Robin Van Persie struck a late equalizer to silence the crowd at Upton Park, and force an FA Cup third round replay against West Ham. At Old Trafford Wednesday, Sir Alex Ferguson will be hoping for less drama and a more complete game from his side.
United are flying high after their 2-1 win over Liverpool at the weekend, and still hold a comfortable seven-point lead at the top of the table in the English Premier League from "noisy neighbors" Manchester City.
Ferguson would have preferred not to have had to play a replay in the FA Cup, with United's season coming towards the business end - a mouthwatering clash against Real Madrid in the Champions League also awaits next month.
However, the manager and his club are winners and they will make sure no stone is unturned while going for a win over West Ham.
"West Ham is special for me," said Rio Ferdinand, who began his career with the London club. "I look at West Ham as being a similar club to Manchester United in terms of their history and the way they keep all their people for so many years.
"Here, you see Cath on reception who has been here 30-odd years. It is similar at West Ham with Jimmy Frith and people like that. It is a club that is close to my heart because I came through the ranks there. I look out for their results, after Manchester United's results. I am sure it will always be that way."
United have received a fillip with Ferguson confirming the return of both Wayne Rooney and Nani, with the duo set to get a run out Wednesday. Nemanja Vidic and Ashley Young, though, are doubtful after picking up knocks in the game against Liverpool.
"Both (Rooney and Nani) will play," Ferguson told the club's official website. "Both are fit.
"(There's) Chicha (Javier Hernandez) and Antonio (Valencia), we've got a strong squad, you know. There won't be many changes really.
"Wayne coming back is good news. He's been training for a week and looking good. As for Nani, he came back from his spell abroad (a break in Dubai) and is really looking very good. So I'm fine and will play a strong team."
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce will be hoping for a better result than the one on the weekend in the Premier League, when they put in an abject performance and went down 3-0 to Sunderland.
"Obviously it will be more difficult to beat Manchester United on their own patch than it would have been at the Boleyn Ground a week ago," Allardyce said. "I think that was a huge effort that we gave, which nearly brought us a fantastic result.
"But unfortunately, because of that man, Robin van Persie, it was snatched away from us at the very last gasp - which is something Manchester United have always been capable of doing.
"It was a huge disappointment on the day and all we have to do tomorrow (Wednesday) night is just to enjoy the game, play our best and see where that takes us. And if we put our best performance on, you can ask no more than that. The challenge is set for the players that start the game and hopefully they'll know they have to play to their best at Old Trafford."
Allardyce will have a couple of new signings in Marouane Chamakh, on loan from Arsenal, and Wellington Paulista to call upon, but defenders James Collins, George McCartney and Joey O'Brien are ruled out.
Expected lineups: Manchester United: Lindegaard; Jones, Evans, Smalling, Evra; Valencia, Fletcher, Cleverley, Nani; Rooney; Welbeck.
West Ham: Jaaskelainen; Demel, Tomkins, Reid, Potts; Collison, Diarra; Cole, Nolan, Jarvis; Chamakh.
Prediction: 2-0 to United
