United's title dream fades

Manchester United's title dream and Sunderland's Premiership life were snuffed out by a sensational goalless draw at Old Trafford.

If Sunderland officially go down as the worst side the top flight has seen since the Premier League was launched in 1992, at least they will also be able to boast one of the most amazing results it has ever seen too.

After nine successive wins, which had raised genuine belief among United followers they could at least push Chelsea to the wire, the Red Devils championship charge came to a sorry end because of their failure to score against a team who have conceded an average of almost two a game throughout the season.

And the man chiefly responsible for the amazing blank was Kelvin Davis, pilloried repeatedly by his own supporters this term, yet choosing this occasion to produce the performance of his life.

And not even the introduction of old favourite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could turn the game in United's favour as they slunk off in almost total disbelief.

It is an often-repeated phrase that there are no easy games in the Premiership yet never in his worst nightmares could Ferguson have envisaged that his team's title hopes would collapse against such a rank bad side.

How the Sunderland fans who gloried in their side's monumental performance must have wished their team had played with the same spirit, enthusiasm and bravado throughout a torrid campaign.

In fairness, United hardly helped themselves and for all Ferguson's pre-match claims there would be no complacency, that is exactly how it seemed judging by the number of ill-advised flicks his team produced in the opening half-hour in particular.

Predictably, Ronaldo was the worst culprit. Every time the ball reached the Portugal winger, he appeared to look upon it as a chance to experiment.

Ryan Giggs, a gnarled veteran of dogged championship fights and hardly lacking in ability himself, felt it necessary to admonish his young team-mate at one stage and it was Ronaldo who got robbed by Justin Hoyte to start the move which ended with Jonathan Stead turning a fine chance into the side-netting.

Ronaldo was denied two glorious goalscoring chances by his own team-mates, with Ruud van Nistelrooy intercepting one Wayne Rooney pass before it reached the winger. Then Rooney himself ignored his better-placed team-mate in the final minute of the first-half, although he did force a fingertip save from Kelvin Davis.

Aside from that, United's only decent opportunities came through a Ryan Giggs free-kick, which Davis saved, and a Park Ji-sung shot which flashed wide.

Sunderland could hardly claim to have had tonnes of opportunities themselves, although Grant Leadbitter did waste a couple of good ones.

However, what the visitors did do was make up for a lack of talent with hard work and discipline.

With Louis Saha's ankle injury restricting him to a place in the stand and Giuseppe Rossi on reserve team duty in the United States, the embarrassment of attacking riches available to Ferguson had disappeared.

Solskjaer's past glories are not in dispute but Ferguson may have hoped for a more formidable forward option on the bench than a player whose last goal for United came in September 2003, before almost two years of non-stop injuries.

Instead of turning immediately to Solskjaer, Ferguson called for greater efforts from his starting line-up.

Around the hour mark, it looked as though his patience would be rewarded. Van Nistelrooy had a chance, so did Rooney. Ronaldo had an even better one. On every occasion, Davis, booed by his own supporters at times this season, was in the way.

Midway through the second half, with desperation mounting by the second, Ferguson introduced Solskjaer, a move which saw Rooney switch to the left flank and Park move into central midfield alongside Giggs.

The pressure became relentless, yet still Davis stood firm, turning away another well-struck Van Nistelrooy effort which was heading straight into the bottom corner.

Crosses and shots flew across the Sunderland box at all angles. Crucially though, none of them entered the net, leaving chuckling Chelsea knowing victory at Bolton tomorrow will almost certainly guarantee another league title celebration at Stamford Bridge.