There are games that gleam in the memory of champions. Should Manchester United take the title for a fourth consecutive season, they will relive this result with relish. A draw is not normally a cause of jubilation for them but they had been reduced to 10 men against Aston Villa by the dismissal of Nani when more than hour of the game remained.
The immediate benefit is the step taken closer to Chelsea, who now lead the table by just one point following their loss at Everton. An adjustment to the arithmetic, though, may not have been the true shift. United proved to themselves as much as any outsiders that the hunger and theacumen are still undiminished even ifCristiano Ronaldo is no longer on the books.
The goals were scored when United had a full complement of players on the pitch but they were more likely than Villa to clinch a win as the match developed. Sir Alex Ferguson has the conviction of a manager whose success has long since eradicated any feelings of uncertainty. It was bold of him here to remove Paul Scholes at the interval and replace him with Antonio Valencia, who had the directness and speed to carry the attack to Villa.
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Regardless of United's satisfaction with the way they coped, Nani's red card was disturbing. He was sent off by Peter Walton for a jumping, two-footed challenge on Stilian Petrov in the 29th minute and Villa's captain suffered enough ankle damage to be forced into limping off eventually in the second half. The score stood at 1-1 when Nani perpetrated the offence.
Sir Alex Ferguson has commented on the recent improvement since the 23-year-old grew out of the shyness of youth. It would have been better for Nani if he had retained a little of the wallflower tendency. There had been a mistaken belief that this game would have a subdued character.
Mediocre as the action often was, the match had a haphazard streak and Villa took the lead with a goal born of randomness that ended in a fine piece of deliberation. In the 19th minute, Stewart Downing's inswinging cross from the right took a deflection, struck Rafael, looped into the air and was then headed deftly over the goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar by Carlos Cuéllar. Villa had scored on an evening when they seemed to lack firepower but then lacked the resilience expected of them.
United were level four minutes later. Nani, in a valuable moment during his cameo outing, crossed from the right and a shrewd Giggs held his position towards the back post while others clustered in the middle. The Welshman, who ultimately had to be replaced because of a worrying arm injury, was therefore in space for a shot that deflected off the centre-half James Collins for an unlucky own-goal.
Both sides seemed startled by the expulsion of Nani that followed. Villa were too sensible to suppose they should hurl themselves at opponents with the knowhow of United. Ferguson's side contains enough expertise not to be thrown off course by adversity. A 4-4-1 formation was adopted. That system is not so anodyne as it seems when the lone striker is Wayne Rooney.
If anything, the imbalance of forces looked as if it was more likely to make Villa wobble. They were not wholly sure of how they should conduct themselves. Attacking flurries were more common from United immediately after the interval.
Villa, if anything, were nonplussed by the seeming opportunity that had dropped into their laps. A different tone will have to be adopted if they are to outdo United in the Carling Cup final.
There was a glimpse of the quality in Martin O'Neill's side, when James Milner effortlessly eluded Wes Brown for a shot that then called for nothing more than a simple save by Van der Sar.
The tone was not acceptable and the Villa manager took off the holding midfielder Fabian Delph, who was tiring, and introduced another striker in John Carew.
United naturally showed no sign of being deterred, After three consecutive titles, it is in this club's nature to show enterprise regardless of tricky circumstances. In the 63rd minute, for example, Giggs picked out Rooney and the forward escaped Collins before shooting high from an angle.
Villa had not intentionally curbed themselves. They moved downfield in numbers but seldom found the clever touch that would have left United in disarray.
Even without Scholes on the scene, United drew from a deep well of experience. There was enough faith, too, for Ferguson to send on another centre-forward in Dimitar Berbatov to join Rooney when Giggs was taken off.
Almost immediately, Rooney's curling effort had to be tipped over the bar by Friedel as Villa looked ill at ease. United will go on making opponents uncomfortable.
