Source: Team_Talk
Ferguson satisfied with a point
Sir Alex Ferguson pronounced himself content with a draw after seeing Manchester United survive a first-half battering at Sunderland.[LNB] The Red Devils battled their way to a 0-0 draw at the Stadium of Light with keeper Edwin van der Sar making a vital save from Steed Malbranque and Bolo Zenden hitting a post as the Black Cats dominated before the break.[LNB]Either side might have snatched victory at the death, but Ferguson was happy enough with a point on Wearside, their fourth successive Premier League draw on the road.[LNB]He said: "Sunderland had the most chances in the game and I have to say we were fantastic defensively.[LNB]"That's the area in which we have been leaking goals and throwing games away this season, so I am pleased with that.[LNB]"It was a very determined Sunderland team, their home record this season has been very, very good, so I am not pleased but I am satisfied."[LNB]Asked about his side's failure to date to win a league game on the road, Ferguson said: "It's a concern, the first three.[LNB]"I can't class today's as a disappointment because we had to battle to get the point today.[LNB]"But we have thrown the other three away."[LNB]Sunderland largely controlled the first half and would have been ahead with 16 minutes gone had Van der Sar not pulled off a fine save to deny Malbranque after he had been played in by Lee Cattermole's excellent through-ball.[LNB]But the woodwork came to United's rescue eight minutes before the break when Zenden's long-range strike came back off the post with his former international team-mate beaten.[LNB]Nedum Onuoha had earlier seen a close-range effort hacked clear with the visitors struggling.[LNB]Ferguson, who had left Wayne Rooney at home and Dimitar Berbatov on the bench, replaced the ineffectual Michael Owen with the Bulgarian at half-time and his side immediately looked more threatening.[LNB]Berbatov had a 48th-minute strike correctly ruled out for offside and fired just wide with 10 minutes to go after Simon Mignolet had beaten away Nani's dipping effort.[LNB]Titus Bramble unwittingly blocked Nemanja Vidic's injury-time header as United threatened to pull off a smash-and-grab raid, but the spoils were shared.[LNB]Ferguson said: "We had no attacking purpose in the first 25 minutes of the match.[LNB]"It wasn't until towards the end of the first half that we got any semblance of keeping possession of the ball.[LNB]"In the second half we did a lot better, there was more threat by us, but they had chances from set-pieces."
