The rain at Anfield felt colder now.
Michael Sterling stood on the touchline. His suit was ruined. His shoes were soaked. But he did not feel the cold. He only felt the heat of the battle.
It was the 75th minute.
LIVERPOOL 1 - 2 BARNSLEY
The Misfits were leading. They were holding on to a lead that felt as fragile as a soap bubble in a storm.
Liverpool were not playing football anymore. They were playing a different game. It was a siege.
Florian Wirtz received the ball again. The German playmaker seemed to have endless energy. He glided past Leo Stone. Leo tried to grab his shirt but his hands were too slippery from the rain.
"Stop him!" Arthur Milton screamed from the bench. "He is too smooth! Someone put a wall in front of him!"
Sergio Ramos stepped out. The captain was tired. He was thirty nine years old and he had been fighting monsters for seventy five minutes.
Ramos slid in.
Wirtz passed the ball just before Ramos made contact.
