After that, he was not going to get caught, and he was not going to miss the opportunity.
Meanwhile in West Didsbury:
"HAVE THAT, NEWCASTLE!" Noriko shouted.
"LOVELY, LAURENT!" Sarah was in fangirl mode at that moment. Anthony is her favorite player outside of her friends Kakeru and Nana.
"We have one hand and a half on the 3 points now." Noriko said.
"All we need now is Kakeru to score a hat-trick before he comes off." Sarah replied.
"We will see. That would be mint for his return if he scores another one." Noriko finished.
After the 4-1 goal, United still controlled most of time on the ball, but the need to attack was not much of an emergency. Minutes winded down until the halftime whistle was finally blown, leaving 50,000 Newcastle supporters booing the outcome while 3,000 Manchester United supporters cheered instead.
In the Manchester United dressing room:
"Already 2 goals scored, Knight. You're on fire!" Kevin said.
"You blew them away on your return." Nikolaj added.
"It's all nice and good, y'all. Let's give our fans 45 minutes more of the same." Matthias reminded his teammates of the task at hand.
"Let's think about the 3 points only. No fuss. If any of us has a chance to score, just take it." Kakeru said.
Then the manager came in to give a short halftime speech before he let his assistants providing tactical advice to the players. Just a couple of minutes before the players were set to walk back out, Kakeru was talking with Nana.
"Think you can score another one?" Nana asked.
"I don't know. It would be great if I have a shot, but I just want to make sure to play it right for the team." Kakeru replied.
"Take it if you have a good chance. A first senior hat-trick on your return would make some headlines." Nana said
"Let's get this show on the road." Kakeru finished.
Then both teams walked back onto the pitch. The second half started when Kakeru kicked the ball to Nana. Attacking towards the Leazes End this time, Manchester United weathered the initial pressure from Newcastle as the latter were throwing everything in desperation to attempt a comeback. But when the Red Devils saw signs of faltering in the Newcastle side, the visitors launched quick counterattacks at the other end.
In the 57th minute:
Rob Hawthorne: Kristiansen... takes on Hayden...
Following an interception, Nikolaj ran with the ball before he attempted to dribble his way past the Newcastle midfielder. Nikolaj was held by the shirt by Hayden, but the loose ball continued to roll forward for Kakeru to pick it up at the center circle.
Rob Hawthorne: Nikolaj gets it away. Aizawa's first onto it...
Crossing the halfway line, Kakeru first passed forward to Kevin on the right wing. Then Kevin returned the pass to Kakeru before the Japanese forward launched the ball forward for Kevin to run after. By the time Kevin arrived near the Newcastle penalty area with the ball, he had to face both Jamaal Lascelles and Fabian Schär.
Rob Hawthorne: Flynn... a little behind Laurent.
While the Newcastle defenders appeared to have their only on the ball, Kevin made a short side pass towards Anthony, who was just inside the D in front of the penalty area. The French forward had to take an extra touch to control the ball. Everyone expected Anthony to shoot, but then the Frenchman saw Kakeru all alone to the left and in an onside position.
'Just right here, Tony.' Kakeru thought.
Anthony quickly passed the ball towards Kakeru. By the time the 5 Newcastle defenders realized what was going on, Kakeru came up against Martin Dúbravka one-on-one.
Rob Hawthorne: But Aizawa's FREE...
With a disconcerting ease, Kakeru slotted the ball past Dúbravka with the right-footed tap. The Japanese forward finally claimed his first senior hat-trick to make it 5-1.
Rob Hawthorne: AND AIZAWA FINISHES!!!
With only the 3,000 Manchester United supporters high up in the Leazes End to make noise, Kakeru ran a few yards to celebrate the goal with a high jump and a fist in the air with his team's supporters in sight.
Rob Hawthorne: A swift and decisive break for Manchester United! Flynn and Laurent involved, Kakeru Aizawa claims his first career senior hat-trick to make this a memorable night on his return to the senior side. It's a night of despair and embarrassment for Newcastle.
"YATTA!!! (I DID IT!)" Kakeru shouted out loud.
"Well done, Kakeru!" Nana jumped on Kakeru's back in the celebrations.
"Woohoo! You did it!" Nikolaj said.
"First hat-trick! Cheers, mate!" Kevin added.
"Thanks, guys. It's all thanks to all of you." Kakeru replied modestly.
"Massive game, Knight! A night to remember!" Jan, who sprinted all the yards to join the celebrations, congratulated Kakeru as well.
"Thanks, Wolf!" Kakeru replied.
Alan Smith: Well, it all started at the halfway line with the 2 Newcastle defenders sitting back. Kristiansen breaks out. Then it becomes a 2v2 situation with Aizawa and Flynn. Laurent makes a great run by interchanging with Aizawa. The Newcastle back line are all looking at the ball, and all credit to Laurent for spotting Aizawa in a perfect position. He's onside, and he was never looking like he was going to miss. Cool and calm finish. 
