Blackburn Rovers 0 Manchester Utd 1: Shirt number all but obliterated with mud, Cristiano Ronaldo's early departure from the latest instalment of Manchester United's thrilling renaissance was accompanied by the fans behind Brad Friedel's goal hissing expletives and flashing V-signs, all presumably in the cause of In-ger-land.
There was nothing new there except on this occasion it was balanced by a scene of near-mutinous proportions. High in the adjacent Jack Walker Stand there were Blackburn Rovers supporters applauding, rising to their feet in a show of old-fashioned politeness for a footballer who is wholly unaccustomed to being afforded such manners.
Applause was sustained and perhaps also unprecedented. Supporters the length and breadth of the country have tried to break his soul but, having failed so miserably, this was the first public recognition (outside Manchester) for the strength of character Ronaldo has shown since his World Cup ended with the Sun newspaper superimposing his face on a dartboard and a publicly stated desire to leave behind this country of rain and recrimination.
The persuasive powers demonstrated by Alex Ferguson in discouraging Ronaldo from such thoughts may yet be very important to the club.
Lucas Neill is an accomplished Premiership defender, yet time and again Ronaldo danced by him like a skier slaloming past a pole. The Portuguese star has not only flourished in the face of adversity but cut out - or at least toned down - the aspects of his game which left the impression of a man with the soul of a pickpocket.
Three times here he tried to ride tackles that would have once prompted an exaggerated fall and some furious arm-flapping. When the Blackburn defenders started to get fed up and tried to kick him out of the game Ronaldo simply picked himself up, dusted himself down and got on with the game - no histrionics, no fuss.
On a dreadful day for football, Ronaldo was aided and abetted on Saturday by the good-as-ever Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and, some inaccurate finishing aside, Wayne Rooney. United are playing with such verve, such panache, it often feels as though they've switched to 4-2-4.
"It's as good as I've seen United for a good few seasons," said Blackburn's manager Mark Hughes, a man well qualified to discuss what it takes to win a league title. "The angles of their passing, their rotation of movement, the interchanging, they just pick you off. They remind me of the team that won the first Premier League in 1993. We had flying wingers back then and it's still one of their strengths. Ronaldo's a big talent, he's working hard and he knows the Premier League now.
"They've got the bit between their teeth too and it will be a good side who stops them winning the league.
"Ruud van Nistelrooy was a big player for them but him going has released Saha and Rooney," said Hughes. "This side, without Van Nistelrooy, is more dynamic."
Saha decided the 100th encounter between the clubs when he hooked in his eighth goal of the season after Giggs had stolen in at the far post to turn substitute John O'Shea's cross into the six-yard area. Hughes will reflect on the headed opportunity that Andre Ooijer flashed wide shortly beforehand.
Yet United conjured up some exquisite exchanges of one-touch passing and movement, despite large areas of the pitch being close to unplayable, and would have won by more if Rooney had been more clinical. Commemorative mugs are on sale at Southend to mark their 1-0 victory over Ronaldo, Rooney et al six days ago but Ferguson's men are back in a position where they no longer need to pretend the League Cup matters.
