Manchester United 0
Sunderland 1

by Simon Williams

at Old Trafford

Just one month ago Sunderland manager Gus Poyet said “it would be a miracle” if his side avoided relegation from the Premier League.

The Uruguayan was speaking after he had just watched his side slump to a 5-1 defeat to Tottenham that left them rooted to the foot of the table.

Since then the Black Cats have picked up 10 points from a possible 15 culminating in a 1-0 win against Manchester United thanks to a first-half goal from Sebastian Larsson.

Connor Wickham was allowed to cross from near the corner flag by Darren Fletcher and Larsson ghosted past Michael Carrick into the box before slotting the ball past David de Gea from 12 yards.

The result means a single win from their remaining two games should be enough to preserve the Mackams’ top-flight status. 

“You cannot plan with Sunderland,” Poyet smiled. “You need to expect the unexpected with Sunderland.

“We’re in a position where we have two home games — win one and we’re over the line.”

In their last four games Poyet’s men have drawn away at Manchester City, won at Chelsea and beat Cardiff City 4-0 at the Stadium of Light before winning for the first time in the league at Old Trafford for 46 years.

“Our idea was always to win four games — we’ve won three, we’ve drawn one. We’re still one win away,” said Poyet.

“What we’ve done in the last four games is unique, special. Maybe you’d even call it a miracle. Miracle is a word I used a few weeks ago. Apparently every now and again, it happens.”

For United, the defeat was their second in three games and the first for caretaker manager Ryan Giggs. 

It was also their seventh at home this season — the first time this has happened since the 1973/74 season when they were relegated from the old First Division.

After the game Giggs was at a loss as to why United had performed so poorly at home this season. He said: “Whether it be a lack of confidence or a lack of concentration, I honestly don’t know.

“We have shown it away from home, good away form, but Old Trafford seems to have been the problem this year. 

“In past seasons, even today, there would be wave after wave of shots and you could always sense a goal was coming but this season it doesn’t seem to have happened.”