The night began with Manchester United parading the League Cup on the pitch. The year 2023 may well be chiselled onto the honours' board to acknowledge a 13th FA Cup, too.
When Nayef Aguerd flicked the ball into his own net in the 77th minute, Erik ten Hag turned and smiled at Steve McClaren. It was McClaren who began preparing for extra time at Camp Nou in 1999. Like that great United side, there is a growing inevitability about this United side.
Alejandro Garnacho, a stoppage-time matchwinner at Fulham in November, scored slightly earlier on this occasion, settling for a 90th minute decider. Garnacho is becoming more than merely Ten Hag's academy legacy. Often a game-changer off the bench, this time he was a matchwinner from the start.
