Federico Macheda was Man Utd's hero for the second weekend in a row after a 2-1 win at Sunderland.
Substitute again proves match winner for Red Devils
Federico Macheda was the hero for Manchester United for the second weekend in succession as he scored the winner in a 2-1 victory at Sunderland to return his side to the top of the Premier League.
Having proved the match winner in last Sunday's late comeback against Aston Villa, Macheda deflected United's second goal just moments after his introduction at the Stadium of Light to secure the points after Kenwyne Jones had cancelled out Paul Scholes' opener.
Ahead of Saturday's trip to Wearside, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson refuted that his side were cracking up following one win in four games in all competitions, while he also fired another broadside in the direction of Liverpool counterpart Rafa Benitez, who had suggested United were showing fear in the title race.
And the Scot will have been delighted to see his defending champions ensure his claims did not come back to haunt as they took the lead in the 19th minute when Scholes converted a cross from the excellent Wayne Rooney.
But 10 minutes after the half-time interval, Sunderland - who are now in increasing relegation danger - were level as Jones poked in following a scramble at the far post.
United brought on surprise substitute Cristiano Ronaldo in response, but it was Macheda who was the star as he deflected a Michael Carrick effort to move United back above Liverpool at the summit.
Sir Alex Ferguson's troops will now regroup ahead of their testing UEFA Champions League quarter-final, second leg trip to Porto on Wednesday evening knowing they remain a point clear of Liverpool with a game in hand in the race for the title.
By contrast, Sunderland face a monumental home clash with fellow strugglers Hull City at the Stadium of Light next weekend with their top-flight status very much in the balance.
Cruising
For 20 minutes, United looked to be cruising with Scholes and Carrick in complete control in the middle of the park and Rooney a real menace wide on the left side of midfield.
Rooney fired a shot across the Black Cats' bows within 16 seconds of kick-off when he curled a right-foot effort just wide, but as the game unfolded, it seemed only a matter of time before his side took the lead.
They would have done just that with 17 minutes gone had Danny Collins not hacked Nemanja Vidic's towering header off the line and then looked on as the Serbia international sent an overhead kick just wide with United laying siege.
Ferguson's men did not have to wait much longer to edge their way in front when Rooney cut inside on to his right foot to deliver the perfect cross for the unmarked Scholes to glance a deft header past the stranded Craig Gordon and into the top corner.
Sunderland went close to an equaliser twice within seconds on the half-hour when first Djibril Cisse and then defender Calum Davenport, making his first start for the club, met Phil Bardsley crosses.
Then Jones fired just wide from another ball in from the right-back.
Keeper Ben Foster, deputising for Edwin van der Sar, had to tip Cisse's rasping 37th-minute effort from distance over, but he needed the help of the woodwork five minutes before the break.
Carlos Edwards, recalled on the right-wing, skipped past full-back John O'Shea and saw his driven cross flick off former team-mate Jonny Evans, only for the ball to come back off the foot of the post.
Park Ji-Sung smashed a shot across Gordon in first half injury-time after United broke swiftly, but the visitors returned to the dressing room knowing the game was still very much alive.
United re-emerged looking as if they meant business with Rooney seemingly intent on securing the points single-handedly.
Blossoming reputation
In the space of four minutes, he forced Davenport to cut out a cross and concede a corner, and also drilled a 25-yard effort inches wide.
The equaliser arrived with 55 minutes gone when Foster failed to claim Teemu Tainio's cross under pressure from Jones, and the striker stabbed the ball into the empty net to peg the visitors back.
Scholes smashed a volley wide and Carlos Tevez curled a free-kick over, and it took a fine block by Bardsley to keep out the Argentinian's 63rd-minute effort after Scholes and Dimitar Berbatov had combined to play him in.
The rested Cristiano Ronaldo eventually joined the fray as a 69th-minute replacement for Park, but Cisse shot into the side-netting within seconds of his arrival.
Berbatov had appeals for a penalty for handball against Grant Leadbitter waved away two minutes later, but it was Macheda's arrival as a 75th-minute replacement for the Bulgarian which changed the game.
The youngster had been on the pitch for just seconds when he steered Carrick's shot past the helpless Gordon to further enhance his blossoming reputation.
| Sunderland |
Team Statistics |
Manchester United |
| 1 |
Goals |
2 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 4 |
Shots on Target |
3 |
| 6 |
Shots off Target |
9 |
| 9 |
Blocked Shots |
8 |
| 5 |
Corners |
4 |
| 7 |
Fouls |
6 |
| 0 |
Offsides |
1 |
| 1 |
Yellow Cards |
2 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 72.8 |
Passing Success |
87 |
| 17 |
Tackles |
11 |
| 94.1 |
Tackles Success |
63.6 |
| 34.3 |
Possession |
65.7 |
| 43.7 |
Territorial Advantage |
56.3 |
|
