Maybe we can win the Cup next year,” Drake said.There’s no doubt that Drake, a former Arsenal and England centre-forward, has injected Chelsea with a never-say-die spirit. Yesterday’s match that crowned Drake’s triumph in his third year as manager was, however, hardly worthy of the occasion.For the record, Eric Parsons scored a goal in each half and right-back Peter Sillett showed how a penalty should be taken. Wednesday played without goalkeeper McIntosh for most of the second half, conceded a penalty that should never have been given and substitute keeper, left-back Curtis, gave away a gift goal.But no more of this game in which football struggled against the overpowering atmosphere of grim excitement and nervous tension. These detached yet delirious Chelsea fans wouldn’t leave until Drake and his boys took their curtain calls in front of the stand.Well, they have waited a long time. There will be scenes like a theatre opening night when they attend a civic reception at the Fulham Town Hall.Chelsea (2-3-5): Thomson; Sillett, Willemse; Armstrong, Wicks, Saunders; Parsons, McNichol, Bentley (capt), O’Connell, Blunstone.Sheffield Wed (2-3-5): McIntosh; Martin, Curtis; McAnearney, McEvoy (capt), Jay; Finney, Quixall, Froggatt, Sewell, Marriott.Referee: W Ling (Stapleford)..

In the Cup we have been scoring well, so it is a strange situation.”The point was emphasised in defeat at Goodison, a ground on which his team had strolled to a 2-0 Cup victory in mid-February. Only in a tendency to use Wayne Rooney deeper than might be expected, at a time when Ruud van Nistelrooy was struggling for goals, and in keeping some of his big-hitters on the bench at places like Crystal Palace and Norwich, has he left himself open to legitimate criticism. “We are going through a period where we are just not putting the ball in the net in League games,” he admitted. “We are going to have to face that and I just don’t understand it myself.

I have said time and time again this season, we have the players who can score goals. Then there is the little matter of the assignation in Cardiff 11 days later, when Ferguson can emulate Ars? Wenger in achieving the surprisingly rare feat of retaining the FA Cup – Tottenham’s Bill Nicholson and Keith Burkinshaw are the only other managers to do so in the past 50 years.It is the Cup that has cheered United in an otherwise miserable couple of months, producing 13 goals against one in four ties with Premiership opposition, which entitles Ferguson to a measure of bewilderment. We need Arsenal to drop five points.”Unlikely as that may be, four of United’s matches, including today’s against opposition they beat out of sight on neutral ground in last weekend’s FA Cup semi-final, look eminently winnable. The other one, a fortnight on Tuesday, may well have a red ring round it, marking as it does the visit of the new enemy Chelsea in a match Ferguson would dearly love to win. Indeed, the diary in the manager’s office at United’s Carrington training centre has a number of key days inked in for some months to come. First are the five remaining League dates, offering the possibility of overhauling Arsenal’s four-point advantage (effectively five points because of goal difference) to pip the old enemy to second place in the Premiership.

Ferguson has opted to play the chances down, suggesting: “Even if we win our five games we may not make second place anyway. When Sir Alex Ferguson decided a few years back that a diversion or three was required to take his overactive mind off a round ball occasionally, his choices were horseracing, fine wines and learning French. It may yet be that in 12 months’ time, the most successful manager in English football history is ready to contemplate spending far more time chatting to the natives in a box at Longchamp over a vintage red, but ahead of Man-chester United’s match at home to Newcastle today he has made it clear that self-imposed exile from Old Trafford is not yet on the agenda. Kanu and Junichi Inamoto came on but made little difference as Boro casually meandered the ball forward and back with little attacking intention.

Kanu did have a couple of moments and substitute Geoff Horsfield dallied on a glorious opening. But it was Downing who lifted himself from his laurels to drain West Bromwich’s confidence further with a beautiful left- foot free-kick which curled perfectly into the top corner.. Shellshocked Hoult could not hold and Nemeth easily headed home.Boro ended the half in confident possession, each touch sarcastically ol? by the travelling fans. Time, the great healer, insured the former manager received a standing ovation and, after a dreadful draw on Tuesday, the home support found themselves warmly welcoming an unexpected scoring spree.With Ray Parlour on the bench and Stewart Downing pushed out to the right, Bola Zenden resumed his natural role on the left. He was the one creatively classy act amid the relegation hurly burly.