The halftime whistle had saved them. But only for fifteen minutes.
In the Anfield dressing room the air was hot and smelled of sweat and deep heat cream. The Barnsley players looked like they had just run through a war zone.
Diego Nunez was sitting on the floor. He had a bandage around his head. He looked like a wounded soldier but his eyes were wide and crazy.
"They are fast Papa Michael," Diego gasped. "They run like cheetahs. But cheetahs are just big cats. I like cats."
"We cannot just defend Diego," Michael Sterling said. He wiped the tactical board clean.
He looked at his team. They were losing 2 to 1. They were tired.
But this was a cup game. You do not get points for losing by one goal. You either win or you go home.
"Listen to me," Michael said. "We are going to do something crazy."
Arthur Milton looked up from his half eaten sandwich.
"How crazy Boss? Diego eating a referee crazy?"
"Crazier," Michael said.
He drew a new formation on the board.
