Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson praised his team's never-say-die attitude after their injury-time victory over Chelsea on Saturday.

Juan Sebastian Veron set up fellow substitute Diego Forlan to drill the ball past Carlo Cudicini and keep United on the heels of Premiership leaders Arsenal.

Chelsea had been on top in the first half and they took the lead through Eidur Gudjohnsen's exquisite finish after 30 minutes, before Cudicini gifted the hosts the equaliser.

Sometimes I run around like a headless chicken Roy Keane

His dire clearance fell to David Beckham and the England captain's pin-point cross was headed emphatically home by Paul Scholes.

"In the end the perseverance has given us the victory," Ferguson told United's official website. "In the second half I thought our performance was far better.

"Their goalkeeper has made three excellent saves in the second half.

"We've hit the post and Roy Keane had a great chance to put us in the lead."

Keane, who has only recently returned to the side after injury, was also partly at fault for Chelsea's goal when he failed to pick up Gudjohnsen's run.

No excuse

He vowed after the match to start thinking more about his game.

"Sometimes I run around like a headless chicken," he said.

"I've not played well enough for the last year-and-a-half now, despite what anyone else says.

The fight is between Arsenal and Manchester United now Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri

"It's true that the injuries I have suffered haven't helped - that's not an excuse, it's a fact, but I'll be using my head a bit more from now on.

"I don't want to come back with the daftness I had before."

Ferguson admitted his side were "knocking on the door" just behind Arsenal, and Chelsea boss Claudio Ranieri said it was now between the top two for the title.

"We were the better team in the first half but we were very unlucky," said Ranieri.

"We caused Manchester United a lot of difficulties, so I can be happy with that, if not the result.

"The fight is between Arsenal and Manchester United now."