United plug defensive gaps against Sunderland

Manchester United were the victims of a burst water pipe that flooded their changing room but managed to stop the leaks in their defence to record a 0-0 draw at Sunderland on Saturday.

However, the result meant Sir Alex Ferguson’s side failed to draw level with Chelsea, the Premier League leaders and reigning champions, who will kick off their London derby against Arsenal on Sunday with a two-point lead.

It was a fourth successive away league draw for United, but things could have been worse as a Sunderland side managed by Old Trafford old boy Steve Bruce wasted several good chances.

Kick-off was delayed by 20 minutes while United’s players found somewhere else within the bowels of the stadium to get changed after the pipe burst above the away dressing room.

If United were suffering from a Champions League hangover after the mid-week win over Valencia in Spain, a trip to Sunderland was never going to offer them an easy cure.

Gone are the days when teams can travel to Wearside and cruise to victory and Bruce’s young, vibrant side had much more energy for their sluggish visitors.

Having conceded seven goals in just three away games in the Premier League before this trip, the one pleasing aspect for Ferguson was that his backline stood firm against an almighty battering.

Sunderland comprehensively out-played them in the first half and, while Ferguson’s half-time team-talk woke his players from their slumber, the Black Cats more than held their own in the second.

Bruce had anticipated a team selection surprise from his former boss, although he had half expected to see Wayne Rooney in the starting line-up rather than Paul Scholes.

Rooney has already declared he will be fit to play for England against Montenegro next week, but Ferguson refused to consider him for this match after he missed the Champions League win in Valencia in mid-week.

Sunderland’s Steed Malbranque had the best chance of the first half.

The midfielder should have beaten Edwin van der Sar after he was played in at the end of a powerful run from Lee Cattermole. The Dutchman spread himself well, but the finish was a weak one.

The Manchester United goalkeeper was rather more fortunate moments later when he failed to deal with Jordan Henderson’s corner.

His poor punch was sent back across goal by Malbranque, but Darren Bent’s first-time shot hit Nemanja Vidic on its way past van der Sar.

United had a lucky escape again before the break when, at the end of another incisive move, Bolo Zenden unleashed a low drive that smacked against the base of the post.

Sunderland’s home form has been superb, with United the only team to have beaten them at the Stadium of Light in 2010, and they had already defeated Manchester City and drawn with Arsenal at their home ground this season.

They did not find things so easy in the second, although Bent went close from a Phil Bardsley cross and Asamoah Gyan almost grabbed a spectacular winner with an overhead kick.

United had improved, though, and they came within a couple of inches of grabbing victory when substitute Dimitar Berbatov — who also had an effort ruled out for offside when he turned in Scholes’s mis-hit shot — dragged a shot narrowly wide from the edge of the area.