The Liberty Stadium was packed with over 20,000 spectators, eagerly awaiting the first whistle of the match. Sky Sports had the exclusive broadcast, featuring the familiar voices of commentators Morris and Raman.
Morris, a lifelong Manchester United fan, was known for his steady and composed analysis, while Raman was infamous for his harsh, no-nonsense criticisms. His brutal honesty often ruffled feathers, but it ensured Sky Sports' ratings stayed at the top of the charts.
As the referee's whistle blew, Morris' voice rang with excitement: "And we're underway! The 2013-14 Premier League season is finally here, and Manchester United begin their title defense away at Swansea. While this may not be the biggest fixture of the opening weekend, it's certainly one of the most anticipated. The focus isn't just on the reigning champions but on their new manager—Tiger King."
"After replacing the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson this summer, Tiger King faces a monumental challenge. Can he continue United's dominance and forge his own era of success? Only time will tell."
Morris smoothly introduced the team news: "Swansea have set up in a 4-5-1 formation, with their key man being Michu—the Spanish forward who bagged 18 goals last season, finishing fifth in the Premier League's top scorers list. But let's talk about Manchester United. There are some notable changes in their lineup today.
"In defense, new signing Virgil van Dijk starts alongside Rio Ferdinand at center-back. The young Dutchman impressed in pre-season with his strength and composure, though he still needs time to develop chemistry with Ferdinand."
"At left-back, another new face—Marcos Alonso—makes his Premier League debut for Manchester United. The Spaniard was set to join Fiorentina, and Atletico Madrid had serious interest in him, but United swooped in and secured him on a free transfer. A brilliant signing and a solid long-term replacement for Evra."
"Meanwhile, in midfield, N'Golo Kanté partners Michael Carrick. The Frenchman, another free transfer, gets the nod ahead of Anderson, who was a regular under Sir Alex Ferguson last season."
Before Morris could continue, Raman interjected with a smirk: "Morris, I have to ask—who on earth is Kanté?"
Morris, unfazed, replied: "He's one of Tiger King's summer signings—a defensive midfielder, signed on a free transfer from Boulogne."
Raman let out a mocking chuckle: "Boulogne? Free transfer? Morris, this is Manchester United. They should be signing world-class stars, not unknown players from French lower leagues. What is Tiger King thinking? Has he lost his mind?"
Morris frowned, clearly looking to defend the club, "Actually, Kanté performed well in pre-season—"
But Raman cut him off with a sarcastic laugh, "Oh really? Are you talking about the 0-1 loss to the Thai All-Star XI? Or the 2-2 draw with Cerezo Osaka? Or maybe the 1-3 thrashing by Sevilla? Come on, Morris, be serious! United's pre-season was dreadful! And now you're telling me their solution is some unknown free transfer?"
Morris had no immediate answer. As much as he wanted to argue, he knew Manchester United's pre-season results had been far from convincing.
Tiger King remained seated in the dugout, his expression calm and composed. His eyes were locked onto the pitch, observing every movement with laser focus. From time to time, his gaze shifted toward the opposing technical area, where Swansea's head coach, Michael Laudrup, stood barking orders at his players.
Laudrup—one of the finest Danish footballers in history—was a household name in world football. A legendary playmaker in his prime, he had graced clubs like Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Juventus. To Tiger King, this was surreal. Once upon a time, he had only seen this man on television; now, he was standing opposite him as a rival manager in the Premier League. Life truly had a way of writing its own script.
Despite his relaxed demeanor, Tiger King's mind was running calculations at full speed. Manchester United had come out of the gates like a storm, pressing high and attacking with intensity. It had only been five minutes, but they had already carved out two dangerous chances.
The first came from Carrick, who played a beautifully weighted long ball over the top. Van Persie peeled off his marker, controlled it masterfully on the left side of the box, and let fly without hesitation. The ball whistled past the goalkeeper's outstretched hands, shaving the outside of the post.
Moments later, Marcos Alonso surged forward down the left flank, carrying the ball deep into enemy territory. He swung in a pinpoint cross toward the penalty spot, where Rooney met it with a powerful header. Under pressure from Swansea's towering defenders, however, his effort sailed just over the bar.
Two warning shots fired—United meant business.
On the sidelines, Laudrup was growing restless. His arms waved furiously as he barked instructions at his backline, urging them to tighten up and close the gaps. He knew that if Manchester United kept up this relentless pressure, it was only a matter of time before they broke through. Frustrated, he turned toward the opposing bench.
There sat Tiger King, arms crossed, posture relaxed, his gaze never leaving the pitch. He wasn't shouting instructions. He wasn't pacing frantically. He was simply watching—calculating. Laudrup frowned.
At 50 years old, Laudrup had seen many managers—some inexperienced, some overwhelmed. But Tiger King, only 38, exuded an unshakable confidence. It was as if everything happening on the pitch was exactly as he had envisioned.
Meanwhile, in the Manchester United dugout, Mike Phelan furrowed his brows. "We're throwing everything at them," he muttered. "Let's just hope we don't get caught on the counter."
Scholes remained silent, eyes fixed on the pitch, absorbing every moment.
But Tiger King? He just smiled. "Relax," he said, his voice steady. "With Kanté, everything is under control."
The Game Plan:
Before kickoff, in the pre-match meeting, Tiger King had laid it all out. The strategy was clear—full-throttle wing play, constant pressure, attack from every angle.
His instructions were precise: "Carrick, push forward aggressively. Don't worry about the space you leave behind—Kanté has it covered."
"Giggs, Nani, stay high, keep feeding the forwards. Don't track back too much—Kanté has it covered."
"Alonso, Rafael, bomb forward at every opportunity, overlap the wingers. Defensive gaps? Don't worry—Kanté has it covered."
