Lammens saves the point as Sunderland frustrate Carrick's United at the Stadium of Light
Sunderland are the kind of team that makes 0-0 sound like an injustice. They had Manchester United on the back foot for most of the afternoon at the Stadium of Light, hit the post through Lutsharel Geertruida, and forced Senne Lammens into the saves that earned him player of the match. United's first shot on target arrived in the 93rd minute. The point still leaves Michael Carrick's side a draw away from sealing third.
A Sunderland performance that deserved more
Carrick's three-game winning run came to a quiet halt against the side that has surprised the league all season. Noah Sadiki and Brian Brobbey got behind United's back line repeatedly through the first hour, but Lammens denied both with low, alert saves. Lutsharel Geertruida, recalled by Régis Le Bris in place of the suspended Dan Ballard, struck the post on 71 minutes when 1-0 looked the most likely outcome. United did not register a shot on target until the 93rd minute.
The visitors finally threatened in stoppage time. Matheus Cunha worked space inside the box and found a clean strike, only for Robin Roefs to push it wide. It was the only meaningful moment of attacking play United produced all afternoon, and Carrick acknowledged afterwards that his side had not been at their fluent best.
Carrick takes the clean sheet, banks the point
The United head coach is not a man for false outrage. "It's a tough place to come. They've had a good record here all season. We'll take the point. A clean sheet is always good to get," he told reporters. Pressed on the absence of cutting edge, he conceded the obvious. "We've scored a lot of goals this season, it's just one of those games. A decent enough point and we nearly won it at the end."
Sky Sports analyst Paul Merson was less forgiving on the broadcast, calling it "a bad result or performance." From a Sunderland point of view, the frustration is fair enough. Régis Le Bris's side dominated possession in the final third, looked sharper at every transition, and were beaten only by their own striker's finishing and Lammens's reflexes.
One point closer to a guaranteed third
The draw leaves Manchester United six points clear of fourth-placed Liverpool with two games left, including a final home fixture at Old Trafford next weekend. One more point from those two games is enough to mathematically lock in third place and the higher Champions League pot it brings. After the season they have had, a point at Sunderland that ends the winning streak but keeps the math on side is the kind of result Carrick can live with. The performance, less so.
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