Giggs was in equally crisp form, and it was the Welshman who paved the way for his team's third goal in the space of six minutes. He cut in from the left and dribbled along the 18-yard line before finding Wes Brown, who laid the ball back for Scholes to belt home a right-foot drive.It came as something of a relief that Newcastle managed to hold out for the next six minutes but then, a minute before the break, they capitulated once again. This time it was John O'Shea who did the spadework, the young full-back slipping inside Nolberto Solano and Aaron Hughes on the left before cracking a left-foot drive off the bar. Giggs, in splendid isolation, drove in the loose ball.Sir Alex replaced Giggs with Diego Forlan after the interval, and four minutes into the second half he sent on Gary Neville for O'Shea Not that it made much difference. It was 4-1 to Ferguson's men in the 52nd minute, the brilliant Solskjaer feeding Neville on the overlap and the substitute angling a ball back from the byline for Scholes to complete his hat-trick. At least, from Newcastle's point of view, it was a goal that had to be crafted.

The sixth they conceded was a gift, Titus Bramble compounding his painfully plodding performance with a clumsy challenge on Forlan that allowed Ruud van Nistelrooy to get his name on the scoresheet, via the penalty spot.It could have been worse for Newcastle. As Robson later conceded: "At 6-1 they played 'resting football'. They took their foot off the pedal." Even in cruise control, Forlan (twice) and Scholes missed clear chances. As it was, Shola Ameobi scored a second for Newcastle, two minutes from time It was no consolation. As the red contingent in the St James' congregation joyously chorused: "There's only one United." There was yesterday.Newcastle United 2 Manchester United 6 Jenas 21, Ameobi 89; Solskjaer 32, Scholes 34, 38, 52, Giggs 44, Van Nistelrooy pen 58Half-time: 1-4 Attendance: 52,164. There is an inscrutability about the Swedes which has nothing to do with any language barrier English is second nature, as it is with any Scandinavian.

Put two Swedes together and it takes a little longer for the restraint to dissolve – even in the New Forest sunshine bathing Southampton's picturesque training ground. "The year of my birth," shoots Anders Svensson with a grin, when asked about the last time the club by the Solent landed the venerable old competition, and 1976 it was – Bobby Stokes, Lawrie McMenemy and the Saints went marching on.That makes the boyish Anders, all floppy hair and faded denims, 26, while his team-mate and compatriot Michael – short hair, more preppy – is a year older The Cup means much to him also. Memories of Wembley, finals broadcast back home and, bizarrely, Aston Villa. It may be 46 years since the Midlanders lifted the old jug, but Michael raises his eyebrows when reminded that today's semi-final against Watford is at Villa Park He did, after all, grow up a Villa fan. Before the question can be ventured, he adds: "Don't ask me why.

I just liked them."Two omens, however small, in a competition that has, for years, traded on such tangential scraps. "The final is always on television in Sweden, it is a big thing there," says Anders as he recalls growing up in Gothenburg with his older brother and father – also football-crazy."It is a really, really famous cup throughout the world. To play at Wembley as well – although obviously not now, unfortunately," says Michael, before displaying a slightly more participatory approach. "English football was always on the television on Saturday afternoons. I would go to the bookmakers and place a bet and watch the game."The Svenssons, who are unrelated, have noticed a reaction among Southampton fans – whose hearts are usually beating faster at this time of year because of the threat of relegation rather than the prospect of winning a trophy. "The fans are talking a lot about it, just like we are," says Michael.