We blew it, moans Moyes, after Hammers throw chance away

KICK-OFF here last night was delayed by what might only be described as a trophy presentation orgy.

- Malik Quzia

There was one for David De Gea, conducted by Sir Alex Ferguson, in honour of his surpassing Manchester United’s clean-sheet record. There was one for Mary Earps, named FIFA’s best goalkeeper in the world on Monday, and another for Casemiro, who made it into the world’s best XI. And then there were captains Bruno Fernandes and Harry Maguire parading the Carabao Cup in tandem, just as they had after beating Newcastle only three days earlier.

But if West Ham fans felt any pangs of envy, they would surely have been not towards the victors, but to the Toon Army and their grand day out. Newcastle had waited 24 years to see their team in a Wembley showpiece; for West Ham it has been more than a decade since the play-off triumph over Blackpool, and more than four since the last final they would have chosen to be in: the 1981 League Cup loss against Liverpool.