Sunderland 1, Manchester United 2

Apr 13 2009 By Stuart Rayner, The Journal

EVEN a month ago it looked like the mother of all mismatches, but in the end all that separated relegation- haunted Sunderland from title-chasing Manchester United was substitutions.

The Red Devils used a bench brimming with talent to good effect, while the Black Cats did not make the most of their fewer options.

Sir Alex Ferguson brought on the world’s best footballer, Cristiano Ronaldo (albeit with negligible impact), and a teenager with a sharp eye for goal to win the game, then Anderson to shore it up.

Ricky Sbragia could only muster Paul McShane, Daryl Murphy and five minutes of Dwight Yorke.

Roy Keane learned the art of match- winning substitutions from Ferguson.

His mentor still has it, as proved when Federico Macheda settled a game for the second weekend running, but Keane does not appear to have passed the secret to his successor. Sbragia’s switches were perplexing.

When Calum Davenport succumbed to injury it was a major surprise that the Scot turned to the much-maligned McShane over his own January loan signing, Tal Ben-Haim.

Fortunately the home crowd – guilty in the past of booing McShane and Murphy on to the field – recognised their role in trying to tip a finely-balanced game.

McShane’s first act, a meaty challenge on Carlos Tevez, met with cheers more befitting a returning old favourite than a terrace punch-bag.

Through no fault of McShane’s – or anybody in red-and-white – Sunderland were behind within three minutes, however.

Michael Carrick’s shot was as hopeless as it was hopeful until Macheda quick- wittedly steered it beyond Craig Gordon’s despairing dive.

The Black Cats had been pressing for victory, now they urgently needed to push for a point. Up his sleeve Sbragia had the guileful Steed Malbranque, whose ability to craft openings might at last come in handy again now Kenwyne Jones had finally rediscovered the ability to finish them.

Instead he turned to Murphy, a willing worker but one fortunate that two of the few people who seem to truly believe he is a Premier League-quality striker have managed Sunderland.

Sbragia would have killed to have borrowed United’s unused sub Ryan Giggs or even had David Healy fit. Instead he told Yorke to get stripped.