White Hart Lane
Arsene Wenger fell back on the cushions that have provided constant comfort throughout Arsenal's barren years - but nothing can offer protection from the brutal reality that unfolded before him at White Hart Lane.
Despite seeing the Gunners drop to third in the Premier League table behind Manchester United and Chelsea, Wenger praised his players for their mental fortitude, commitment and attitude in a 3-3 draw with Tottenham that was a classic of its kind.
And yet the agitated, animated behaviour of the Frenchman in his technical area as Arsenal cast aside a two-goal lead, betrayed torment at the latest wasted opportunity.
Wenger, whose side lie six points behind United with only five games left, rightly stated that Arsenal can still claim the title but the body language of manager and players as referee Martin Atkinson called time on a wonderful game suggested this may well be the setback that takes the goal tantalisingly out of reach once more.
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Wembley
"Joined by geography - separated by success" read the T-shirt commissioned by Manchester United fans before the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City. And no one can argue against the accuracy of the statement.
Manchester City had to start closing the gap somewhere and, with the strains of "Blue Moon" echoing in London's Saturday night air, there seemed no better place than Wembley after a deserved victory ended United's hopes of repeating their 1999 treble feat.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, in a withering put-down, once described City as the "noisy neighbours" and the sky blue wave of elation sweeping around one half of Wembley was happy to live up to that label after Yaya Toure's winner sent them to their first FA Cup Final for 30 years.
The next step on the road to rehabilitation and renewed respect for City is to actually win a trophy, an act that will end another long-running taunt, the ticking banner tucked in a corner of Old Trafford's Stretford End reminding their rivals that it is 35 years since their last major honour.
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White Hart Lane
Jose Mourinho continues to flirt outrageously with England by describing the Premier League as his "natural habitat". Now Harry Redknapp and Tottenham must make the Champions League their second home.
Mourinho makes no secret of his intention to return to the scene of great personal success once his work at Real Madrid is done.
And as the former Chelsea boss turns his attention to four games in 18 days against Barcelona following a 5-0 aggregate win over Spurs, Redknapp will attempt to fashion a finish to the domestic campaign that ensures White Hart Lane can savour Champions League football again next season.
Tottenham's adventure, which had started in Berne, effectively ended in the Bernabeu last week, a 4-0 defeat virtually rendering the second leg a dead rubber.
Any hope they may have had of securing a victory in front of their own fans on Wednesday was dashed when goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes gifted Cristiano Ronaldo the winner.
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I'm Phil McNulty and I'm BBC Sport's chief football writer. I cover the biggest, best, most interesting and most hotly-debated sport in the world.
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