Manchester United 2 Chelsea 1
A nightmare returned for Chelsea at Old Trafford this afternoon as Diego Forlan left them on their knees for the second time in a month.
Just as he had done in the Worthington Cup quarter-final on their previous visit to the Theatre of Dreams, Forlan rendered a defiant Chelsea performance worthless, and this time the rewards are so much greater.
As the game went into stoppage time, Arsenal looked set to be the only winners as the Premiership heavyweights continued to slug it out, still locked together after Paul Scholes had levelled Eidur Gudjohnsen's opener by netting for the fifth successive game.
But a moment of inspiration from Juan Sebastian Veron set fellow substitute Forlan away in the box. The Uruguayan set his aim, pulled the trigger and hit the bullseye by blasting a shot beyond Carlo Cudicini.
As so often in the past, Forlan celebrated by removing his shirt. The goal came so late, he barely had time to put it back on.
It left Chelsea reeling and visitors boss Claudio Ranieri could barely believe his luck after watching his team start brightly, overcome the early loss of their leading striker and then battle back after seeing their lead snatched away by Scholes.
Any Barcelona scouts running the rule over their intended 6million investment had a short afternoon as Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - reportedly in serious talks with the Catalan giants - left the field after just 16 minutes, failing to recover from Phil Neville's robust early challenge.
Neville had kept his place in an unchanged United side, even though Ferguson had Ryan Giggs and Veron available, and the England international was one of the few red shirted heroes to shine in a poor first-half from which the home side were fortunate to emerge on level terms.
Petit was the outstanding midfielder on view, Mario Melchiot led a rock solid Chelsea defensive effort and with Graeme le Saux, Hasselbaink, and then his replacement Gianfranco Zola, all causing Fabien Barthez problems with inswinging corners, the only surprise about the Londoners going in front was that it took so long to get there.
With Petit pulling the strings, Chelsea seemed to pick holes in United at will and after the French international had robbed Phil Neville on halfway, he found a gap wide enough to drive a bus through, pushing the ball on for Gudjohnsen to finish with a clever flick over the advancing Barthez.
United's only threat had come through Beckham's penalty appeal for handball against Celestine Babayaro which on first glance looked optimistic but replays revealed to be far more obvious.
Either way, referee Paul Durkin turned it down and, for all the industry of Keane, Beckham and Scholes, United would probably not have drawn level had Carlo Cudicini not suffered a mental lapse when he raced back to hoof a backpass away from danger, finding Beckham by the touchline instead of smashing it into the stand.
The England skipper needed no second invitation and after steadying himself, dropped a superb curling cross onto Scholes' head and the flame-haired goal machine did the rest.
Giggs' introduction at the interval brought a standing ovation from the home supporters who had been so critical of the Welshman's last fitful appearance against Blackburn.
More importantly for Ferguson, it also brought an extra edge to United's attacking play. Giggs forced a corner and sprinted to take it short to Beckham and he swung the ball onto Solskjaer's boot - the Norwegian's volley coming crashing back off a post.
Briefly, Chelsea wobbled, and Cudicini atoned for his earlier error by turning Ruud van Nistelrooy's downward header round his post.
The Italian went into credit shortly afterwards with another full length save from Forlan's bobbling effort, the Uruguayan having replaced van Nistelrooy as Ferguson looked to inject fresh life into his attack.
Forlan looked to have wasted United's last chance when he failed to control David Beckham's knock-back just six yards out. But Veron's brilliant pass offered a reprieve and this time the South American emerged a hero.