Ferdinand sits disconsolate after his late own goal

By Ian Hughes

Manchester United salvaged a draw against Sunderland as an unfortunate Anton Ferdinand scored a late own goal.

Darren Bent swivelled and rifled in to put Sunderland deservedly ahead, and a below-par United were unable to get a shot in on goal in the first half.

Dimitar Berbatov levelled with a superb bicycle kick before Kenwyne Jones nodded Sunderland ahead again.

Kieran Richardson was then sent off before Ferdinand diverted in Patrice Evra's shot to hand United a point.

It was a cruel blow for Sunderland, who looked to be heading for their first victory at Old Trafford since 1968.

And Richardson will look back ruefully at having been given a needless second yellow card for kicking the ball away, and so leaving his team-mates a man short with the score at 2-1.

United must consider themselves fortunate after they were largely out-thought and out-fought.

Other than a brief spell shortly after the interval and at the end of the match, Sunderland looked comfortably in control as United struggled.

In United's midfield, Darren Fletcher was distinctly off-colour while wide men Nani and Danny Welbeck, making only his second Premier League start, were anonymous.

Sunderland's Andy Reid and Lee Cattermole were, in contrast, lively, combative and creative.

It was Cattermole's excellent pass that gave Bent a half chance after only seven minutes and the striker turned and shot almost in one movement to beat Ben Foster from just outside the box.

The expected United fight back failed to materialise in the opening 45 minutes, with the champions lacking fluency and energy.

Sunderland might have made better use of their possession, but an over-eagerness to move forward at rapid pace sometimes prevented them maximising their opportunities.

606: DEBATE This result should be encouraging for Sunderland who should be hoping to challenge for the European spots Theo Crispcott

Foster was only tested once by Jones' speculative effort form long range and the visitors might have wondered if they had not taken full advantage of United's poor display.

And early in the second half, it seemed that might be the case when Gordon did well to keep out Rooney's effort at the near post only for John O'Shea to return a cross that Berbatov met with an overhead kick, steering the ball into the right corner.

It appeared that would be just the spark United needed to shake off their lethargy but it proved to be a temporary awakening.

Reid, who in the first half might have conceded a penalty for handball, came forward with purpose and chipped a ball into box.

Jones and Foster went up together and as the pair collided, the Sunderland striker nodded the ball into an empty net.

United once again looked stunned and although they attempted to force the game, Welbeck shot over and Rooney drove a shot wide.

And it took a perfectly timed intervention from Michael Carrick at the other end to prevent Jones tapping in substitute Jordan Henderson's cross and making the game safe.

As Sunderland sat deeper, Phil Bardsley and Steed Malbranque cleared well inside their own area and United continued to be frustrated.

With time running out, United were offered a glimmer of hope as Richardson foolishly got himself sent off when he kicked the ball away and was cautioned for the second time.

That led to a spell of United pressure, and as so often happens, that pressure told when Evra fizzed a shot across goal, Ferdinand deflected the ball in past the helpless Gordon.

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