On May 9, New Manchester United travelled to St James' Park to face Newcastle United. The reverse fixture earlier in the season had ended 1-1, but with the title race against Arsenal now reaching its final stage, Mourinho's side could not afford another draw. Newcastle were fifth in the table, behind Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, and Liverpool, and a side built around Alan Shearer was never going to be an easy opponent.
Because of New Manchester United's UEFA Cup semi-final commitments, the FA had moved the fixture back by a day, leaving Mourinho's players with even less recovery time. Arsenal had already come from behind to beat Leicester City 2-1 at home, so with only one round remaining after this match, failure to win at Newcastle would effectively end New Manchester United's title challenge.
Before kick-off, Mourinho made the situation perfectly clear to his players. "We only have the right to talk about winning the league if we beat the teams in front of us. If Arsenal make a mistake and drop points but we don't win our own matches, what difference does it make? We still don't become champions."
Mourinho, normally so combative in public, had been unusually restrained in his pre-match comments. He admitted that overtaking Arsenal would be extremely difficult because Wenger's side were in excellent form and unlikely to slip against Birmingham on the final day. But as far as the match at St James' Park was concerned, he insisted New Manchester United had nowhere to hide. Only victory would do.
Newcastle approached the game with equal caution. Rather than trying to impose themselves at home, they dropped deeper than usual and relied on counter-attacks. New Manchester United, knowing they had to win, took the initiative, but their early possession produced little. In fact, Newcastle's occasional breaks looked more dangerous. The visitors were playing with the fear of making the one mistake that could end their title hopes, and that anxiety made them less adventurous than Mourinho wanted.
Fatigue was another problem. Months of playing every three or four days had drained the squad physically, while the constant pressure of fighting on two fronts was beginning to show mentally as well. New Manchester United controlled most of the first half but lacked imagination once they reached Newcastle's defensive block.
The score remained 0-0 at half-time. In the dressing room, Mourinho kept urging his players to trust themselves, demanding more urgency and aggression without allowing desperation to destroy their structure.
There was some improvement after the restart, but the chances still refused to become goals. Kaká, who had played the full match against Valencia only days earlier, looked particularly tired. When a clear one-on-one opportunity finally came his way, he could not beat the goalkeeper.
His performance summed up New Manchester United's biggest problem.
Fatigue.
Mourinho knew it too. He soon replaced Kaká with Messi, moved Ribéry into the central attacking role, and sent the young Argentine to the right. At the same time, Maicon was instructed to overlap far more aggressively.
By then, some supporters had begun calling Messi New Manchester United's perfect twelfth man. Almost every time Mourinho introduced him from the bench, he changed the rhythm of the game.
This occasion was no different.
Almost immediately after coming on, Messi accelerated down the right and delivered a dangerous cross. Villa met it in the middle and glanced his effort just wide of the near post. It did not produce the goal, but it changed the mood of the match.
New Manchester United's right side came alive. Messi repeatedly ran at Newcastle's defenders, while Maicon's overlaps created two-against-one situations that became increasingly difficult to contain. As the right flank began to dominate, Evra on the opposite side also pushed higher and higher.
The closer the match moved towards its conclusion, the more aggressively New Manchester United committed players forward.
Mourinho could see the danger. Newcastle were waiting for exactly that kind of recklessness, and several times the space behind New Manchester United's advancing full-backs looked vulnerable. But he had little choice. If his team backed off now and allowed Newcastle to settle comfortably into their defensive shape, the title race would be over anyway.
"I believe in my players, Jim," Mourinho said through clenched teeth, fists closed tightly at his sides. "They won't let this go."
Everyone could see how desperate the match had become. Alan Shearer certainly could. Newcastle began targeting the spaces left behind by Evra and Maicon, and twice Shearer broke into dangerous positions only for the assistant referee's flag to stop him.
The warning could hardly have been clearer.
Mourinho still refused to retreat.
It was a gamble, and he knew it.
In the 81st minute, Newcastle finally found the opening they had been waiting for. Shearer received the ball on the left with Maicon stranded farther upfield and drove towards the penalty area. Curtis recovered quickly and launched into a sliding challenge inside the box, taking the ball cleanly away before Shearer's momentum carried him over the defender.
