This could have been an afternoon of angst, and the chatter about Wigan 2019 felt designed to summon just that, like repeating 'Gavin Massey' five times into a mirror. Instead the match was settled by an at-home demonstration of just how effective Leeds had been away on Monday.
David Beckham went into hiding. Paul Ince locked himself away in the hotel. David Batty, meanwhile, was in the bar, watching a replay on television, cringing at Kevin Keegan confidently predicting he'd score.
-ista | a specialist, enthusiast or advocate of a belief or principle
As goalkeeper, Nigel Martyn knew what this pre-match bluster meant. "If they think they can score four, Deportivo must have singled me out," he said.
Nobody respects their old myths anymore. In West Yorkshire, nobody ever did. We just needed a team to go there and show how we felt about it on their pitch, while their captain was tantrumming on the grass, nothing wounded but his maloriented pride.
David Beckham went into hiding. Paul Ince locked himself away in the hotel. David Batty, meanwhile, was in the bar, watching a replay on television, cringing at Kevin Keegan confidently predicting he'd score.
If the Peacocks of 1950 could overcome Arsenal, they'd reach the FA Cup semi-final. And that could mean, it was reported, another trip to London, if the semi-finals were moved to Wembley.
David Batty was surprised by his own emotions when saying goodbye to Howard Wilkinson, the authority figure who had spent much of the last five years berating him for one thing or another. Wilko, respecting Batty's obstinance and admiring his talent, didn't actually want him to go.
I'm grateful for Leeds United's stoppage time collapse because it turned this match back towards cup football purity and, while it might not have been romantic, it developed an outsized mental dominance that ensures it won't be easily forgotten.
"We were very pleased when we heard Leeds would be our opponents," said Victor. "They are the weakest team in the competition, and we've got the easiest draw."
Coming from Celtic as United's main summer signing, with Champions League experience behind him, Darren O'Dea was lumbered with the impossible task of bringing stability to an increasingly chaotic club.
A bright yellow bucket hat, a blue and yellow bar scarf, a Newell's Old Boys top in the England end: everyone else might have thought it was mad, but it was the only thing there that made sense to me. If that was you, remember: a man with new ideas is a madman, until his ideas triumph.