United hearts broken as title snatched from hands, despite win
FT: Sunderland 0 Manchester United 1
Manchester United hearts were broken this afternoon as a 20th league title slipped out of their hand in the most incredible of fashions.
Alex Ferguson’s side headed to Sunderland knowing victory would count for nothing unless QPR were able to ensure their top-flight survival by nicking a point off Manchester City.
United stuck to their side of the bargain as Wayne Rooney’s 20th-minute header proved enough for a 1-0 victory at the Stadium of Light, but could do nothing as City came from behind to win 3-2 in stoppage time to secure a first title since 1968.
The game was beginning to ebb and flow from one end to the other, but United were still looking the more clinical and somehow failed to score their second in the 76th minute.
First Paul Scholes fired a fierce drive that rebounded back off the post to Giggs, whose goalbound effort was spectacularly palmed over by the impressive Mignolet.
Nani replaced Young for the final 10 minutes in which United spent most of the time camped in the Sunderland half.
The match slowed right down as United did their utmost to retain possession, with Giggs’ 88th minute free-kick from an acute angle the only action of note in the final stages.
Rooney hit the post with a 20-yard free-kick in the 90th minute as United secured three points, but it was not enough as City did the unthinkable, equalising through Edin Dzeko before Sergio Aguero netted the winner in stoppage time to break United hearts.
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