Sunderland – Manchester United

1. Hello again ladies and gents. Sunderland vs Manchester United kicks off in half an hour. Let me fill you in on the latest teams news.

2. Sunderland: Gordon, Bardsley, Turner, Mensah, Malbranque, Richardson, Henderson, Meyler, Cana, Campbell, Bent. Substitutes: Carson, Ferdinand, Da Silva, Kilgallon,Zenden, Cattermole, Jones

3. Man Utd: Van der Sar, Evra, Vidic, O'Shea, Evans, Giggs, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Berbatov, Rooney. Substitutes: Foster, Ferdinand, Brown, Hargreaves, Park, Carrick, Macheda

4. Manchester United welcomed back forward Wayne Rooney and defender Rio Ferdinand to training on Friday with Rooney returning to the starting XI today.

5. Berbatov also starts for United.

6. Sunderland are without the suspended Alan Hutton, meaning Phil Bardsley starts against his old club. Lee Cattermole and John Mensah return from injury, but George McCartney and Andy Reid are out.

7. We are moments from kick off at the Stadium of Light. Manchester United cannot overtake Chelsea today after they defeated Liverpool, but they can keep the pressure on them going into the final games next week.

8. 1'

   Sunderland kick us off. They are shooting from left to right. Remember, you can follow me on Twitter at www.twitter.com/mjdasilva.

9. 1'

   United are playing in their black away shirts, with the blue 'V' and white shorts and socks.

10. 1'

    Early pressure from United as they win a throw on the left.

11. 2'

    Jonny Evans gallops into the Sundrland half with purpose but gives it away.

12. 3'

    Rooney makes a chance out of nothing after Berbatov lifted it into the box, Rooney got in front of his marker, chested it down and fired in on the volley. Great effort, good save by Gordon.

13. 4'

    Giggs's follow-up shot on the volley up was also blocked.

14. 5'

    Nani is fouled by Richardson, and United will pile the pressure on again.

15. 6'

    Berbatov gets the ball stuck under his feet on the edge of the Sunderland box, and Sunderland break.

16. 7'

    The ball finds its way to Richardson who fires in from just outside the box, United get the ball clear.

17. 8'

    Nani is caught late on the ankle by an over zealous Steed Malbranque.

18. 10'

    Sunderland enjoy their first sustained period of pressure in the game and eventually force a corner from the right.

19. 11'

    The corner finds Mensah whose header is just wide of the near post. Mensah beat his marker and that was a good chance for Sunderland.

20. 13'

    Late tackle by Evans on Campbell and Sunderland have a free kick 25 yards out on the left.

21. 14'

    Malbranque fizzes it in and Cana almost glances it into the far post. Van der Sar was rooted there.

22. 16'

    Sunderland sub: Kilgallon on for Mensah.

23. 17'

    Disappointing for Mensah, who seemed to be struggling with an injury for the last few minutes.

24. 18'

    A scramble in the United penalty box sees O'Shea left on the floor after tangling with Bent.

25. 20'

    O'Shea has limped back into the action and is immediately called upon to see the ball out under pressure from Darren Bent. Sunderland have a goal kick.

26. 21'

    Giggs comes very very close for United. He gets the ball from Evra, finds a little bit of space and fires left footed to the opposite top corner. The shot just clips the woodwork. Tremendous effort from Giggs.

27. 22'

    Giggs in the action again as he tries to find Berbatov with a cross. Cut out by Bardsley.

28. 23'

    Malbranque lets fly from 25 yards at the other end, forcing an excellent save from Van der Sar. Very decent effort from Malbranque that. Corner to Sunderland.

29. 24'

    The corner is looking for Bent, but is just over his head and United clear it.

30. 25'

    End to end stuff here at the Stadium of Light. Fletcher's attempted pass to Nani is intercepted and Sunderland break with Malbranque, but the Frenchman runs into trouble.

31. 27'

    GOAL! 1-0 Manchester United! Nani.

32. 28'

    It's that man again and my word it's a great finish with his right foot. Giggs plays the ballinto Berbatov, who finds Rooney, who finds Fletcher, who finds Nani who blasts it in from the right to the far post. Great finish.

33. 29'

    It's been a close game, but United have shaded it so far, crafting the best of the opening chances so that is not undeserved.

34. 30'

    Vidic sees a header from a United corner miss the target.

35. 32'

    Berbatov is on the floor injured, but Rooney plays on with a ball into Giggs, but Gordon comes out and gathers.

36. 34'

    Meyler is down after a clash with Evra. He seems to have twisted his right knee. He's receiving treatment now.

37. 35'

    And Steve Bruce will be forced into making another change here. Meyler is in a bad way.

38. 36'

    Sunderland sub: Cattermole on for Meyler.

39. 37'

    Man United break through Rooney and after dodging a number of hard Sunderland tackles, Evra eventually wins a free kick after being dragged to the floor by Bardsley as he received the ball from Rooney.

40. 38'

    Yellow card: Vidic (Manchester United)

41. 39'

    Vidic picks up a very silly booking for sarcastically clapping the ref after fouling Campbel.. Vidic should know better than that.

42. 40'

    Cana tries his luck from distance but his shot is sliced wide.

43. 42'

    United break away with Rooney who plays in Berbatov on the left, but Berbatov tries to beat Michael Turner rather than shooting early. Wasted.

44. 43'

    Rooney again at the centre of things as he plays in Evra, who sprints into a centre forward position, but his left footed shot is saved by Gordon.

45. 44'

    Disappointing for Sunderland. Great build up play and patience but Richardson spoons his cross from the left straight out of play. Poor.

46. 45'

    And we will have four additional minutes at the end of the first half.