Disheartened by the sight of their team getting blown away, several Newcastle supporters started walking their way towards the nearest bleachers. For them, the outcome was inevitable with a Manchester United win even with 33 minutes and stoppage time left to play.
Meanwhile in West Didsbury:
"WELL DONE, KAKERU!!!" Noriko shouted.
"A hat-trick on his return! Kakeru really has a flair for writing good stories." Sarah said.
"Not only this is his first senior hat-trick, but it's a perfect hat-trick too." Noriko replied.
"That's right! He scored his first with the left foot, the second with his head, and the last one with his right foot. Wow!"
"He will definitely make the headlines, Sarah." Noriko said with a smile.
"Hey! Looks like we can hear United fans singing something since Kakeru scored." Sarah remarked.
"Yeah... It sounds like the Anderson song. You know, the one that followed that funny tune named 'Agadoo'?" Noriko replied.
"That's the cue. I wonder what the lyrics are."
"We'll know pretty soon, Sarah. I guarantee you that." Noriko finished.
The match continued as intensity levels dropped between the 2 sides. No notable scoring chances happened between Kakeru's last goal and the 64th minute. At that moment, Andrew ordered Aidan to replace Kakeru.
Rob Hawthorne: The first substitution belongs to Manchester United. It has been the best night in the career of Kakeru Aizawa so far. After narrowly escaping a season-ending injury, he has returned with a bang for Manchester United. A total of 18 goals in all competitions for Manchester United so far, and we may have not seen the best of him yet. Aidan Whelan will be replacing him.
Walking his way towards the touchlines, Kakeru made sure to applaud the 3,000 Manchester United supporters in the stands before he finally bid good luck to Aidan.
"Great game, Knight. Great game." Aidan said.
"Thanks, Clover. Good luck." Kakeru replied.
In the away supporters' area, the Manchester United supporters kept on singing that mysterious song of praise for Kakeru. At last, Noriko received a SMS message with a video attachment that would give her the answers she wanted.
"Adam sent me a video... and the lyrics to the song." Noriko said.
"Let's see it." Sarah replied.
Noriko played the video on the smartphone. Even though she didn't read the lyrics first, the video gave away the lyrics. As fan songs often do, the new chant contained a little bit of banter.
AIZAWA, WA, WA, HE'S BETTER THAN KAGAWAAIWAWA, WA, WA, HE'S A RED AND WHITE NINJATO THE LEFT, TO THE RIGHT, HE'S A BLOODY DYNAMITEWHEN HE PLAYS FOR THE REDS, HE MAKES BERNARDI LOOK SHITE.
"Nice!" Noriko grinned.
"And the song pisses on Ricardo Bernardi as well. Lovely stuff." Sarah said.
"Love the banter indeed." Noriko finished.
After the substitution, the match continued with Manchester United still in control. Deflated by the scoreline and by the spectators running away from the match, the Newcastle players basically gave up the fight. A few minutes after Kakeru was subbed off, the Red Devils were looking to add another exclamation mark on the final result.
In the 70th minute:
Rob Hawthorne: Flynn... looking to find a way through... can't. Corner to Manchester United.
Attacking from the right wing, Kevin attempted to cut his run inside the Newcastle penalty area before a defender kicked the ball out of play. However, Manchester United were awarded a corner kick. Unlike the usual strategy, Nana seemingly chose to let Shawzy take the corner kick. With both teams ready, the referee blew his whistle.
PEEP!
When everyone expected Shawzy to whip the ball inside the penalty area, the English left-back kicked a quick pass towards Nana with a short corner kick. The Little Witch was standing with the ball, unmarked and only a few yards away from the Newcastle penalty area while a mass of players was still inside it.
Rob Hawthorne: Shaw pulls the corner...
Without a single moment of hesitation, Nana whipped a right-footed aerial pass towards the mass of players inside of the Newcastle penalty area. One of the Manchester United players got free from his marker.
Rob Hawthorne: All the way back to Mishima... and KRISTIANSEN!!
With disconcerting ease, Nikolaj fired a powerful header that got past the Newcastle goalkeeper. The night of torture on Newcastle supporters was reaching a new threshold of pain with a scoreline of 6-1 in favor of the Red Devils.
Rob Hawthorne: It's 6! Nikolaj Kristiansen has powered in the header for his second goal on the night.
Alan Smith: Well, he's just got himself ahead of Jamaal Lascelles there. His arm goes up, he stared at the linesman, begging for an offside. But nothing doing. It's a lovely ball in from Mishima as it has been so often. Kristiansen was just level with Lascelles. It's a pretty good decision by the linesman.
