United prevail as red mist descends

It may seem perverse, but not that many people present here seemed to notice that Manchester United extended their lead at the top of the Premiership to 15 points last night. But then this was one of those games where the action was just as significant as the outcome. True, Andy Cole's 46th-minute winner created the new gap, but it also sparked, literally, the night's major drama. Few, however, can have expected the three red cards provoked by Cole's handball in the build-up to his goal.

That's what transpired. First Michael Gray was shown a straight red by referee Graham Poll, for sustained verbal abuse over Cole's strike. Then, as Poll lost control of the match, 10 fractious minutes later, Cole and the Sunderland midfielder Alex Rae were dismissed for supposed head-butting after the fiery Rae had reacted aggressively to a Cole challenge on Thomas Sorensen. The two heads touched rather than butted, but Cole had to be restrained as he walked down the tunnel after Rae and both benches were incensed. Matters flared again on the final whistle when Peter Reid had to hold back his assistant Adrian Heath from lunging at Gary Neville. Reid then stalked Poll as he left under a police escort and there were mutterings about tunnel confrontations after the match.

Yet before the goal there had not been a yellow card. The play had been tough rather than dirty. "Scrappy," Alex Ferguson called it.

In a dry first half, especially, the only news was Niall Quinn's 28th-minute exit with a neck spasm. It was sufficiently painful for Quinn to spend the night in a nearby hospital and he will almost certainly miss Sunderland's fixture at Derby on Saturday. "He's in a lot of pain. It's a major blow for us," said Reid. That made Sunderland's task difficult, but to then be asked to face United with nine versus 10 for the bulk of the second period was nigh impossible. So it proved - but only just - and Sunderland had their first home defeat for nine months. And United had their 15-point lead.

"A terrific three points," said Ferguson. "We showed character, attitude and will to win, but the actual performance wasn't the best."

Ferguson said that he did not see the handball incident, but was annoyed that Cole had retaliated when approached by Rae. "He's just back and he's out for three games." Reid was rather more forthcoming on the handball. "I don't think it was one, I know it was," he said. "I don't need to see television replays."

Reid also claimed that Sunderland should have had a first half penalty when Fabien Barthez dropped a Gray cross and Jaap Stam impeded Quinn in the ensuing scramble. The referee gave United the freekick. It was to be Quinn's last major action. Reid reshuffled. He put Don Hutchison beside Kevin Phillips and introduced Kevin Kilbane to the right wing. Sadly, in Kilbane's first involvement he displayed the heavy legs of a man short on confidence. Reid's voice was quickly in Kilbane's ears. Late on Kilbane should have scored but allowed Barthez to block his effort.

Reid had more than Kilbane to shout at. United had established themselves in the game and came closest to taking a lead when Teddy Sheringham skimmed a post with a deft back-heel flick following brilliant United inter-play. That was the best United move of the first half but United's start to the second was explosive. Only 10 seconds old when Sunderland defender Jody Craddock completely missed his kick, Cole slipped in and chipped the ball over the advanced Sorensen. Keane had headed the ball toward Craddock, but Sunderland complained bitterly as Cole had handled the ball before Keane received it. Gray's invective was such he walked.

That was the beginning of the red madness - Cole and Rae soon followed - and of an improbable home fight-back. First Hutchison, then Stanislav Varga and, in the last minute, Phillips nearly equalised for the nine men. Barthez made three good saves. The stadium was in uproar. But United were 15 points clear. There are 13 games left.

SUNDERLAND: Sorensen, Williams, Gray, Varga, Craddock, Rae, Hutchison, McCann, Phillips, Quinn (Kilbane 28), Schwarz (Thome 52), Thome (Makin 58). Subs Not Used: Ingham, Oster. Sent Off: Gray (47), Rae (57). Booked: Hutchison.

MANCHESTER UTD: Barthez, Gary Neville, Stam, Brown, Silvestre (Phil Neville 86), Beckham, Keane, Scholes (Butt 77), Cole, Sheringham (Solskjaer 67), Giggs. Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Yorke. Sent Off: Cole (57). Goal: Cole 46.

Referee: G Poll (Tring).