United need miracle to catch Blues, says deflated Fergie

Manchester United 0 Sunderland 0

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

Chelsea can go nine points clear at the top of the table by beating Bolton today and Ferguson admitted United were increasingly unlikely to bridge the gap.

Asked about the result, Ferguson admitted the team's young players had under-performed.

He said: "Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo had their worst games of the season probably. We know they're going to be great players. Tonight they just had an off night.

"We were depending on them and they've been instrumental in everything we've achieved in the last nine games."

If it is probable Sunderland will 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 Devil's 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. He made at least half a dozen memorable saves, with Ruud van Nistelrooy, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo all denied more than once.

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.

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.

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.

Ferguson is now hoping for a favour from Bolton, for whom a victory would leave the gap between United and Chelsea at six points heading into the last four rounds of matches this season.

MAN UTD: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Evra (Silvestre 67), Ronaldo, O'Shea (Solskjaer 67), Giggs, Park, Rooney, van Nistelrooy.

SUNDERLAND: Davis, Hoyte, Danny Collins, Breen (Caldwell 63), McCartney, Lawrence, Leadbitter (Miller 74), Whitehead, Daryl Murphy, Stead (Le Tallec 80), Brown.

Ref: R Styles.