Chapter 4- Better

"We signed you alongside 3 other players, a striker a midfielder, and a goalkeeper with you occupying the midfield area, you will be trained for 5 months, and you will be selected for the team based on your OVR!"

5 months of training later... 

Player: Adrian Randin

Pos: Cam, Cm, CF

OVR: 85

Pac: 95

sho: 85

dri: 87

pas: 80

phy: 83

def: 79

I was submitted for this training five months ago. The people who came with me were people I had heard about on the transfer market before. Our training was based on the area we played before. Rasmus Hojland was the striker candidate. I played in midfield, preferably attacking. Tyler Malacia was the defending candidate and Tom Heaton strived to prove himself as a good keeper since Onana the main keeper was struggling with bad form. 

And the results were stunning. I've never felt this good before. Even my family has noticed when we go to the park for a kick-around that I've grown better. This was the final day for selection, will we be chosen? Moreover, will I be chosen? 

All four of us lined up in front of Ten Hag who walked up and down, he turned on the screen and showed the stats of the players: 

Rasmus Hojlund Tom Heaton Tyer Malacia

Pos: St Pos: Keeper Pos: CB

OVR: 84 OVR: 82 OVR: 84

Pac: 86 Div: 84 Pac: 75

sho: 92 Han: 79 Sho: 70

dri: 80 Kick: 83 Dri: 80

pas: 80 Ref: 89 Pas: 89

phy: 80 Pace: 66 Phy: 87

def: 79 Pos: 84 def: 92

"Rasmus, you will go straight into the striker position, Adrian you will accompany Bruno in CAM, Tom you will be in rotation with Onana, we'll see where it goes from there, also Tyler, you are our main center back, Well done lads," I can't wai to get back into the world of football, now that I'm in the top one or two hundred, I was ready to dominate. 

The premier league table did not look in United's favor. Liverpool were first with 62 points, followed by City with 59, Arsenal with 57, West Ham with 56 and in fifth were us, united with 55 points. Liverpool were running away with the title, not if I can help it. 

My debut for United will be the day after tomorrow against Arsenal, this was a solid chance to climb the table and we need a win. 

Fast forward to match day...

The morning of the match was filled with anticipation, my debut, a home match against Arsenal, Old Trafford, though empty right now buzzed with residual energy. The talk of the town however was the prowess of Arsenal's dynamic duo, Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus:

Saka: Jesus:

Pos: RW Pos: Cf/St

OVR: 85 OVR: 85

Pac: 94 Pac: 85

sho: 85 sho: 93

dri: 87 dri: 88

pas: 88 pas: 84

phy: 80 phy: 81

def: 79 def: 75

If I was the way I was five months ago there would be reason to be scared, but I was better now, much better. 

The sound of the crowd at Old Trafford was Stoke magnified by 100. The absolute massiveness of the pitch itself was amazing, the arsenal players looked calm and collected and I tried to do so too, the others on my team were all of the same mind, Bruno came over and stood next to me, patting me on the back. We were in the zone, you could say. 

Bruno and Hojlund started with the ball as the whistle blew for kick-off, Bruno rolled it to me and I decided to play it safe for now and see my options so I switched the play over to Malacia who threaded the ball to Diogo Dalot on the right back, who carefully avoided Saka and passed the ball back to me. 

I ran forward at Odegaard who was forced to fight or flee, he lunged into the tackle, forcing me to flick the ball over him and jump, I remained in possession, passing the ball onto Anthony on the wing who spun and carried the ball forward, but his momentum was cut short by Saliba, Arsenals Centre back and he was forced to cut the ball back to me, and seeing no options I laid the ball back onto Bruno. 

There were much fewer chances in this game than any other, the defending was top-notch, and Saliba and Magalhaes kept us under lock and key. This was the case until the 27th minute were Bruno executed a well-aimed through ball which I accelerated onto, passing Saliba and opening up space for a shot, Hojlund was not in the box, so shot it was, and the ball curled around the keeper, and rolled into the bottom corner. 

I ran to the stands and slid on my knees, my arms far wide as I stood up and climbed on the railings, shouting at the United fans, that this was the first of many to come. 

It was almost the 44th minute when we got another chance, Rashford was on the left and had threaded a ball to Hojlund who touched it onto Bruno who touched it onto Malacia who was pressing high. Malacia shot, and the ball arced forwards, past the reach of the goalkeeper, but colliding into the post, but I was there to slide into the ball, sending flying into the top corner. 

I tried to be humble and hugged Malacia in thanks for the easy rebound goal. We've joked about it ever since. Unbelievably the score was in our favor at half time and the fans, even our own, who looked down a us in dark times were silenced by the performance. Everyone was doing their jobs perfectly for the first time this season. 

Manchester utd-2:0-Arsenal

And with that, the half-time whistle blew and we retired to the locker rooms once again...