IT WAS Manchester City not Manchester United who, in the memorable words of Francis Lee, were perennial holders of "the cup for cock-ups.
But should United let the 4-0 lead established against Porto in the quarter-finals of the Champions League a fortnight ago slip tonight, then they would lay claim to this dubious trophy - and 10,000 travelling fans might want to know the reason why.
Of course it will not happen. Surety no English team, least of all Manchester United, ever loses a four-goal advantage in Portugal?
In fact, something approaching this did happen to United once - in the Cup Winners' Cup - when they beat Sporting Lisbon 4-1, then lost the away leg 5-0.
Later, again in the Cup Winners' Cup, they lost 4-0 in Oporto before winning 5-2 at Old Trafford. And in 1975, Derby County, having defeated Real Madrid 4-1 at the Baseball Ground in the Champions Cup, lost 5-1 at the Bernabeu. All of which would suggest that on the Iberian Peninsula, the counting of chickens is a delicate a business as treading on eggs.
And the United defences, remember, have already been pierced It times at English ports this season, conceding five goals at Newcastle and six at Southampton.
Statistics and superstition apart, however, it is hard to envisage Alex Ferguson wasting a performance against Porto at Old Trafford which did so much to restore the nation's faith in the European potential of its leading team.
Those who thought that the media had gone slightly overboard ignored Porto's previously-unbeaten record in this season's Champions' League. If Manchester United were fortunate that night it was in catching the Portuguese champions when their form had begun to dip and with Hilario, their 21-year-old goalkeeper, remaining frozen to his line all evening. Porto lost again at the weekend and have three players - the Brazilian Artur, Rui Barros and Sergio Conceicao - suspended tonight.
Their coach, Antonio Oliveira remains in a state siege, giving no press statements apart form a few bland thoughts issued through UEFA handouts. Still, Oliveira has conceded that Porto have to score - "the earlier the better" - to stand even the glimmer of a chance.
The reality is that if they do not beat Peter Schmeichel during the first half-hour, the tie will become even more of a formality than it appeared to be once David May, Eric Cantona, Ryan Giggs and Andy Cole had scored at Old Trafford.
Cole will miss tonight's match with the groin strain he picked up against Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday, and Giggs, inspired against Porto at Old Trafford, is doubtful with a sore hamstring. Given Manchester United's lead, and what lies ahead for the rest of the season, there is no point risking a damaged Giggs tonight. With Ronny Johnsen, Phil Neville, Jordi Cruyff and Karel Poborsky at his disposal Ferguson is not short of options.
"We have to make sure we don't do anything silly," he said yesterday. "And I expect the players to concentrate hard. Porto will be playing to keep their pride intact and their best chance will be to score an early goal. If we show signs of,, nerves, this may happen, and goals change games.
Gary Pallister remembers how United felt after losing 4-0 in Barcelona in the Champions' League two seasons ago. "Porto will be feeling something similar," he said. "So that's what we've got to be aware of."
United also need to avoid further bookings. Roy Keane, David Beckham, Cantona, Denis Irwin, Gary Neville and Ole Solskjaer, as well as Cruyff, are each a caution away from missing a probable semi-final against Borussia Dortmund. The Germans take a 3-1 lead to Auxerre. They also take nine yellow cards, including Matthias Sammer, Andy Moller and Julio Cesar.
