Ryan Giggs, a player who had been heavily involved in each of those triumphs, coming through the ranks at the club, was introduced as a substitute with the destiny of the trophy still in the balance.
Sir Alex Ferguson may have been thinking of his horse-racing connections when he uttered afterwards: "As soon as the rain came down, I knew I should get Giggsy on because he loves the soft ground."
This was a special occasion in itself for the Reds veteran. As his 758th appearance for the club, it equalled the long-standing record set by the great Sir Bobby Charlton.