Tiger King stood in the middle of the Carrington pitch, hands on his hips, surveying his squad. He could see the excitement in the eyes of the young players and the quiet confidence of the veterans.
"Alright, lads," he called out, "we can talk tactics all day, but nothing tells me more about a player than watching him play. Football is a language best spoken on the pitch. So, time for a scrimmage."
The squad split into two teams—the champions of the past versus the unknowns of the future.
Veterans XI (4-4-2)
GK: David De Gea
RB: Rafael da Silva
CBs: Nemanja Vidic, Rio Ferdinand
LB: Ashley Young
CM: Michael Carrick
CM: Anderson
RW: Nani
LW: Ryan Giggs
STs: Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie
Newcomers XI (4-2-3-1)
GK: Alisson Becker
RB: Antonio Valencia
CBs: Virgil van Dijk, Toby Alderweireld
LB: Marcos Alonso
CDMs: N'Golo Kanté, Phil Jones
CAM: Shinji Kagawa
LW: Riyad Mahrez
RW: Anthony Martial
ST: Javier "Chicharito" Hernández
The whistle blew, and the veterans immediately pressed high, wrestling control from the newbies easily. Within minutes, they realized that the unknown rookies were anything but weak. These unknowns were brimming with potential.
However, the passing of the veterans was crisp, their positioning instinctive. Giggs and Nani stretched the field, while Rooney and Van Persie interchanged smoothly up front. Within minutes, Giggs sent in a wicked cross, Van Persie took it first-time, and Alisson barely managed to push it onto the post.
But the newcomers weren't just here to be spectators.
The first moment of shock came in midfield. Carrick, used to dictating the tempo, found himself hunted down by a relentless N'Golo Kanté.
"Who the hell is this kid?" Carrick muttered as Kanté nipped at his heels, intercepted passes, and covered every blade of grass.
And then, the unthinkable happened.
Kante intercepted the ball from Carrick and quickly delivered the ball to an enthusiastic Kagawa. A pass from Kagawa quickly found its way to Mahrez, who skipped past Rafael and found Chicharito in the box. The Mexican, as sharp as ever, turned on a dime and buried his shot past De Gea.
1-0 to the newcomers.
The veterans, embarrassed, stepped up their intensity. Rooney dropped deeper, pulling defenders out of position, while Giggs and Kagawa linked up beautifully in midfield.
Vidic and Ferdinand, after shaking off the early surprise, started bossing the backline. Their experience made up for the fading pace.
And then, the breakthrough. Rooney held off Van Dijk, turned, and sent a pass through the lines to Carrick. The English organizer, always precise, slipped a delicate through ball to Van Persie, who calmly slotted it past Alisson.
1-1. Now, it was a proper battle.
Tiger watched as Van Dijk and Alderweireld threw themselves into the challenge, blocking shots and standing toe-to-toe with Rooney and Van Persie. The young defenders weren't intimidated, but they still lacked the instincts of the seasoned pair they were facing.
Meanwhile, Ferdinand and Vidic kept a close eye on them. Tiger had already spoken to them—each was expected to mentor a successor before leaving.
Vidic, standing near Tiger, muttered, "They have the fight in them. But positioning is everything at this level."
Tiger nodded. "They'll learn. They have to."
The game reached a high tempo. Martial, eager to impress, tore down the right flank, leaving Young in his dust. He squared a pass to Chicharito, who tapped it home.
2-1 to the newcomers.
At first, Chicharito couldn't hide his frustration. Being placed in the second squad felt like a demotion—after all, he had been a key player under Ferguson. But as the game progressed, he started to see things differently. The players around him weren't weak; they were simply unproven. Van Dijk and Alderweireld were raw but fearless, Martial had an explosive burst of pace, and Kanté's relentless pressing was unlike anything he had seen before. When he scored his second goal, latching onto Martial's clever pass, the doubt in his mind faded. These weren't just random signings—they were the foundation of something special. The future wasn't uncertain; it was brimming with promise.
The veterans were now truly engaged. Nani and Giggs began switching wings, searching for gaps.
And then, Nani struck. Cutting inside from the right, he unleashed a curling shot from 25 yards out that sailed past Alisson.
2-2
With the score tied, the veterans turned up the heat. Anderson danced past Kagawa and played a perfect one-two with Van Persie before chipping a pass over the defense. Rooney took it on his chest and smashed it home.
3-2 to the veterans
As the newcomers pushed forward in desperation, Ferdinand stepped in, intercepted a pass, and launched a counter-attack.
Giggs, showing his class, delivered a pinpoint cross into the box. Van Persie met it with a flying volley.
Final score: 4-2.
The players gathered at the center, breathing heavily. Vidic and Ferdinand exchanged knowing glances, a new thought settling in. Van Dijk and Alderweireld had something special.
Tiger had asked them to mentor their successors. Seeing Van Dijk and Alderweireld fight, battle, and hold their own, they realized—their replacements were right here.
This season wasn't just about Manchester United's resurgence. It was about preparing for the future.
Carrick and Giggs, hands on his knees, looked at Kanté, still running. "Where did you find these guys, Tiger?"
Tiger smiled. He had seen enough. Scholes, Phelan, and Steele, once skeptical of the scrimmage, now saw its immense value.
Tiger had no doubts. The Class of '92 had shaken the world. Now, it was time for a new generation to rise.