The tactical revelation from Leon's Vision was a bucket of ice water in the face of Liverpool's fiery attacking instincts.
Pep Guardiola, the grandmaster, had not just set a trap; he had used their own former teammate, their own brother, as the bait and the blade.
It was a move of such cold, beautiful, and ruthless genius that Leon couldn't help but feel a strange, grudging sense of admiration.
"THIS IS A STRANGE, ALMOST SUBDUED ATMOSPHERE AT ANFIELD, CLIVE," the commentator, Barry, mused, his voice a mixture of confusion and disappointment. "Manchester United, in the biggest derby in England, are playing with the attacking ambition of a team trying to secure a goalless draw. They're just... sitting there!"
"It's a rope-a-dope, Barry," the calmer, more analytical Clive replied.
"They are inviting the champions onto them. They are baiting the trap. The question is, are Liverpool smart enough not to walk into it?"
For the first ten minutes, they weren't.
