On the evening of August 24th, after returning from London, Tiger King wasted no time diving into the tactical preparations. Eric Steele had already compiled a detailed report on Chelsea, which Tiger meticulously reviewed. In just two days, on August 26th, Chelsea would visit Old Trafford for a high-stakes Premier League clash against Manchester United.
The next morning, August 25th, as the team trained under the clear Manchester sky, Tiger stood on the sidelines, arms crossed, eyes scanning his players. Beside him, Scholes held a match schedule, shaking his head.
"Look at this nightmare run," Tiger muttered.
Scholes sighed, flipping through the pages. "It's brutal, no doubt about it."
The upcoming fixtures painted a daunting picture:
August 26: Premier League – Manchester United vs. Chelsea (Home)
August 31: Premier League – Liverpool vs. Manchester United (Away)
September 14: Premier League – Manchester United vs. Crystal Palace (Home)
September 17: Champions League – Manchester United vs. Bayer Leverkusen (Home)
September 22: Premier League – Manchester City vs. Manchester United (Away)
September 25: League Cup – Manchester United vs. Liverpool (Home)
Back-to-back clashes against Chelsea, Liverpool, and Manchester City, with a crucial Champions League fixture wedged in between. It was a baptism by fire.
Tiger exhaled, running a hand through his hair. "No point stressing over the full month just yet. Let's take it one step at a time—starting with Chelsea."
Later that afternoon, Chelsea held their pre-match press conference. When asked about his expectations for the match, José Mourinho, ever the enigmatic strategist, smirked and offered a simple response:
"We will get the points we want at Old Trafford."
A loaded statement. No one believed Mourinho had traveled to Manchester for a mere draw. His intent was clear—he wanted all three points.
A few hours later, it was Tiger King's turn to address the press.
"Mr. King, Mourinho stated that his goal is to leave Old Trafford with the points he wants. What's your response?" a reporter asked.
Tiger leaned back in his chair, offering a casual shrug before delivering his response with a calm yet confident smirk.
"Our goal is to make sure Chelsea leaves empty-handed."
His words sent the media into a frenzy, heightening the anticipation for what was now being dubbed the first true "Red vs. Blue" war of the season.
Tomorrow, the battle would begin.
August 26, one hour before kickoff. The electrifying atmosphere of Old Trafford buzzed as Manchester United and Chelsea players went through their warm-ups on the pitch. Meanwhile, in the players' tunnel, two men with vastly different managerial legacies crossed paths—Tiger King and José Mourinho.
Their handshake was brief but firm, neither giving too much away.
Mourinho remained expressionless. "We meet again."
Tiger smirked slightly. "As I said, I was looking forward to welcoming you and your team."
Mourinho studied him for a moment before speaking again. "A newborn calf that fears no tigers. No wonder the media loves you."
Tiger chuckled. "If we're talking about media attention, I still have a long way to go to catch up with you. The press never seems to run out of stories when it comes to the legendary Mr. Mourinho. You've practically kept half of England's sports journalists employed single-handedly."
Mourinho waved dismissively. "I've toned things down a lot since my return from Spain. But you, Mr. Tiger—first your bold triple-champion prediction, then the darts league stunt, and most recently your heated exchange at the Liverpool reception. Right now, you're the face of English sports media. I hear reporters wake up, make the sign of the cross, and say, 'Thank God for giving us Tiger King.'"
Tiger burst out laughing. "I never imagined José Mourinho cracking jokes with a straight face!"
The two walked side by side toward the pitch, exchanging words that were both cordial and sharp, a battle of wits before the real war began.
At that moment, the television broadcast caught sight of them emerging from the tunnel.
Sky Sports commentator Raman's voice rose with excitement. "Look who we have here! The two leading men of today's spectacle — Tiger King and José Mourinho!"
Co-commentator Morris nodded. "They may have exchanged some heated words in yesterday's press conference, but right now, they appear to be on friendly terms. Though, we all know that once the whistle blows, it'll be a different story. Mourinho is known as 'The Special One' for a reason, and Tiger is proving he has a sharp edge as well. This will be a fascinating clash."
Raman added with a smirk, "Manchester United's opening 5-1 victory over Swansea was impressive, but let's be honest—that was against weaker opposition. If Tiger King wants to truly silence the doubters, he needs to beat Chelsea today."
Morris hesitated. "If he can pull that off, then—"
"It's impossible!" Raman cut in. "I don't see United winning this. If they can walk away with minimal damage, they should consider themselves lucky."
Morris shook his head but chose not to argue. Instead, he shifted the discussion to the most anticipated reveal of the night.
