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.
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Already in each month of this calendar year, United have recovered from 1-0 down to prevail at Old Trafford in three different competitions. Again, Ten Hag's game management was decisive.
Ten Hag has largely eschewed mass rotation but he made a change too many on this occasion and United's defensive square of the centre-backs and midfielders was devoid of a regular in any corner. Casemiro was summoned at the pause and Marcus Rashford and Lisandro Martinez crossed the white line with West Ham deservedly ahead.
Casemiro, officially one of the world's best, played like it, spraying probing passes and rising to nod in again from another free-kick. This time, he had strayed too far ahead and was offside, yet United were sufficiently encouraged and legitimately levelled from another dead-ball kick from Bruno Fernandes.
Fernandes, yet to miss a match through injury more than three years into his United career, played like a man possessed as United strove to avoid a late shift. On a night he handed the armband over to the starting Harry Maguire, Fernandes still led by example and his durability defies all logic.
With a trio of regulars on, normality was eventually restored. An additional 30 minutes was such anathema to United that every one of their outfield players was stationed win West Ham's half in the 85th minute.
Garnacho could easily have made way for Rashford yet Ten Hag withdrew Antony. Substitute Fred, an invaluable squad player, crowned the victory with a third goal. On a night Ten Hag got some calls wrong, he still got more right.
"We're on the march with Ten Hag's army," the United faithful chorused as the red shirts approached the tunnel at full-time. They may be back there on June 3. The United matchgoers are being treated to more special nights in a season than they have in the last nine seasons.
"What the f-----g hell is that?" the Cockneys queried as Fernandes and Maguire hoisted the League Cup. Sir Alex Ferguson was still in his 30s the last time West Ham's colours were on the ribbons of silver. Their wait to return to Wembley Way goes on.
United risked hubris. As well as the League Cup, Casemiro and Mary Earps were given a hand for their individual recognition at Fifa's annual The Best awards on Monday evening and Ferguson was wheeled out to reward David de Gea for surpassing Peter Schmeichel's clean sheet record. It delayed the kick-off time.
In keeping with the drama United specialise in, they did not make it easy for themselves. The team's imbalance was especially compromised by the rested Martinez's absence from the XI; his left-footedness opens up different angles and his line-breaking distribution takes opponents out of the game.
Ten Hag is usually a stickler for a right-footed and left-footed defensive pairing and the choice of two righties upset the balance. The Stretford End had to inform Victor Lindelof, with the ball so weighted onto his right foot, there was space to surge into.
United needed such alacrity when too many in red assumed Emerson had carried the ball out of play. They failed to play to the whistle - not that there was one - and that allowed Said Benrahma a free shot he converted clinically. The replay appeared to suggest the whole of the ball had crept over the line.
This was quite the comedown from the deafening din against Barcelona last week, highlighted by the six changes to the United side. As humdrum an occasion as the FA Cup fifth round has become with its midweek slot, Ten Hag was stood in the technical area and demanding more movement from his players in the third minute.
Tyrell Malacia moved into midfield more than any other United full-back and the flexibility sparked a seamless transition from their own third into West Ham's, where Areola repelled Garnacho's caressed shot inside 10 minutes. All four full-backs have added a string to their bow this season and United's unpredictable tactical variations are a culture shock for the denizens accustomed to rigid formations in seasons gone by.
United failed to sustain that promise. Maguire and Lindelof were effortlessly breached for Michail Antonio's one-on-one that De Gea parried and the United captain was soon booked for a clumsily read foul on the West Ham battering ram. Martinez was also troubled by Antonio.
Scott McTominay and Marcel Sabitzer's attacking instincts left the United defence further exposed to West Ham's lateral passes and it was typical of the first half McTominay was cautioned for a cynical trip. His biggest punishment was to be hooked at the interval.
His replacement, Casemiro, was guilty of assuming the ball had gone dead seconds before De Gea watched the ball flash past him. Desperate to atone, he nodded in from another free-kick only this time his body was ahead of the choreographed defensive line. West Ham's supporters crowed but were soon cowed.
McClaren once said United are never beaten, they just run out of time. They beat the clock tonight.
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