MANCHESTER, (AFP) - Sunderland keeper Kelvin Davis left Manchester United needing a "miracle", according to Sir Alex Ferguson, to win the Premiership title as his stunning display saw the visitors achieve a goalless draw here at Old Trafford on Friday. But the result till confirmed Sunderland's relegation a season after winning the Championship. Davis produced a series of crucial saves to frustrate a United side desperate to keep the pressure on Chelsea at the top of the table.
And having failed to reduce the champions' lead to four points, United could now see Chelsea retain the title against Everton on Monday if they themselves lose at Tottenham on the same day.
"I can't explain it," said Ferguson as he tried to come to terms with the result. "But when you've got some young players you don't get the consistency.
"Tonight, when we expected the most, young (Wayne) Rooney and young (Cristiano) Ronaldo had their worst game of the season probably."
The veteran Scot added: "We need a miracle now. It's a great boost for Chelsea. But we can't give up because we've come too far to give up.
"Great credit to Sunderland. They worked their socks off it was their best performance of the season. We thought they'd have a go and they had a go."
Proud stand-in Sunderland boss Kevin Ball said: "I thought the way we played tonight was absolutely magnificent.
"We didn't come here to make the numbers up, we came here to have a go. We even had opportunities to win the game," Ball, appointed after former Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy was sacked in March with the north-east club already anchored to the bottom of the table, also told Sky Sports.
Cast adrift at the foot of the Premiership, knowing that even an unlikely Old Trafford victory would only postpone the inevitable of relegation for a few more days at best, Sunderland should have had no chance of ending United's nine-game winning streak.
But the Black Cats frustrated United with a dogged first-half performance.
And although the 0-0 scoreline was mainly due to United's inability to finish off chances in front of goal, Sunderland created opportunities of their own and could even have taken the lead through Jon Stead two minutes before half-time.
Portugal winger Ronaldo's careless pass 25 yards from goal was cut out by midfielder Chris Brown, who released full-back Justin Hoyte. Hoyte broke into the penalty area before squaring to Stead at the far post. Sadly for Sunderland, Stead could only aim his sliding effort into the side-net.
Prior to that near miss, United had dominated possession but strikers Ruud van Nistelrooy and Rooney were unusually wasteful in front of goal.
Dutch forward van Nistelrooy looked short of his best and off the pace, while Rooney struggled to find the finishing touch that overcame Arsenal at the weekend.
In the second-half Stead aimed another strike just wide of Edwin van der Sar's goal before van Nistelrooy forced Davis into a top-class save when he spun and fired goalwards from 18 yards on 60 minutes.
Moments later, a slick move between van Nistelrooy and Rooney resulted in Ronaldo breaking free in the penalty area, but yet again, Davis denied United with a brave save.
After seeing Hoyte send a 25-yard strike inches wide of the post, Ferguson introduced fit-again striker Ole-Gunnar Solskjaer off the bench.
United's problems continued, though, and Davis saved his side yet again when he dived low to his left to push another van Nistelrooy effort round the post.
It proved to be United's last clear chance and Sunderland held out for the point that ensured they were relegated with some pride still intact.
