Marcus took his spot in the center of midfield on the reserve side, alongside the likes of Fabio Carvalho, Harvey Elliott, Ryan Sessegnon, and other players from the U21 squad who had impressed throughout the season, along with some substitutes from the first team who hadn't quite cracked the starting eleven.
He adjusted his shin guards over his lowered socks, waiting for Coach Anderson to blow the whistle from the touchline. Aleksandar Mitrović stood over the dead ball, waiting for the whistle as well.
Coach Anderson blew the whistle, and the session began with Mitrović sending the ball deep into the first team's half. Jean Michaël Seri received the ball in midfield and passed it to his defensive partner, Frank Anguissa, as the reserve players began their press.
The first-team players soon demonstrated why they were playing among the big boys in the Premier League, managing to retain possession throughout the first ten minutes of the match. An opportunity soon presented itself.
Steven Sessegnon, the first-team left-back, had just passed the halfway line and sprinted into the reserve team's half. He spotted Tom Cairney, unmarked just outside the penalty box.
Cairney received the pass with a deft touch and turned to face the reserve's goal, trying to shake off a pressing opponent. He noticed Mitrović slipping past his marker just before he was about to be offside. Cairney released a beautiful through ball that threaded past the legs of Tim Ream, a center-half on the reserve side.
Mitrović, timing his run perfectly, fired a first-time shot with his right foot as the ball rolled toward him. The shot whizzed toward the bottom left corner of the net. The goalkeeper dived but stood no chance.
The net bulged as Coach Anderson shouted from the touchline, "Nice, Tom!" He watched intently, analyzing both teams. The starting lineup was moving fluidly, with Cairney pulling the strings in midfield. However, Anderson noticed some gaps in their play. The defense was solid, but the transitions weren't as quick as he wanted. Mitrović was a constant threat up front, but the support around him needed to be sharper and more decisive.
The reserves, on the other hand, were showing a lot of energy. The younger players were eager to impress, pushing the starters to their limits. Anderson paid close attention to the interplay between the midfielders and forwards, looking for partnerships that could translate into match-winning combinations.
The match restarted with the reserves kicking off. Matt O'Riley received the ball in midfield and passed it to the left, where Fabio Carvalho was positioned.
Carvalho received the pass and advanced into the first team's half with quick pace. He spotted both Marcus and Harvey Elliott running in sync with him. Carvalho quickly passed the ball to Marcus, who was in midfield.
Marcus received the ball deep in midfield, quickly scanning the pitch. Fabio had made a darting run into space, drawing a defender with him. In an instant, Marcus threaded a perfectly weighted pass through the defense, playing a quick one-two, finding Fabio's feet.
Without hesitation, Fabio flicked the ball to Harvey, who had peeled away from his marker on the right wing. The speed of their interplay left the starting lineup scrambling to keep up.
Harvey drove forward, his eyes locked on the goal. But instead of going for glory himself, he spotted Marcus continuing his run toward the box. With a swift cut inside, Harvey slid the ball back to Marcus, who had found a pocket of space just outside the penalty area.
Marcus, calm and composed, took one touch to set himself before curling a shot toward the far post. The ball sailed past the outstretched hand of the goalkeeper and nestled into the back of the net.
Goal!
The reserves celebrated as Coach Anderson watched from the sidelines. He observed the trio of Fabio Carvalho, Marcus, and Harvey Elliott moving with a fluidity that caught his attention. These three had played together in the youth ranks, and their familiarity with each other's style of play was evident.
The celebrations ended, and the scrimmage continued, with Coach Anderson still watching intently from the sidelines, his thoughts unknown.