MANCHESTER United needed an injury time own goal from Anton Ferdinand to rescue a point against Sunderland. 

Steve Bruce's side were ahead early on through a smartly taken Darren Bent goal before a superb volley from Dimitar Berbatov levelled the score.

Striker Kenwyne Jones outjumped United goalkeeper Ben Foster to head the Black Cats ahead, but with the clock ticking down Patrice Evra's shot was diverted in by Ferdinand.

The result ends United's run of eight consecutive victories in all competitions.

Sunderland were the ones who adapted to the blustery conditions quicker. Indeed, it could have been argued United did not adapt at all.

Rare are the times an opposition goalkeeper comes to this ground and gets through an entire half without having to make a save. But this was one.

Craig Gordon did make one meaningful intervention, diving low to cut out John O’Shea’s curling cross. Apart from that, the Scotland keeper was redundant.

Anton Ferdinand, the one member of his family to start after brother Rio was consigned to the bench by Sir Alex Ferguson, produced an effective central defensive performance alongside the equally impressive Michael Turner.

Yet even they must have been surprised by how little they had to do.

With teenager Danny Welbeck handed only his second Premier League start, a tentative approach from one flank was to be expected. Maybe the same could also be said of Nani given his dismal display at Stoke seven days previously.

The Portugal international was no better this time, and this time Ryan Giggs was not on the bench to bail him out.

And, in Bent, Sunderland boasted a man at the top of his game.

When he made the quick dash down from Bolton, England coach Fabio Capello might not have been expecting to spend half-time thinking about whether Bent should be in his squad for the World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Belarus.

Sunderland lead

Yet, had it not been for his decision to hand over penalty duties to Jones at Sunderland last week, he would now be top of the scoring charts.

And what a fine effort his seventh of the season was as Sunderland took the lead in only the seventh minute.

He got far enough away from O’Shea during a lengthy Black Cats build-up to have room to turn away from the Irishman when Lee Cattermole played the final pass.

The finish was inch perfect, giving Ben Foster no chance.

Replacing Paul Scholes at the break was a bold statement by Ferguson, which triggered an instant response.

Nani was a suddenly a man inspired, twice causing confusion with direct runs, the second of which demanded a brave low save of Gordon to deny Wayne Rooney.

The clearance came straight back out to O’Shea, whose curling 51st-minute cross was perfectly met by Dimitar Berbatov’s overhead kick, which nestled in the bottom corner.

As they say when the TV picture goes down, normal service was expected to resume shortly. Instead, United conceded again.

Foster, and no doubt Ferguson, who had already been incensed by a couple of Alan Wiley’s decisions, will doubtless feel Jones fouled the United keeper as he rose to meet Andy Reid’s cross just before the hour mark.

But Foster should have been stronger in the challenge. Instead, he was shoved aside to allow Jones to head into an empty net.

Thrilling late comebacks from such positions are the stuff of Manchester United legend.

Probably only this knowledge kept the hosts going as, even after Kieran Richardson’s needless dismissal, it never actually looked like happening.

Evra refused to accept second best, though, leaving Ferdinand to beat the ground in frustration.

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