The FA Cup final has witnessed a few surprise results over the years. But in terms of shock value, they would all be surpassed by a Millwall victory over Manchester United at the Millennium Stadium today.
That is not just the view of impartial observers. Even Ray Wilkins, the former United midfielder who now serves as Millwall's assistant manager, subscribes to the view that the First Division side are like a promising featherweight getting into the ring with Mike Tyson.
But that will not stop him and manager Dennis Wise from trying to come up with a tactical schema that will allow them to cope with everything United throw at them before delivering a knockout punch of their own.
"There is a massive divide between the Premiership and the First Division now, and the gap is getting larger each year," the former England international admitted.
"If we're organized, get that chance we require and we put it away, then who knows what might happen.
"But I think the possibility of an upset is less now. It's not impossible but if we did it, it would be the biggest upset of the lot."
Southampton's 1-0 win over Manchester United in 1976 and Sunderland's 1973 defeat of Leeds probably rank as the most unexpected results seen in finals in recent decades.
But it is Wimbledon's 1988 victory over Liverpool -- in which Laurie Sanchez scored the one and only goal for the `crazy gang' -- which Millwall are taking as their inspiration, according to Tim Cahill, the Australian midfielder who has been Millwall's driving force this season and scored the goal that sunk Sunderland in the semifinals.
"I met [former Liverpool midfielder] Craig Johnston and he told me how complacent Liverpool were going into the game against Wimbledon," Cahill revealed.
"Obviously we're the underdogs but we can look at stories like that and we've got nothing to lose."
Millwall's chances of defying the odds have not been helped by the enforced absence of their star striker, Danny Dichio, who misses the showpiece through suspension after being sent off in a league match last month.
Or by the fact that United will be at virtually full strength having taken no risks with the likes of Roy Keane and Ruud van Nistelrooy in their end-of-season league matches.
Keane's recovery from a hamstring injury means the United skipper, along with team-mate Ryan Giggs, gets the chance to emulate Mark Hughes's club record of four victories in the competition.
The FA Cup may have slipped down United's list of priorities in recent years but their Irish captain insists they are determined to salvage some silverware from the wreckage of a disappointing season.
"At the start of the season, the Premiership and the Champions League were our major priorities," Keane said. "People are looking at the FA Cup as a consolation prize but it is still a competition we want to win."
Ferguson was delighted to hear Keane declare himself fully fit, even though he admitted it would add to the number of painful conversations he would have to have in the run-up to the final.
Keane's return means either Phil Neville or Darren Fletcher will have to make way in central midfield while Nicky Buttwill almost certainly start the match on the bench.
The relaxed mood around their Carrington training ground this week has lent credibility to the theory that United's millionaire superstars might just be ripe for a mugging by their opponents from the mean streets of south-east London.
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