To list the attributes of Charlton Athletic FC is to catalogue the areas Manchester United need to work on: friendly, unassuming, approachable, solicitous about their supporters, a fan on the board, personable manager.
So to Charlton go many thanks for injecting some much-needed hope into the title race; for bursting United's bubble of invincibility; for showing the way for future opponents; for cutting the gap at the top of the table to a catchable six points.
In a cracking game, Alan Curbishley's valiant troops thrived on a potent brew of affrontery and persistence after seeing a one-goal lead, that could easily have been three, disappear in the space of a minute just before half-time as United struck twice.
Alex Ferguson had started with a baffling 4-3-2-1 formation, playing Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as a lone striker, in front of two wide men, the fledgling Luke Chadwick and Ryan Giggs.
Charlton exploited the resulting space down the wings to pump in a series of crosses which spread panic in a United defence badly missing the injured Jaap Stam.
In the first five minutes Raimond van der Gouw, in for the rested Fabian Barthez, had to tip away a Jonatan Johansson header while Charlton's new loan signing Shaun Bartlett hit the woodwork. Eventually the South African found the net, darting between the bemused Neville brothers to head in a right-wing cross.
But Charlton had only managed to poke a dozing alligator. Fergie stormed down to the bench to restore 4-4-2 and suddenly United came alive.
Ryan Giggs, making his first start in a month, was the star, directing his fast, tricky runs directly into the heart of the Charlton defence and forcing Dean Kiely into an acrobatic save on 38 minutes before finding the net from 18 yards shortly after.
The brilliant Welshman set up United's second almost from the kick-off, executing an audacious lob on the volley from within the centre circle which hit the bar and fell to Solskjaer, who tapped in.
Kiely then saved from Giggs, Solksjaer and Chadwick before Roy Keane extended United's lead with a toe-poke from 18 yards. But, amid suspicions of United complacency, Charlton hit back.
Bartlett, who can boast Nelson Mandela as a wedding guest, did his hopes of a permanent move to Charlton from FC Zurich no harm by heading in his second goal.
And six minutes from time John Robinson swivelled to fire home the equaliser.
CHARLTON: Kiely, Kishishev (Konchesky 88), Powell, Stuart, Rufus, Kinsella, Jensen, Johansson, Salako (Robinson 69), Fish, Bartlett (Svensson 87). Subs Not Used: Brown, Caig. Booked: Robinson. Goals: Bartlett 10, 79, Robinson 85.
MANCHESTER UNITED: Van Der Gouw, G Neville, Brown, Silvestre, P Neville, Giggs, Keane (Greening 70), Beckham (Sheringham 75), Butt, Solskjaer, Chadwick (Scholes 59). Subs Not Used: Irwin, Rachubka. Booked: Brown. Goals: Giggs 42, Solskjaer 43, Keane 66.
Referee: S Lodge (Barnsley).
