A valiant performance from Sunderland on Saturday wasn’t enough to derail Manchester United's quest for the quadruple as goals either side of half time from Scholes and Macheda were enough to inflict our fourth straight defeat in a row. Kenwyne Jones had equalised early in the second half to end a baron spell in front of goal from the lads but it proved not to be enough and leaves us worryingly checking on other results in the hope that we don’t drop into the bottom three.

There were a few surprises in the Sunderland line up due to injuries and tactical changes. Craig Gordon kept his place in goal behind a back four of Bardo, Ferdinand, Davenport and Danny Collins. In midfield Carlos Edwards started wide right and Andy Reid on the left with Grant Leadbitter and Teemu Tainio in the middle. Jones and Cisse started up top.

For United Ronaldo started on the bench as they must have fancied their chances without him whilst injury doubts to Rooney and Johnny Evans but proved fruitless as they both started.

Manchester Untied started the game better without creating any real chances. They kept the ball well in our third and tried to stretch us by switching the play whenever possible. The first notable incident came when Gary Neville dived on the edge of the box looking for a free kick but all he got was a yellow card from Rob Styles.

Despite Sunderland coming back into the game slightly Untied took the lead inside twenty minutes effortlessly. Rooney picked up the ball on the left wing before crossing for Paul Scholes to glance a header into the top corner.

Sunderland hit back down the right hand side with Edwards looking to supply the rejuvenated Cisse and Jones. It was encouraging to see the front two chasing down lost causes and generally looking more interested in the game than they have in recent weeks. Edwards and Cisse combined well to win a corner but Callum Davenport failed to capitalise on Grant Leadbitter's cross.

Andy Reid went close before half time when he curled a free kick wide of the post after Wayne Rooney handballed. Then Jones looked to have bundled the ball in only for it to come back agonisingly off the inside of the post. It was a decent first half performance from the lads and we were slightly unfortunate to go in behind.

After the break United pressed forward but we restricted them to long range shots. However Wayne Rooney is fairly accurate from twenty yards and he went really close to bursting the net, and then on another occasion Bardsley and Ferdinand defended well to block his shots.

The returning Teemu Tainio had a cracking game in midfield making life difficult for Scholes and Carrick as well as distributing the ball well when we had possession. He created the equaliser from Jones when his left foot cross was stabbed over the line by Kenwyne after Ben Forster had parried his first headed attempt.

At once the mood lifted round the SOL and it was totally different atmosphere which greeted today’s equaliser as opposed to the last home game against Wigan. We continued to press forward whenever possible whilst the defence looked solid but the back line had to be reshuffled after an injury to Callum Davenport. He was replaced by Paul McShane whilst Man U went in search of all three points by brining on Ronaldo and Macheda.

Macheda won the game for United with what looked his first touch even if it was somewhat fortunate. Carrick had a shot from twenty yards and Macheda deflected the ball past a wrong footed Gordon. It was a bitter pill to swallow but from their point of view they deserved the luck as they kept getting in the positions to have shots on goal.

We went direct in the last five minutes and Yorke replaced Tainio but a second equaliser wasn’t forthcoming. Its hard to analyse today’s game as I left the SOL more optimistic about Premiership survival than I went in but I can’t help but feel the performance slightly papered over the cracks in the team we have seen in recent weeks. Kenwyne Jones and Djibril Cisse had their best games for a long while but is it any surprise that it came against the European Champions when the spotlight was on. Also Sbragia is good at organising sides as we have seen this season at Old Trafford, The Emirates and for 45 minutes Anfield. However the real test comes in the next two games against fellow strugglers Hull and West Brom where I fear anything less than six points will see us struggling.

Final Score: Sunderland 1 Manchester United 2

ALS Man of the Match: Teemu Tainio

Aidan Crowe

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