47. 45'

    Berbatov is equally wasteful as he should have put United 2-0 up. Nani wins the ball and finds Rooney, who plays in Berbatov with a delightful reverse ball. But Berbatov slices his shot wide at the far post. Awful finish.

48. 45'

    Sunderland win a corner at the end of the first half. The corner from the left finds the head of Cattermole whose header is headed off the line by Evra.

49. 45'

    And that's the end of the first half. United go in 1-0 up but it should be 2-0 after Berbatov squandered a great chance a few moments ago. Sunderland have been good on the break but have lacked a cutting edge in the final third.

50. 45'

    Join me in 15 minutes for the second half. I'm off for a half time cup of tea.

51. 45'

    United get the second half underway.

52. 46'

    Sunderland have started this second half solidly but Nani breached the Sunderland defence for a moment, but couldn't chip it beyond Gordon. Sunderland clear.

53. 48'

    How did Berbatov miss that?? Giggs finds Rooney on the left who puts a ball into the far post where Berbatov is sliding in but he somehow puts it over when it looked easier to score. One of the misses of the season.

54. 49'

    And there's a beach ball on the pitch...

55. 50'

    These Sunderland fans do have sense of humour, don't they?

56. 52'

    Yellow card: Rooney (Manchester United)

57. 53'

    Rooney was muscled out of it by Cattermole and as Rooney sat on the floor, Cana came in to bring the ball away and Rooney swiped a foot at him.

58. 54'

    Yellow card: Cattermole (Sunderland)

59. 55'

    Cattermole is booked for "simulation".

60. 56'

    Great play by United. Rooney shields the ball from Bardsley and finds Giggs on the overlap, whose cross finds the head (or is it the shoulder?) or Berbatov. Either way, Berbatov puts it over and it's another chance Berbatobv should have put away.

61. 57'

    How United are only 1-0 up is beyond me.

62. 57'

    Yellow card: Bardsley (Sunderland)

63. 57'

    Apologies to Lee Cattermole, the yellow card for simulation was for Bardsley.

64. 58'

    The ball breaks to Cana 25 yards out who hits it first time. Not a bad effort, but it would take something very special to beat Van der Sar from there.

65. 59'

    Nani is rolling around and slapping the ground like he's been shot.

66. 61'

    He seems to have twisted his right knee after a tackle with Cattermole. He seems to have hurt it as he attempted to leap out of the way of the flying tackle.

67. 62'

    Nani is up again, but he's limping.

68. 63'

    United are pinning Sunderland back here as they go in search of a second.

69. 64'

    Nani is back on, by the way.

70. 66'

    The game has slowed down after a frenetic first hour. It's become scrappy, even.

71. 67'

    Fletcher is dispossessed and Sunderland capitalise by winning a corner.

72. 68'

    The corner is headed clear by Vidic and fired back in by Cattermole and Sunderland win a second corner in quick sucession.

73. 69'

    Play has stopped as Cana requires treatment after falling awkwardly on his ankle.

74. 70'

    Manchester United sub: Carrick on for Berbatov

75. 71'

    And that's the end of another miserable day in a United shirt for Dimitar Berbatov. Should never have left Tottenham...

76. 72'

    The ball finds its way to Rooney on the edge of the box who fires it on the half volley just wide of goal. Good effort by Rooney.

77. 73'

    Sunderland sub: Jones on for Henderson.

78. 74'

    And that's Steve Bruce's final roll of the dice. His 3 subs have been used.

79. 75'

    Jones is immediately into the action. He finds Richardson on the left, whose cross is flicked out but only as far as the lively Cattermole, whose low shot goes wide.

80. 76'

    Nani catches Campbell as Sunderland were in a position to break. Nani is very lucky not to pick up a yellow card there. It was cynical.

81. 77'

    Turner clears off the line for Sunderland after local boy Michael Carrick was set up by Nani. Great last-ditch defending by Turner there.

82. 78'

    Jones is penalised for a bizarre headlock type of challenge on Evra.

83. 79'

    But Sunderland force another corner.

84. 79'

    Headed clear by Giggs.

85. 80'

    Yellow card: Malbranque (Sunderland)

86. 81'

    Malbranque is rightly yellow carded for a horrible late tackle on Jonny Evans, which caught Evans on the ankle. You've seen players get sent off for that kind of tackle.

87. 83'

    John O'Shea is penalised for a foul throw. You don't see that every day.

88. 84'

    Yellow card: Richardson (Sunderland)

89. 85'

    Richardson picks up a yellow for a late tackle on Nani.

90. 86'

    The ball almost breaks to Darren Bent, but some vital defending from Vidic keeps Bent out.

91. 87'

    Manchester United sub: Ferdinand on for Fletcher

92. 88'

    It looks as though Rio Ferdinand is being asked to play in defensive midfield for the final few minutes.

93. 89'

    Manchester United win a corner on the left, and Bardsley is furious about that.

94. 89'

    But Sunderland defend it well and the ball is clear from danger.

95. 90'

    We are into the first of 3 additional minutes, and Sunderland aren't finished. They have forced a corner.

96. 90'

    Turner climbed up for it but headed wide.

97. 90'

    Man United sub: Hargreaves on for Nani.

98. 90'

    And that's a great sight. Owen Hargreaves makes his first appearance for almost 2 years through injury.

99. 90'

    And the final whistle goes. United have won 1-0 and keep their chances of winning the league alive until the final day.

100. 90'

     If Chelsea beat Wigan at Stamford Bridge next weekend then they are Premier League champions. It's as simple as that.

101. 90'

     Professional performance from United in the knowledge that Chelsea had already won today and although United should have won by 2 or 3, they have the 3 points that keeps them within reach of Chelsea.

102. 90'

     Thanks for following today's games on ESPN Soccernet. Join us again tomorrow for more Premier League action, as Wigan take on Hull and Blackburn host Arsenal. See you then!

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