The referee ran towards the incident and immediately pointed to the penalty spot.
New Manchester United's players exploded in protest.
With so little time left, conceding a penalty now could end their title challenge on the spot.
On the touchline, Mourinho signalled towards Cassell. Cassell immediately understood. They had prepared for the possibility of a late penalty and began retrieving the relevant information from Faria's laptop while sending Almunia towards Čech with instructions.
Mourinho himself pointed furiously towards the stadium screen. The replay clearly showed Curtis reaching the ball first before Shearer went over him. From Mourinho's perspective, it was a textbook challenge.
New Manchester United's players surrounded the referee. Beckham, wearing the captain's armband, initially tried to restrain the angriest of them before stepping forward himself.
"Ref, he got the ball first. That was a clean tackle."
The referee shook his head. "David, I'm sorry. I know how important this is, but I saw a foul."
"It wasn't a foul," Beckham insisted. "Shearer went over after Curtis took the ball. Look at the replay. Everyone in the stadium can see it."
His composure began to crack.
"We've fought for this all season. We've given everything for a year. You can't let all of that turn on a decision like this. Just look at it."
The referee understood Beckham's frustration, but he had no intention of reversing the call.
"I'm sorry, David."
Beckham covered his face with both hands, then dropped them and shouted, "It's wrong. It's completely wrong!"
The television microphones picked up every word.
The referee turned back towards him and reached into his pocket.
Yellow card.
Beckham had already been booked.
The second yellow became a red.
For a moment, the entire New Manchester United team seemed to lose control. Players surged towards the referee, furious enough that several Newcastle players instinctively stepped away.
Beckham reacted first.
He grabbed Curtis, who had been closest to the referee, and pulled him back. Cristiano Ronaldo and Essien were dragged into the same tangle, and within seconds several New Manchester United players had fallen into a heap on the grass.
"Curtis, calm down!"
Beckham gripped the young defender by the face and forced him to look at him. Then he tore the captain's armband from his own sleeve and pressed it into Curtis's chest.
"When I go off, you're captain. Remember what that means. We need to win this match."
His voice was loud enough for the television microphones to catch much of it.
"It doesn't matter that I'm sent off. Forget me. Whether they score this penalty or not, we keep going. We need a win, understand? We need the win."
The anger slowly drained from the players around him.
Beckham stood, embraced his teammates one after another, and spoke briefly to each before beginning the long walk towards the touchline.
The applause started almost immediately.
Mourinho was the first man near the technical area to clap. Cassell, the rest of the coaching staff, the substitutes, and then the travelling supporters followed until the away end was roaring its approval.
"I'm sorry, José," Beckham said when he reached him.
Mourinho shook his head and pulled him into a brief embrace. Beckham had been exceptional all season. No one could question his effort or commitment, and Mourinho had no intention of blaming him now.
"Don't worry, David. We'll win it."
Out on the pitch, Curtis slowly got back to his feet. Cristiano Ronaldo, Essien, Messi, and the others moved towards him. Even Čech left his goal and joined them.
The ten remaining players formed a tight circle, arms across shoulders and heads pressed close together.
The noise from the travelling support grew even louder. Television cameras picked out supporters in tears.
"This has become an extraordinary match," Andy Gray said, his voice thick with emotion. "Whatever happens from here, whether they win today or whether they catch Arsenal, what New Manchester United have done this season deserves enormous respect. The unity, the fight, the football they've played, the refusal to give in. Even if they finish without another trophy, they've played like champions."
Martin Tyler was quiet for several seconds before answering.
On the touchline, Mourinho stood with Cassell, Faria, Villas-Boas, Moniz, Meulensteen, and the rest of his staff. Every substitute had come forward as well. Nobody sat down.
Ishmael was sent to warm up.
Whatever happened with the penalty, Mourinho was preparing one final assault.
At Curtis's signal, New Manchester United's players broke from the huddle and returned to their positions. Their anger had not disappeared, but it had hardened into something colder and more focused.
Even the Newcastle players could feel it.
Alan Shearer placed the ball on the spot.
He had taken penalties in far more intimidating circumstances than this, but when he looked up and met Čech's eyes, even he felt a flicker of unease.
The young goalkeeper did not move.
He simply stared back at him.
(To be continued.)
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