West Ham United are much closer to Manchester United in footballing spirit than they are in Premiership position or balance sheet, and for a few minutes at Upton Park on Saturday they lay at the champions' shoulders after giving them half a lap's start.
Yet by the end of an absorbing afternoon of attack and counterattack that placed a rare emphasis, for these unromantic times, on the liberty of the individual, all West Ham had to show for their efforts were one or two might-have-beens. By late evening, moreover, their season's one remaining hope of a trophy had been put in entirely predictable jeopardy.
The Football League was always likely to order West Ham to replay their League Cup quarter-final with Aston Villa, which the London club won on penalties, once it became known they had fielded a cup-tied player. That Manny Omoyimni, who had appeared for Gillingham against Bolton in an earlier round while on loan from West Ham, came on only for the last six minutes of extra-time was neither here nor there.
For all the club's protestations, the bottom line surely is that Omoyimni should have said something. "He said he didn't think," was the explanation given by Harry Redknapp, the West Ham manager. Such a lack of thought may yet cost Upton Park a few million if Aston Villa go through to the last four, leaving West Ham to struggle in the Premiership for a UEFA Cup place.
For Manchester United the League Cup is a chore best left to the reserves. This time the seasonal scuttle was carried out at Villa Park, where United's occasionals lost 3-0. It could, indeed, still be Aston Villa's year.
At least Saturday's game at Upton Park provided some escapism from controversies. It was a match caught up in a 60s time-warp - and not the cynical late 60s but the early-to-middle 60s, when English football allowed skilful players time and space on the ball and hardly anyone knew the name of the Manchester United chairman, let alone cared.
Maybe giving Alex Ferguson's team such freedom was not West Ham's intention, but it was certainly the effect of Redknapp's decision to switch from his normal back three to a back four, a tactical change that exposed their defence to the pace of Ryan Giggs on the left, the accuracy of David Beckham's centres from the right and, in particular, the speed with which United swap the ball from wing to wing.
Never was this more evident than when Manchester United opened the scoring with a goal that was a classic of its kind. Teddy Sheringham broke up a West Ham attack, the ball was brought forward by Roy Keane on the left who then found Beckham with a marvellous pass out to the right. Beckham responded with a first-time cross from which Dwight Yorke headed past Shaka Hislop.
By the 19th minute the contest appeared to be over. Giggs' half-feint, combined with a sliver of a ball to Yorke, lurking to the left of goal, threw the defence and Giggs then increased United's lead from the return pass. He also scored their third goal with a snooker champion's assurance, potting a shot from 30 yards after one from Yorke had rebounded off Neil Ruddock.
This drew chants of "what a load of rubbish" from disgruntled West Ham supporters, but from Paolo di Canio it produced a rare performance of individual artistry and character. Within four minutes the Italian had flick-volleyed West Ham back into the match when Ruddock headed back a free-kick from Steve Lomas.
Seven minutes into the second half Marc Keller's through-pass beat the offside trap, leaving Di Canio to walk the ball past Raimond van der Gouw, and it was game on. A minute past the hour a glance from Paulo Wanchope found Di Canio in a similar situation, but this time Van Der Gouw guessed right.
Then within seconds it was game over. Giggs outpaced Lomas for the umpteenth time and from his centre Yorke nipped in front of Ruddock to score Manchester United's fourth goal. Towards the end Nicky Butt, who had replaced a slightly hamstrung Beckham, was refused a goal that under the present interpretation of the offside law should have stood as Paul Scholes, the provider of the chance, was clearly not interfering with play when the shot was struck.
Manchester United were content to have survived a brief crisis. For West Ham, however, more critical times lie ahead.
WEST HAM: Hislop, Lomas, Ferdinand, Ruddock, Minto, Sinclair, Foe, Lampard, Keller, Di Canio, Wanchope. Subs Not Used: Forrest, Kitson, Margas, Newton, Angus. Booked: Di Canio. Goals: Di Canio 23, 52.
MAN UTD: Van Der Gouw, G Neville, Silvestre, Stam, Irwin (P Neville 46), Beckham (Butt 76), Keane, Scholes, Giggs, Sheringham, Yorke. Subs Not Used: Taibi, Berg, Solskjaer. Goals: Yorke 9, Giggs 13, 19, Yorke 62.
Referee: U Rennie (Sheffield).
