A 2-1 defeat to Liverpool, snatched in the dying minutes by a moment of pure Salah magic.

Leon Fischer walked off the pitch, the sting of defeat a bitter taste in his mouth, but even then, a quiet determination hardened within him.

He'd done his best, he'd given everything, and his 'Current: 81' rating glowed with the undeniable proof of his accelerated growth.

In the dressing room, the mood was somber but not despairing.

Coach Emery, though disappointed, spoke calmly.

"We fought. We showed courage. We played with heart. This is a learning experience. We take this, and we grow. Focus now is on the next game."

His eyes lingered on Leon for a moment, a subtle nod acknowledging his performance.

John McGinn (Current: 84) slapped Leon's back as they headed for the showers.

"Tough one, Leo. But you were immense again. Your vision in that second half... incredible. We'll get them next time."

Ollie Watkins (Current: 86) added, "Salah's just different class, mate. No one could've stopped that. But you owned that midfield."

Leon appreciated the words. He knew the team valued his contributions, and that felt good. He thought about Salah's goal, the almost imperceptible shift, the perfect angle.

He'd seen the 'leg-and-ball' projection, the 'body shift' feint, but the execution had been too fast, too precise. It just proved there was always another level to reach, another layer to master in his 'sight'.

The next morning, the headlines confirmed the bitter pill of defeat, but also shone a spotlight on Leon's performance.

Salah Secures Late Winner, But Villa's Fischer Shines

Teenage Midfielder Impresses Against Liverpool Giants

Leon's phone buzzed with messages.

Most were from his academy teammates, offering encouragement.

Ethan (Current: 75) sent: "Rough one, but you were still a beast, Leo! Next time!"

Even Byon (Current: 80), despite being at City now, texted:

"Unlucky, mate. But you looked sharp. Good game!" Leon smiled. Their rivalry was real, but their friendship was stronger.

He went home for the day, seeking the familiar comfort of his mother's presence. She met him at the door with a hug that melted away some of the disappointment.

"My brave boy," she whispered, her hands cupping his face.

"Are you alright? You played so well, Leon. I saw it on the TV.

They kept talking about you. The commentator said you were 'instrumental'!"

They sat down for lunch, and Leon's mom poured him a cup of tea.

"It was a tough match, Mom," he admitted, swirling the tea in his mug. "Liverpool are something else. Salah... he's just on another level."

"He is a wonderful player, yes," his mom agreed. "But so are you, my love.

You're out there, playing against them.

Do you know how many people dream of that? And you're only sixteen!" She looked at him, her gaze unwavering.

"When I saw you on TV, running, tackling, passing… it felt like just yesterday you were a little boy kicking a ball in the garden, making up your own rules."

Leon chuckled, remembering. "Yeah, but now the rules are a bit stricter, and the players are a bit faster!"

He paused, then looked at his mom. "I saw it, Mom. The play before it happened. The shot. The feint. I saw it, but it was just… too quick. I need to be faster.

My sight needs to be sharper." He didn't go into the details of the 'ghostly projections,' knowing she wouldn't fully understand, but she grasped his meaning.

"You will be, Leon," she said with quiet conviction.

"You learn so quickly. Every game, every challenge, makes you stronger. Just keep believing in yourself."

Later that afternoon, Leon pulled up the Premier League table on his tablet.

Aston Villa were currently sitting in 9th place. Not bad, but not where they wanted to be.

Above them, teams like Brighton, Fulham, and Chelsea were battling for European spots. Below them, a cluster of clubs were fighting to avoid the relegation zone.

"Ninth place," he murmured to himself. "Twenty matches left."

Twenty matches. That was still a lot of football.

Enough to make a real push. Enough to climb the table.

Enough for him to continue his rapid development, to push his 'Current' rating higher and higher. He pictured the future, a Villa side challenging at the top, and himself, a key figure in the midfield, dictating play, making those decisive passes, scoring crucial goals.

He thought about Byon again, now officially a Manchester City player.

He was probably training at their elite academy, pushing himself alongside talents that would one day conquer Europe.

The thought spurred Leon on. Their paths had diverged, but their dreams remained intertwined, pushing each other to reach new heights. He knew their next encounter would be epic, a true test of friendship against rivalry.

The next few days at the academy were a mix of recovery and renewed focus.

Leon spent extra time analyzing match footage, not just of his own games, but of top midfielders like Rodri (Current: 89) and Jude Bellingham (Current: 89).

He looked for the subtle cues, the body language, the positioning that allowed them to be so effective.

He tried to reconcile what he saw in the videos with what his 'sight' showed him in real-time. It was like adding new vocabulary to a language he was still mastering.

He also spent more time with Douglas Luiz (Current: 85), picking his brain about how to break down pressing teams, how to create space when there seemed to be none. Luiz, patient and insightful, shared his vast experience.

"Sometimes, Leon, the best pass is the simplest one. It opens up the next pass. Don't force it. The game will give you the opening."

Leon nodded, remembering Luiz's earlier advice after the City game. It was a balance: trusting his 'sight' for the audacious, but also knowing when to play it safe, to keep the ball moving, to maintain rhythm.

He also checked in on Byon. A quick text. "How's City life?"

Byon replied almost instantly: "Crazy. Fast. Everyone's a beast. But I'm loving it. Hardest I've ever worked.

"...."

Coach Emery called the team meeting on Friday, the day before their next Premier League fixture. The mood was serious but determined.

They had to bounce back from the Liverpool defeat.

"Next match," Emery announced, his gaze sweeping over the squad.

"An important one. Away from home. Against Everton at Goodison Park."

A collective murmur went through the room. Everton. A notoriously tough team, especially at their home ground. Goodison Park was a hostile environment, famed for its passionate, often intimidating, atmosphere.

Their central midfielder, Abdoulaye Doucouré (Potential: 86, Current: 84), was a tireless worker, and their striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Potential: 87, Current: 83) was a handful in the air.

"They will be physical," Emery continued.

"They will press. The crowd will be loud. This is a test of character. Leon..." His eyes found Leon's. "You start again. We need your composure, your vision, to control that midfield. You set the tempo."

Leon felt the familiar surge of nerves and excitement. Everton away. Another hostile environment. Another chance to prove himself.

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A/N: So glad to share this with you. A little review goes a long way!