While the Manchester United players on the field celebrated the goal without too much exuberance, Kakeru and the rest of his teammates on the Manchester United bench applauded the result.
"Well done, Nicky! Great pass, Seven!" Kakeru said out loud.
"That was another great pass by Witch." Erik said.
"I know, Viking. She and Shawzy did what they did in the last training." Kakeru replied.
"Yeah. They fooled everyone on the corner kick." Erik finished.
Just a minute after the goal, Andrew made his second substitution by replacing Nana with Francisco for the rest of the match.
Rob Hawthorne: It's the last we will see of Nana Mishima for the night. Again, she has delivered with crucial assists for her teammates. She will be replaced by Francisco Serrano.
"Good game, Witch." Francisco gave Nana a double high-five and a friendly hug.
"Thanks, Frankie. Go at them." Nana replied.
Nana then received her coat from the kit man before she gave friendly handshakes with her teammates.
"Well done, Witch." Erik said.
"Thanks, Viking."
"Come here." Kakeru gave Nana a hug. "Two assists today, Seven. You did really good."
"Thanks, Kakeru. I'm glad that I did well, but I'm much happier knowing that we will get the 3 points now." Nana replied to Kakeru.
"Yeah. It's all about smooth sailing and no fuss now." Kakeru finished.
With the match practically out of reach for Newcastle, the Magpies were only thinking of getting done with the match. However, they had a small opportunity to find a consolation in very late stages of the match.
In the 89th minute:
Rob Hawthorne: Ritchie looking to open Manchester United up from a free kick.
Taking a long indirect free kick, Matt Ritchie launched the ball towards the Manchester United area. Then the ball bounced off Aidan, who tried to clear the ball away. However, Christian Atsu managed to pick up the loose ball just outside of the penalty area. The Ghanaian winger then took the ball onto to his left foot before he took the shot with pace.
Rob Hawthorne: Atsu!
The ball flew so quickly that Jan attempted a desperate save. Fortunately for the Manchester United goalkeeper though, the ball flew wide to the goal.
Rob Hawthorne: Shot fiercely, but not accurately.
Meanwhile in West Didsbury:
"That was close." Noriko said.
"It was. We better stay focused until the very end; we need a maximum goal difference on our side." Sarah replied.
"I agree. We just never know if it can come down to the wire like that." Noriko finished.
With that missed opportunity, Newcastle wasted their last chance to take some consolation. Not so long after, United launched one final attack deep in injury time. Nikolaj was also looking to score a hat-trick of his own.
In the 93rd minute:
Rob Hawthorne: Here's Flynn. There is plenty of space in front of him.
Following another interception by a Manchester United midfielder, the ball went forward to Kevin. The English forward ran with the ball until he crossed the halfway line, and then he spotted Nikolaj making the run forward in full stride.
Alan Smith: Plenty of space ahead for Kristiansen.
Charging forward, Nikolaj was looking to score that hat-trick goal. Kevin launched the through pass to his Danish teammate.
Rob Hawthorne: Great ball from Flynn...
Knowing the danger looming large, the Newcastle goalkeeper made a desperate dash to try reaching the ball first. But just as the goalkeeper went outside of the penalty area, Nikolaj poked the ball ahead to run around him. At that moment, the goal appeared to be open while Anthony was also making himself available for a pass in front of goal.
Rob Hawthorne: Kristiansen's there first...
Nikolaj took a right-footed shot from just inside the Newcastle penalty area. However, the shot struck the side netting instead of the back of the net. The Newcastle supporters jeered in response.
Rob Hawthorne: Oh! Just can't provide the finishing touch.
Meanwhile on the Manchester United bench:
"Damn! I thought he had it." Kakeru said.
"Me too. It would have been nice if he scored that." Nana replied.
"Well, I guess we can't always get what we want."
"Pretty much, but he is almost unstoppable when he runs like that." Nana said.
"Anyway, he won't be too bothered when he will look back at the final score." Kakeru finished.
Just a few moments later, the long agony finally ended for the Newcastle supporters when the referee blew the final whistle. It was both an emphatic victory for Manchester United and a statement of intent aimed at the other rivals in the title race.
PEEP PEEP PEEEEEEEEEP!!!
Rob Hawthorne: The winning streak continues; 6 wins out in the last 6 matches for Manchester United. They have cut Arsenal's lead down to 3 points at the top of the table. After a month-long absence, Kakeru Aizawa is the hat-trick hero on his return to the first team. Nikolaj Kristiansen also lead the way with 2 goals of his own. Both players contributed to the gulf of class we have seen at St. James' Park tonight. The final score is: Newcastle United 1-6 Manchester United.
After the final whistle, Kakeru picked up the match ball from the referee as a souvenir for his hat-trick performance. The Manchester United players stood a few minutes on the pitch to salute the contingent of 3,000 happy supporters who were delighted with the result.