"Remember, whenever you hesitate, don't forget the magic words, which are, ..."
When he finished speaking, the entire squad responded in unison, their voices filled with belief: "We have Kanté!"
Tiger King grinned. "Perfect. Then you all know exactly how we're going to win."
United's execution was flawless. Under wave after wave of relentless attacks, Swansea's defense buckled, their goal under siege.
With Alonso and Rafael pushing high up, their roles barely distinguishable from wingers, Swansea had no breathing room. Every clearance was hurried. Every pass was misplaced. Their defense was crumbling.
Swansea's goal was like a building on the verge of collapse, its walls shaking, creaking, ready to fall. And Tiger King knew it was only a matter of time.
Commentary: A Bold New Manchester United
Morris, clearly animated, could barely contain his excitement: "Dear viewers, I don't think anyone expected Tiger King to adopt such an aggressive, all-out attacking formation in his very first Premier League game! Most thought he'd be cautious, maybe play conservatively to settle in, but look at this—he's thrown that notion right out the window! The other managers watching today will certainly have a whole new understanding of what Manchester United will be about this season."
However, Raman, ever the skeptic, was quick to counter: "Balance. That was the hallmark of Manchester United in the Sir Alex era—attack with precision, but defend with discipline. But what we're seeing here? This is relentless, almost reckless. Is Tiger King just throwing bodies forward with no regard for defending? Or does he really have that much faith in his backline? Or maybe"—his tone laced with sarcasm—"he genuinely believes that his bargain-bin signing from the French second division can hold the midfield together against Premier League opposition?"
His words dripped with mockery.
Seeing his team struggling under Manchester United's relentless pressure, Laudrup knew he had to act.
"We can't keep letting them run all over us. Something has to change." he thought.
When left-winger Routledge took the ball out of bounds, Laudrup seized the opportunity. He quickly called him over and issued urgent instructions: "You and Nathan Dyer push forward aggressively. Attack the spaces behind their full-backs—there are gaps there. Exploit them. Michu stays inside the box—no tracking back. Just wait for the delivery and finish."
Routledge nodded without hesitation: "Understood."
As the clock hit 15 minutes, the dynamics of the game began to shift. Manchester United's attack had failed to break through, and now their aggressively positioned full-backs left dangerous openings at the back.
Swansea had found their chance.
Marcos Alonso surged forward, pressing high into Swansea's half before delivering a cross toward the penalty area. But his delivery was too close to Michel Vorm, who calmly caught it and immediately launched a quick counterattack with a powerful throw.
Nathan Dyer received the ball on the right flank and accelerated like a bullet train, tearing down the pitch with blistering pace. Manchester United's aggressive attack had left them vulnerable at the back.
Morris, watching from the commentary box, tensed up: "Manchester United's left is exposed! Dyer is racing through their half unchallenged!"
Raman, quick to interject, sneered: "Look at the numbers! United's defense is completely outnumbered. Michu is lurking in the penalty area, and Routledge is storming in from the left! It's three attackers against just two defenders—this is a disaster for Tiger King's team! He's paying the price for his reckless attacking philosophy! I bet Sir Alex Ferguson is watching this from his home, shaking his head!"
On the touchline, Tiger King shot up from his seat, his eyes locked onto the unfolding danger. This was the ultimate test for his all-out attacking tactics. Scholes and Mike Phelan, standing beside him, were holding their breath. "Please, let this not end in disaster..." Phelan whispered.
Dyer reached the edge of the penalty area and slowed down, his mind working quickly. He scanned the box—Michu was trapped between the towering figures of Ferdinand and Van Dijk, both poised like immovable sentinels. A high cross would be swallowed by their height. Instead, Dyer opted for an incisive, low ball across the six-yard box, curving toward Routledge at the back post.
"Brilliant vision from Dyer!" Raman bellowed. "He's threaded a perfect pass, bypassing the entire United defense! Routledge is wide open! This is it!"
Routledge charged forward, his eyes fixed on the ball, ready to hammer it home. The entire Liberty Stadium held its breath. De Gea was frozen, bracing for the inevitable shot—
But just as Routledge swung his foot back, a blur of blue and red stormed in from nowhere!
"WAIT! WHO IS THAT?" Morris roared. "Kanté! It's N'Golo Kanté! Where did he even come from?!"
Like a relentless shadow, Kanté had sprinted the length of the pitch, tracking back at full speed from midfield. Just before Routledge could make contact, he launched into a perfectly-timed slide tackle, his right foot meeting the ball cleanly and sending it flying out for a throw-in.
"UNBELIEVABLE!" Morris was practically shouting now. "Kanté came sprinting from midfield like a guardian angel! That was a defensive masterclass!"
Raman, stunned into silence, finally managed to mutter, "Where did he even come from?"
Morris, his voice filled with admiration, continued: "Let's watch the replay. The moment Vorm threw the ball, Kanté turned and started his sprint back, covering nearly 60 yards in seconds. He saw the danger before anyone else did! Look at his positioning—he never stopped running, never lost focus! And that tackle—so clean, so precise—if he mistimed it by even a fraction of a second, it would have been a clear penalty!"
In the dugout, Tiger King clapped his hands in approval, his confidence unwavering. "See? I told you," he said to Phelan with a smirk. "With Kanté, everything is fine."
The camera zoomed in on Kanté, still on the ground after his tackle, breathing heavily but focused. No wild celebrations, no dramatic gestures—just a nod to his teammates and a sprint back into position. Business as usual.
And with that, Manchester United's defense had passed its first major test under Tiger King.
The world was starting to understand.
Who is N'Golo Kanté?
He is the wall you never see coming.