West Ham legend Paolo Di Canio ‘too cute’ for Man Utd goalkeeper Fabian Barthez with infamous FA Cup goal, says Winterburn

PAOLO DI CANIO is ‘too cute’ for Fabien Barthez’s ‘tricks’ when West Ham won 1-0 in the famous FA Cup at Old Trafford 21 years ago.

Nigel Winterburn played on the left in a back five for Harry Redknapp’s side that day and remembers the ‘wall work’ fondly.

3

3

Manchester United Goalkeeper Barthez was standing with his arm raised in an attempt to be offside when the nimble Italian rushed in to score in the 76th minute of the 4th Round match.

But Hammer the icon ignored the Frenchman and shot into the bottom left corner with his right foot outside before celebrating in front of 9,000 jubilant roosters.

Winterburn, now 58, told SunSport: “Barthez is trying to fool the umpire and the line umpire.

“When Paulo He then raised his hand for offside but Paolo was too cute for that. He’s one of those guys who completed the opportunity and will see what happens after that.

“Paolo scored and Barthez played the rest of the game on the halfway line as a sweeper and we camped within our six yards, but we held out.”

Frederic Kanoute played a perfectly weighted ball to score the goal that was reverberated in Hammers folklore when the line-of-keeper ignored Barthez’s account.

FREE BET: GET MORE THAN £2,000 IN NEW CUSTOMER DEBTS

It comes after some slick building games from Michael Carrick and Joe Cole, who went on to have elite careers after leaving Upton Park.

The historic victory comes just three weeks after West Ham were battered 3-1 at Old Trafford in the Premier League.

And Winterburn added: “The best way to describe it is a ‘work against the wall’.

“Nobody expected us to win. It was an unbelievable win.”

Winterburn and Di Canio The infamous clash three years earlier in the ugly scene at Hillsborough when the Italian shoved Paul Alcock to the floor during Sheffield Wednesday against Arsenal.

But that was soon forgotten when the two reunited in East London in 2000.

3

Winterburn recalls: “I have to say that when I came to West Ham, I got along very well with Paolo. We understood each other very well.

“The boys put me next to Paolo in the dressing room from day one, so as soon as I walked in I changed next to him.

“The next thing I got a tap on the shoulder and that’s it, the ice broke.

“He has the same mentality as me. He has great ability and I admire that in him.

“Just because we had a little argument, it doesn’t mean I can’t give him encouragement, feed him or ask things from him on the pitch.”

⚽ Read ours Move blog News Live for the latest rumors, gossip and deals done