Manchester City's morale surged after the equalizer, and for a while, they pressed Leeds United back into their own half.
Sensing the change in momentum, Leeds United shifted tactics, dropping deep into their penalty area, clearly intent on holding out for a draw. Their defense became a near-impenetrable wall, making it difficult for City to find any clear openings.
As the game approached its final moments, the clock ticked toward the 89th minute. The ball found its way to Ronaldinho, positioned three or four meters outside the penalty area arc. In front of him were three defenders, with six more Leeds United players tightly packed in the penalty box—forming a near iron wall.
Manchester City's other players seemed out of ideas, standing in their positions, looking for a way through the packed defense. With no other options, Ronaldinho took matters into his own hands. He flicked the ball slightly, dodged to create a shooting angle, and launched a powerful long-range strike!
Despite the lack of space, Ronaldinho's core strength allowed him to unleash a fierce, dangerous shot. The ball flew like an arrow toward the goal, forcing Leeds United's goalkeeper, Nigel Martyn, into a desperate leap.
Martyn managed to get his fingertips to the ball, but he could only parry it weakly. City striker Goater, lurking near the rebound, reacted instantly. He pounced and smartly poked the ball into the back of the net!
2-1! Manchester City had taken the lead in the dying moments of the game!
While the goal officially belonged to Goater, the real credit undeniably went to Ronaldinho. His brilliance created the opportunity that led to the breakthrough.
The fans at Maine Road exploded into wild celebration. In the stands, Miller couldn't contain his excitement and hugged Bernstein in a burst of passion.
On the sidelines, Kevin Keegan put aside his previous reservations about the Brazilian and celebrated, unable to take his eyes off Ronaldinho in the distance.
Maybe this is what a true genius looks like, he thought.
As the game moved into injury time, Leeds United pushed forward, desperately trying to claw back a point. But Manchester City's defense stood firm, denying them any chance of a comeback.
In the end, thanks to Ronaldinho's game-changing performance, Manchester City turned the game around and secured a crucial 2-1 victory, claiming all three points.
After the match, Ronaldinho was showered with praise from football pundits and fans alike, many hailing him as a true football genius. However, Kevin Keegan wasn't as lucky. Critics blamed his stubbornness for dragging a winnable game into the final moments before scraping by with a win.
Keegan's reluctance to embrace younger, more creative players—preferring experienced, traditional types—didn't go unnoticed. Some observers began to speculate that his tenure at Manchester City might not last much longer.
Bernstein, well aware of the undercurrents, turned to Miller and asked, "Boss, do you have anyone in mind for a new manager?"
Miller smiled. "I've got two candidates in mind."
"Care to share?" Bernstein probed.
Miller shook his head. "Not yet. When the time comes, I'll bring you along to meet them."
Bernstein gave him a playful glare. "Why are you always so mysterious?"
Miller chuckled.
With the victory, Manchester City climbed to 10th place, a comfortable mid-table position. For Miller, dreaming of European football this season was unrealistic. Pushing too hard could backfire, leading to a disastrous two-front campaign next year. As long as the team held steady, he had no plans to replace Keegan during the season.
But the match also revealed a pressing issue that City needed to address—Schmeichel's retirement at the end of the season left them without a reliable goalkeeper.
Miller already had someone in mind.
He called Bernstein over. "Bernstein, let's take a trip to France."
Bernstein, sensing the young boss had a target, asked, "Who are we buying?"
"A guy named Petr Cech," Miller replied.
Bernstein nodded. "I know him—an outstanding young keeper. But…"
Miller raised an eyebrow. "But what?"
"Last summer, Arsenal tried to sign him, but due to work permit issues, he couldn't join."
Miller cursed under his breath. He'd almost forgotten about that.
Damn work permits.
But he wasn't about to let a top-class goalkeeper slip through his fingers. Not if Chelsea had their eyes on him too.
"We'll get him anyway," Miller declared. "Even if he can't join now, we'll secure him. Let's go."
With a resigned sigh, Bernstein followed his boss, who never seemed to get tired of spending money on talent.
The next day, they arrived in Rennes, France, where they met with René Quév, chairman of Stade Rennais. Knowing Manchester City's intentions, Quév got straight to the point. "We know Petr Cech will eventually leave, so we're open to a reasonable offer. However, the work permit remains an obstacle for Premier League clubs."
"We're willing to wait for him for a year," Miller responded. "By next summer, Cech should qualify for a permit based on his national team appearances."
Quév was taken aback. "You'd wait a year and a half for him?"
Miller nodded confidently. Their commitment was clear. With that, Quév felt it would be unreasonable to turn down such sincerity. "How much are you offering?" he asked.
"Seven million pounds. One price," Miller stated.
The sum matched Chelsea's historical offer, and it was fair. Quév, momentarily stunned, quickly agreed.
The next step was to get Cech on board. When Miller first met the young goalkeeper, he was struck by how youthful and handsome he looked, so different from the steely figure he would later become. Miller made a mental note to protect Cech—and avoid any situations like his future injury at Reading.
Cech was keen to move to a bigger stage. After Bernstein offered him £30,000 a week, he didn't hesitate, accepting the deal. The contract was signed, and Petr Cech officially became a Manchester City player for £7 million. However, he would remain on loan at Rennes until June 2004.
With Cech secured, Miller felt relieved. But he knew there was one more problem to solve.
In the meantime, he'd need a transitional goalkeeper to cover for Schmeichel's departure.
Damn work permits!