Meanwhile in West Didsbury:
"Great win, United! Well done!" Noriko said out loud.
"Right now, we are within touching distance with Arsenal." Sarah said.
"All we have to do is to play one game at the time. We have some way to go before the clash on February 9." Noriko replied.
"Yeah, we have 3 League matches and a FA Cup match against Liverpool before that." Sarah said.
"If Kakeru keeps on banging goals, then nothing is impossible." Noriko finished.
Following the short post-match celebration, Kakeru and Nana were led by Manchester United's head of football communications, Karen Shotbolt, to take the post-match interview with Geoff Shreeves for the match's broadcasting channel on the night. It was also the very first time that Kakeru and Nana featured in the same post-match interview.
Geoff Shreeves: Well played, Nana. That's 6 wins on the spin now, but it didn't start well for your team at the beginning. Did you think this could have been one of those days?
Nana: We knew that Newcastle would be coming out strong. They scored the early goal, but we always believed that we could come back. The manager really got us ready ahead of this match. Hard work was always the key in our game plan. So we stuck to the plan, and that's how we got to the result in the end.
Geoff Shreeves: Kakeru, it was a very special performance for you tonight. Did you think you would score 3 goals on your return to the first team?
Kakeru: No, not at all. The only thing the manager asked from me was to help the team win by all means, whether it's by scoring or making good passes. Coming back stronger after a bad injury is something that all of us want. I'm glad that I could help the team on the scoreboard whenever there was a chance, but we all know there's more work ahead to be done.
Geoff Shreeves: What would have you said to Nikolaj Kristiansen if he scored another one late in the game? He was that close of scoring a hat-trick tonight.
Kakeru: *laughs* I would have said 'Well done, Nicky. You deserve it.' Seriously, Nikolaj is a fierce competitor. He settled down very well in our team, and we're always happy to have him on our side rather than on the other side.
Geoff Shreeves: Everyone knew how important this match was to the title race considering the results in the weekend. Nana, how good does that feel to be within 3 points of the top again?
Nana: Yeah, it feels better now. Ever since the season started, we want to be at the top. We had some bad results for some time, but we kept on working hard. We got good results, and we're still in the race. There is still a very long way to go, but we are looking to take one match at the time.
Geoff Shreeves: Kakeru, you would probably have joined Japan at the Asian Cup if it wasn't for your injury back in December. Given the choice, would you have played for Japan instead of Manchester United right now?
Kakeru: Well, I wouldn't be here if I wasn't injured. I talked with the National Team coach (Raymond van der Meijde) and I also talked with the Gaffer (Andrew Butler) in December about my situation. I was not going to be fit enough to play the way everyone would like me to play at the start of the Asian Cup. The Japan coach already explained to everyone that he didn't want to do what Egypt did with Mo Salah at the last World Cup. I fully respect his choice. Now, I'm 100% focused on helping Manchester United.
Geoff Shreeves: Last question for Nana. Was tonight more than a win? Would you say it was a message to the rest of the league?
Nana: No, it's just a win. We scored a lot of goals today, but the most important thing was to put up a good performance and get the 3 points. We did that, but it's only one match. We have big matches coming up, so it won't be easy. We have to keep playing like that and getting those results.
Geoff Shreeves: So you two did a terrific job tonight. Kakeru, you picked up the Man of the Match. Nana, would you do us the honor, please?
Nana: Well done, Kakeru! Great game!
Kakeru: Thanks, koibito (sweetheart).
The interview finally ended. Kakeru and Nana briefly shook hands with Geoff Shreeves before the 2 players started going on their way out of the interviewing area. Karen was there to greet them.
"Good interview, you two." Karen said.
"Thanks, Karen." Kakeru replied.
"That was not too hard to do." Nana added.
"I was afraid that you guys may not feel comfortable together on a live interview, but you handled it well."
"It's OK, Karen. I'm no longer that shy kid I used to be." Kakeru replied.
"All fine. I'll go take care of the Boss' interview with the herd of journos." Karen said.
"See you later, Karen." Nana said.
Kakeru and Nana then left for their separate dressing rooms after Nana picked up her bag. Kakeru was briefly celebrated by his teammates in a dressing room ritual to honor the hardest worker on the team. A few moments later, Kakeru and Andrew took some time to have a quick chat.
"You sure didn't waste any time to get on your game, Aizawa. I like what I'm seeing." Andrew said.
"Thanks, Boss. I really felt good out there." Kakeru replied.
"Well, it shows on the pitch. Just keep it up, yeah?"
"It's only one game. I'll make sure to be ready for more, and I want to make sure the team wins at all costs." Kakeru said.
"You sound like a man on a mission, Aizawa. I like that attitude. You will get your opportunities." Andrew replied.
"Thank you, Boss. One match at the time." Kakeru finished.
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