High noon Manchester derby ends all square

Manchester United 1 Manchester City 1

Manchester United 1 Manchester City 1

Manchester City kept alive their bid to stay in the Premiership today with a hard-fought 1-1 draw against English champions Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Teddy Sheringham, voted Player of the Year by the British Football Writers Association yesterday, gave United the lead with a 71st minute penalty after Richard Dunne had tripped Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the box.

But City fought back and defender Steve Howey slotted home an equaliser six minutes from time.Two minutes later United captain Roy Keane was sent off by referee David Elleray for a high challenge on City skipper Alfie Haaland, making it the fourth time in his career the Irishman has been redcarded byElleray.

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United had the opportunity to take the lead after 61 minutes but when City striker Paul Dickov hauled down Wes Brown, England midfielder Paul Scholes flashed his spot-kick wide.

United, who crashed out of the Champions League at the quarter-final stage to Bayern Munich on Wednesday, wrapped up their third successive title last Saturday.

A point for City leaves them second from bottom on 31 points with just three games left to play.Third-bottom Coventry, who have two more points than City, travel to high fliers Ipswich later on Saturday, while fourth bottom Middlesbrough, who have 35 points, visit out-of form Leicester. AFP