Sheffield United hauled themselves out of the Premiership relegation zone by claiming their first away point of the season.

This was one of those fortunate afternoons for the Blades, though, as Manchester City squandered enough opportunities over the course of the 90 minutes to have won three matches, never mind this one.

City at least remain unbeaten at Eastlands this term, and although the draw will be a welcome one for United boss Neil Warnock, his side have yet to score on their travels this term after six hours.

Certainly City enjoyed the better of a game that finished in free-flowing fashion following a sterile start.

Making his debut, goalkeeper Joe Hart could not have asked for a quieter opening 40 minutes as United huffed and puffed, but with no end product to show for their industry.

City had three clear chances in the opening 45 minutes, and should have scored from at least one of those, only to let United off the hook.

Joey Barton was the architect of the initial two openings for Bernardo Corradi.

From an outswinging free-kick from the deadball line, after Claude Davis had been penalised for shoving Hatem Trabelsi to the ground as he attempted to shield the ball out of play, Corradi shinned an eight-yard shot over the bar in the 22nd minute.

Eight minutes later, Corradi shook his head at his own ineptitude again when he headed wide from an unmarked position after Barton had curled into the box another piercing free-kick.

Seemingly finding their rhythm, City spurned a third chance in the 37th minute, with Dietmar Hamann's dinked ball over United captain Phil Jagielka, finding Georgios Samaras.

The Greece international outpaced the centre-back and drove in an angled shot from 12 yards that goalkeeper Paddy Kenny spilled wide for a corner that came to nothing.

Hart, a £600,000 summer signing from Shrewsbury and in with Nicky Weaver and Andreas Isaksson both injured, was finally called into action in the 41st minute, albeit with Alan Quinn's curling 20- yarder straight at the 19-year-old.

But then 90 seconds from the interval City and the crossbar were rattled, with lone United striker Rob Hulse's overhead kick from 10 yards striking the woodwork after Davis' fine work at the near post in meeting a Keith Gillespie corner.

More of the same followed after the break, with further chances going begging, much to the frustration of City boss Stuart Pearce.

With United looking comfortable early on, sloppy midfield work allowed Trabelsi to set up a counter attack that should have resulted in the opener.

The Tunisia captain, on his home debut after recovering from a groin injury following his summer arrival from Ajax, delivered an inch-perfect right-wing cross that found the head of Corradi.

But from seven yards Kenny produced a flying point-blank block, and when Samaras curled the rebound wide of the left-hand post, Pearce aimed an angry kick at one of the drinks holders just outside his technical area, sending bottles flying.

Soon after Kenny dropped a high, hanging ball inside his six-yard box, allowing Republic of Ireland team-mate and City captain Richard Dunne to stab goalwards, only for Davis to clear off the line.

As the game opened up, Quinn shaved the bar from 15 yards, while Ishmael Miller — a half-time replacement for Stephen Ireland — did likewise with a bullet header from seven yards in latching onto another Barton free-kick.

With City often committed in attack, they left themselves open in defence, resulting in a number of United raids that broke down, much to Warnock's dismay.

In particular when a wide-open Michael Tonge was denied by a last-gasp challenge from Micah Richards, who late on headed inches wide of the left-hand post as United again found themselves unable to deal with a Barton cross.

In the end, United will look back as the more satisfied, with City wondering how they let this one get away.