Last year, it was David Ginola who dumped us out of the FA Cup at the same stage of the competition, with a wonder show at White Hart Lane. Today it was Benito Carbone's turn. The brilliant but erratic Italian scored a hat trick to knock us out 3-2 - and all this, after we had been in the lead twice!

O'Leary's line up was as expected: the same eleven that did so well at the Stadium of Light a week ago. Smith had completed his one match suspension but started from the bench.

This was the high profile tie of the round - with both teams in good form. Villa were unbeaten in ten, a run which had deflected the pressure that was starting to build up around John Gregory in November.

The match started competitively, as you might expect, but there were no early clear cut opportunities for either team. Our first real chance came on 12 minutes, following a great cross field ball by Bowyer. Bridges controlled it expertly, showing trickery on the left, beating two Villa defenders to force a corner.

From the corner, we took the lead. McPhail's cross caused a scramble in the Villa defence - and Harte was on hand to slot a right footed snapshot past the unsighted James. Kewell was later shown to be in an offside position, although at the time there were no appeals from the home team.

A minute later, as usual, we attempted to go for the jugular. Kewell showed excellent skill and pace on the right, before hitting a reasonable effort at James. However, Bridges was in plenty of space to Kewell's left should Harry have chosen to pass to him.

For fifteen minutes we then assumed control of the play without looking particularly dangerous. Martyn had been a virtual spectator up until this point.

On 31 minutes, though, with almost their first effort on goal, Villa took the lead. Following a long ball in to the United box, which Woodgate failed to deal with, the ball fell to Carbone, outside the area, who hit a well struck shot past Martyn.

Villa and the home crowd, who had been noticeably silent up to this point, suddenly roared to life - and should have taken the lead on 35 minutes. Carbone played a superb cross into the box from the right. Luckily for us, though, Joachim and Boateng got in each other's way when a goal looked certain.

Our reply, on 38 minutes, was right out of the top drawer: a superb team goal involving Wilcox, Kelly, McPhail and Bakke. Following Kelly's cheeky back heel, McPhail played a fantastic cross into the box, which Bakke got his head to - to put it into the top corner of the net. It was his fourth goal of the season - and they've all come in the FA Cup.

Two minutes later, Watson was cautioned for a high challenge on Harte - but, as play was stopped, Kewell looked to be clear in on goal. Then three minutes on, Bowyer played a delicate through ball to Bridges on the right, which was flagged for offside - which was clearly not the case.

Villa responded in the final minute of the half. Merson, who had hardly been in the game at this stage, cut in from the left to hit a powerful shot towards goal, which was blocked five yards out by Woodgate.

We deservedly went in at the break 2-1 up but the second half was to prove very different. Right from the start Villa came out hungrier whilst we looked cautious, if not a little nervy. For some reason, we sat back and allowed the home side to carve out opportunity after opportunity.

When Villa's breakthrough came, on 58 minutes, it was certainly spectacular. When Carbone received the ball 35 yards out there seemed little danger. Yet, as our defenders backed off, he unleashed a screamer past the floundering Martyn, who was hopelessly out of position. The match had now turned completely on its head - and it was going to take a super-human effort to get our attacking rhythm back again. This simply didn't happen as, time after time, we squandered possession in midfield and continued to defend too deep.

On 69 minutes, Villa took a deserved lead as again our defence was ripped apart. Kelly, who had received treatment for concussion only moments before, looked disorientated as Merson led him a merry dance down the left. The Villa man then bravely battled past Duberry - the pair clashing heads in the process - before flipping the ball across to Carbone for his hat trick.

Hendrie came on for Merson whilst Mills replaced Duberry. O'Leary also took off Bridges for Smith. For the first time in the half, we managed to exert some pressure on the Villa defence but it was too little, too late - and lacked the smoothness of our first half attacks. On 83 minutes, it was 'last throw of the dice' time with Huckerby replacing Bakke, but there was to be no way through. Two minutes into the five that were added on for the injuries to Duberry and Merson, Mills let rip with a 25 yard screamer which looked goalbound but was blocked on the edge of the area - but that was about as good as it got!

We had contrived to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory with a woeful second half display. yet again, it was a case of not only one or two players having a bad 45 minutes - but eleven. This is clearly when the absence of Radebe and Batty makes itself most clearly felt. Oh well, at least we can "concentrate on the league" now!

United Star Man: Stephen McPhail