"Alright, enough talk. We now have the confirmed starting lineups for both teams."
Raman started with Chelsea's lineup:
"For this high-stakes clash, José Mourinho has opted for his favored 4-2-3-1 formation, ensuring a strong balance between attack and defense.
Goalkeeper: Petr Čech
Defensive Line: Branislav Ivanović (RB), Gary Cahill (CB), John Terry (CB), Ashley Cole (LB)
Midfield: Frank Lampard (CDM), Ramires (CDM)
Attacking Trio: Kevin De Bruyne (RW), Oscar (CAM), André Schürrle (LW)
Striker: Eden Hazard
Mourinho's bench options include a mix of experience and firepower: Fernando Torres, John Obi Mikel, César Azpilicueta, Michael Essien, Mark Schwarzer, Juan Mata, and Demba Ba."
After reading the squad, Raman then added his own two thoughts, "With Hazard deployed in a false nine role and the likes of Oscar, De Bruyne, and Schürrle providing creativity behind him, Chelsea's lineup is built to dominate possession and hit with speed. Mourinho has stacked his midfield with Lampard and Ramires, both capable of breaking up play and launching counterattacks."
Morris questioned, "It's a formidable setup, but will it be enough to outmatch Tiger's Manchester United at Old Trafford?"
Morris then picked up the Manchester United line-up for the day:
"Tiger King has decided to stick with the same 4-4-2 formation that secured a dominant victory against Swansea. With a solid defensive core, a balanced midfield, and a deadly strike partnership, United are ready to take on Chelsea at Old Trafford.
Goalkeeper: David De Gea
Defensive Line: Rafael (RB), Virgil van Dijk (CB), Rio Ferdinand (CB), Marcos Alonso (LB)
Midfield: N'Golo Kanté (CM), Michael Carrick (CM), Ryan Giggs (LW), Nani (RW)
Forwards: Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie
On the bench, Tiger King has several impact players ready to come on if needed: Alisson Becker, Phil Jones, Ashley Young, Anderson, Riyad Mahrez, Antonio Valencia, and Anthony Martial."
With the experience of Giggs and Carrick in midfield, the energy of Nani and Kanté, and the proven goal-scoring ability of Rooney and Van Persie, United have a well-rounded squad ready to take on Mourinho's Chelsea.
This will be the first real test of Jin Taige's tactical acumen—will his faith in this lineup be rewarded, or will Chelsea prove too strong?"
With that, the world turned its eyes toward Old Trafford, ready for a showdown between two of the Premier League's most compelling figures.
Tiger King stood before his players in the locker room, his gaze sharp, his voice steady but brimming with intensity. The tactical board behind him displayed Chelsea's 4-2-3-1 formation, just as they had anticipated. He turned to his team, eyes scanning each of them, before pointing at the board.
"This is Chelsea's lineup. This is their plan. Look at it closely." He paused, letting the players take it in. Then, with a slight smirk, he asked, "What does this tell you?"
A hush fell over the room as the players processed the question. Tiger King's eyes landed on Rafael, the energetic Brazilian fullback. "Rafa, tell me—Chelsea is setting up defensively at our home. What does that mean?"
Rafael, always one for a good laugh, grinned and stood up. "That means they're scared of us. Mourinho's scared!"
Laughter erupted around the room, but Tiger King clapped his hands together, bringing back focus. His eyes shone with pride, "Exactly. They fear us. This is Old Trafford! It doesn't matter if it's Mourinho's Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, or Juventus—when they step into our house, they know who we are!"
He slammed his fist against the wall, his voice rising. "We don't bow to anyone here. We don't retreat. We take the game to them. They came here to defend? Fine. We'll make them suffer for it. We play with courage, with intensity, and we show them what Manchester United is all about!"
The energy in the room was electric. Players clenched their fists, nodding along, hearts pounding. The fire in their manager's voice lit a spark in each of them.
"Out there, you fight for your teammates, you fight for the badge, and most of all—you fight for the fans who believe in you! They don't want to see us play it safe. They want to see us attack, dominate, and win!"
He clapped his hands one last time. "Now go. Make them regret stepping into our house!"
With that, the players roared in agreement, surging out of the locker room, ready for battle. Tiger King followed them with a steely resolve, his heart beating in sync with theirs.
Scholes, walking beside him, chuckled softly. "You know, you're usually calm and measured, but when it comes to football, you transform."
Tiger King smirked, his eyes fixed ahead. "Passion, Paul. Football is all about passion."
With that, Tiger went to the visiting team bench and shook hands with Mourinho. They did not talk with each other now.
Tiger simply retreated to stand on the touchline, waiting for the whistle to blow and the match to start.