Manchester United were awful, but they manage to steal a point from Sunderland

Posted by Cathal Breathnach on October 3, 2009 | 3 Comments

There’s no other way to say it, Manchester United were awful today.

From the moment the game started, Sunderland looked the better side and Steve Bruce will be feeling incredibly unlucky that his side didn’t take all three points away from Old Trafford this evening.

The in-form Darren Bent put the Black Cats ahead just six minutes into proceedings, with a quality striker from all of 25-yards. Some may point the finger at United keeper Ben Foster, however I personally didn’t think he could have done anything to keep Bent’s strike out.

As the first-half progressed, the home side failed to trouble Craig Gordon in the Sunderland goal and in truth, the visitors could have gone further ahead. Sir Alex Ferguson’s half-time team talk seemed to have worked when Dimitar Berbatov put the side’s level with a superb bicycle kick from sixteen yards out, however Sunderland were again in front when Kenwyne Jones jumped higher than Foster in the United goal to head home.

It was Andy Reid’s delightful ball which really made the goal, however unlike the first goal, questions must be asked of Foster this time around. With half an hour still left on the clock, many, including myself thought that United could still easily win the game, however when the 85th minute came, I certainly wasn’t thinking that anymore. The sending off of Kieran Richardson for two bookable offences proved to be decisive.

Following the red card, an uninspired United continued to struggle, however when Patrice Evra struck a volley goalwards with just two minutes left on the clock, Anton Ferdinand could only direct it into the Sunderland net. I can only imagine how gutted the Sunderland players and fans must feel this evening. For your side to come so close to claiming all three points at the Theatre of Dreams, only to conceded in stoppage time must be agony.

Elsewhere in the Premier League today it finished : Bolton 2-2 Tottenham, Burnley 2-1 Birmingham City, Hull City 2-1 Wigan, Wolves 0-1 Portsmouth.

Have your say on today’s action by leaving your comment below.

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