Manchester United striker Alan Smith was sent off as Manchester City frustrated the home side to claim a point in a dismal 0-0 draw at Old Trafford on Sunday.
England forward Smith was dismissed for a second yellow card on 89 minutes following a late challenge on City’s Iirish international defender Richard Dunne.
However, the biggest worry for United was their failure yet again to score as they wasted a series of chances to beat their local rivals.
United’s victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford two weeks ago had been expected to herald the start of a fightback in the Premiership from Sir Alex Ferguson’s team, but the defeat to Portsmouth six days later highlighted the inconsistencies that continue to affect United.
It was hardly surprising that the home team made a rapid start against their local rivals as they went in search of a confidence-boosting opening.
But, for a shade of luck and two glaring mistakes by referee Graham Poll, United could have been 3-0 ahead inside the opening five minutes.
Ferguson’s team were certainly denied two clear-cut penalties as they tore City apart in the opening minutes.
Defender Mikael Silvestre was wrestled to the ground at the far post by City captain Sylvain Distin as he attempted to connect with Paul Scholes’s second-minute cross.
And French midfielder Antoine Sibierski was also fortunate not to concede a penalty when he hauled Louis Saha to the floor in the six yard box.
In between those incidents, Saha saw a shot which beat City goalkeeper David James hooked off the goal-line by youngster Stephen Jordan.
Kevin Keegan’s team somehow survived the early battering and their 4-5-1 formation began to stifle the home side. United struggled to break City down as they began to defend deeper and deeper.
Ferguson attempted to re-ignite United’s spark by replacing the ineffective Liam Miller with Welsh winger Ryan Giggs at the start of the second half and Giggs’s creativity gave the home side an extra outlet.
An incisive Giggs throughball released Saha on 50 minutes, but the former Fulham striker saw his route to goal blocked by a combined challenge from Distin and Dunne. Saha appealed for a free-kick, but again, Poll waved play on.
United’s worrying inability to score goals in the Premiership this season has left Ferguson joking that he may even start to select himself in his team’s forward line.
But despite their manager’s concern, the expensively assembled strike-force again looked impotent against a team that showed little ambition to get forward themselves.
The home side were reduced to making more and more audacious efforts on goal in a bid to open the scoring, none more spectacular than Smith’s overhead kick from 12 yards which was cleared for a corner by City’s Steve McManaman.
When United finally created a clear chance to score, it was wasted by Giggs. Saha’s well-timed throughball set the winger clear into open space and Giggs only had goalkeeper David James to beat from the edge of the penalty area.
However, instead of ending United’s agony, Giggs summed up their day by inexplicably aiming a left foot shot wide of the goal. – Sapa-AFP