Harbinger Of Glory

”We are live in 3.”

”2”

”1”

At the final countdown, the host leaned forward in his chair, looked at the camera and began what had become almost routine for him!

”Good morning, folks. It’s another weekend, another wave of Premier League football, and we are genuinely spoiled for choice this week.”

The screen behind him cycled through the matchday twelve fixtures.

Wolves against Tottenham.

Arsenal against Burnley.

Everton against Crystal Palace.

Newcastle against Bournemouth.

Liverpool against Sheffield United.

Manchester City against Chelsea on the Sunday, to name some!

The latter fixture had a lot of eyes on it, but then there was the one everybody was already talking about.

Manchester United versus Wigan Athletic at Old Trafford on Saturday!

As the host finished his introductions, the camera pulled back to show the two pundits sitting either side of him, with Micah Richards on the left, Gary Neville on the right, and the host turned to Neville first.

”Gary, a piece of you is in this game tomorrow. As a Manchester United man through and through, where’s the head at going into it?”

Neville snorted at the question and then leaned back!

”The way people are talking about this, you’d think it was doomsday for the club,” he said.

”Yes, Wigan have had a brilliant start despite having one of the lowest squad values at the start of the season! But it’s how you finish, not how you start, and I think people are feeding a narrative that is only going to inflate the ego of this kid that the narrative is all about, which might not be a good thing for the growth of the kid!

As Neville spoke, Micah had been holding it together for about ten seconds and gave up on the eleventh.

He laughed, shaking his head.

”Come off it, Gary. What are you even saying?”

”I’m saying—”

”Manchester United might not stand a chance against this Wigan team,” Micah said.

”I’ll just say it. Leo Calderon is a proper talent. One for the ages. He plays like he has nothing to lose and he’s completely unfazed on the ball regardless of who’s in front of him.”

He looked at the camera.

”And even if you want to ignore all of that, look at the numbers. Eight goals in eleven games. As a deep-lying midfielder. That beats most players in this league who play much further forward.”

”I’m not disputing the talent,” Neville said.

”Then what are you disputing?”

”I’m saying United take at least a point from this. That’s my prediction. They’ll be the first team to take something off Wigan.”

Micah sat back and pointed at him.

”I’m going the other way. I think Wigan put in one of their best performances of the season tomorrow. And I think that kid specifically is going to have a point to prove against the club that let him go.”

The host laughed and held his hands up, looking to ease up the talk!

”We’ll find out tomorrow. We’ll be right back after this.”

By mid-morning, Neville’s words were trending.

The football internet had taken his prediction and run away with it.

The articles followed quickly behind the social media posts.

Gary Neville thinks United take a point off Wigan. The comments are not kind.

Neville vs Richards: Who’s Right About The Wigan Showdown?

”Feeding the narrative” — Neville’s Calderon comment sparks debate ahead of Old Trafford clash.

Fans from every corner weighed in, United supporters clutching the prediction like a lifeline and Wigan supporters treating it like additional motivation that nobody had asked for.

At the Wigan complex, Leo was in the analysts’ room with a laptop open and a compiled reel of United footage running on the screen, working through it quietly while most of his teammates had already left for the day.

He had been watching in silence for a while when Nolan found him there.

”Thought you might be hiding somewhere,” he said from the doorway.

”Hiding is a stretch,” Leo said as he paused the video and then looked away from the screen.

Nolan snorted and came into the room, looking at the frozen screen.

”You ready for tomorrow?”

”It’s going to have to be just another game,” Leo said.

That’s the only way I know how to approach it. All the noise online, the narratives, whatever Neville said this morning, none of that comes onto the pitch with me.”

Nolan nodded slowly.

”I guess you knew!”

”Of course I do. I have a phone,” Leo said while raising his phone slightly!

”Good,” he said. ”Keep that mindset!” Nolan said and glanced at the laptop again!

”Finish up within the hour and get home. You need to rest more than you need another clip reel tonight.”

Leo nodded, and Nolan left him to it.

Within the hour, Leo finished up, just as Nolan had advised and made his way towards Manchester, where Sofia’s apartment was!

It had been almost a month since he went there, and he wasn’t let off!

Sofia called him the prodigal nephew the moment he walked through her front door, and Leo put his hand on his chest.

”That’s harsh,” he said, moving further into the living room!

”Sit down,” she said, already moving back toward the kitchen. ”Mia’s just gone out for a few things.”

Leo settled into the sofa, taking his shoes off in the process!

”Guess she’s spending all that money well then,” he said, causing Sofia to turn away from the kitchen doorway, seemingly with a piece of her mind to give!

”Don’t indulge her too much,” she said. ”I know you can’t say no to her, but there’s a limit.”

”I know, I know.”

”I mean it, Leo. Be smart about things!”

”I got it,” he said, raising both hands before rising to his feet!

”What’s for dinner?” he said, rubbing his stomach while he made his way towards his aunt!

...

Away at Milan’s Malpensa airport, Vittoria was moving through the terminal at just past eleven at night, her bag rolling behind her and her phone in front of her with her mother’s face on the screen.

”Why didn’t you just leave in the morning?” Sienna said, a sigh prominently weighing in her voice.

”Because I wanted to finish things here first so I could stay longer,” Vittoria said.

”It makes more sense this way, but it dragged things out a bit, and I already said I am not missing what’s supposed to go on tomorrow!”

Her mother sighed once more, though one could tell she wasn’t really in tune with Vittoria’s answer!

”Just be safe,” she said. ”And say hello to Leo.”

”I will, Mamma. I promise,” Vittoria said as she slowed.