Draw 'opens door' for Chelsea
After two controversial defeats and an equally contentious draw, Middlesbrough got their own back on Manchester United as a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford blasted the Barclays Premiership title race wide open.
Mark Viduka's diving header in first-half stoppage time proved enough to earn Boro a point, which leaves Chelsea knowing five wins - including the key clash with United at Stamford Bridge on May 9 - will confirm a hat-trick of championships.
A bad, bad night for United was made even worse by the knowledge Rio Ferdinand is almost certainly out of Tuesday's Champions League semi-final with AC Milan after aggravating the groin injury he suffered against Watford last weekend.
Boro were worthy of at least a point and with a debatable penalty call going against them as on every other occasion they have faced United this term, gained adequate reward for their efforts.
For a while in the second half it looked as though they might even win as United's defence, ripped to shreds by injury, threatened to disintegrate completely.
• Ferguson: door open for Chelsea
In the end, the hosts managed to assert themselves and claim a point which at least keeps their noses in front of Chelsea, who will close to within a point with victory at Newcastle.
But they can feel Jose Mourinho's breath on their necks now and it will take something special to shake him off.
Ferguson had not wasted the opportunity to voice his concerns about the tactics Boro would adopt, or the `paranoia' which has gathered on Teesside about the conduct of Cristiano Ronaldo.
In the end, the United boss had far more to worry about than that, especially as Boro were no more or less robust than any other Premiership side in their efforts to halt the Portugal winger.
Very rarely in a stupendous season that looks set to be rewarded with the PFA Player of the Year award has Ronaldo been as subdued as he was in the opening period.
The absence of Ryan Giggs, rested ahead of Tuesday's Champions League semi-final with AC Milan, might have been a contributing factor, as it allowed the Boro defence to concentrate their attentions on him knowing the other winger, Kieran Richardson, is not blessed with quite the same stellar talent.
Richardson is not exactly the most popular player among the Red Devils fans and was actually booed prior to last week's FA Cup semi-final win over Watford.
Yet, just as the England international was on target at Villa Park, so he was responsible for United's early opener.
In a sense, Richardson was pinching his first Premiership goal of the season off Wayne Rooney given it was the former Everton striker who had charged onto Paul Scholes' inspired lofted pass that caught Jonathan Woodgate on his heels.
However, as Rooney had taken the ball a touch wider than he would have liked as he swept past Mark Schwarzer, it was probably just as well Richardson was on hand to tap home.
With less than three minutes on the clock, it must have been the start Ferguson dreamed of.
But instead of giving way to a cruise and the chance to give a breather to some of their key men, United merely found themselves in a whole heap of trouble.
Rather than laying back and awaiting the slaughter, Boro forced themselves into the game.
Although Edwin van der Sar had not actually been properly tested before Viduka struck, the visitors had enjoyed more than enough of the play to thoroughly merit their equaliser.
Ferdinand had already been clutching his groin in discomfort before his former Leeds team-mate got in front of him to meet Stewart Downing's cross. Whether it made any difference is difficult to assess but it was quite telling Ferdinand did not appear for the second-half.
Neither did Richardson as Ferguson introduced Giggs, no doubt hoping the Welshman's experience would inspire United to greater efforts.
Boro though were in no mood to let their hosts off the hook and Viduka should really have put them in front when he wriggled past Wes Brown, who by now was being partnered by John O'Shea with Darren Fletcher again a makeshift right-back, but fired a close range effort straight at Van der Sar.
The Dutchman flung himself in the way of Ayegbeni Yakubu's angled effort shortly afterwards as United's free-flowing style continued to unravel before Ferguson's eyes.
An impudent piece of skill from substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who flicked the ball away from Schwarzer as he was about to punt clear then tapped into an empty net, only earned the Norwegian a yellow card.
And though Rooney and Carrick went close near the end, a winner would not come.
United survived a late scare when O'Shea was not punished for a challenge on Dong Gook Lee in the penalty area.
• Ferguson: door open for Chelsea
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson admitted the failure to take three points had left the door open for challengers Chelsea who play Newcastle tomorrow.
'It opens the door no question about that. We always knew if we made mistakes they have got the ability to come back,' he told Sky Sports 1.
'It's a big task now.'
Ferguson believed his team had not shown the necessary composure after being unsettled by injuries to Rio Ferdinand and Richardson.
'The injuries killed us today in the first half.
'But that was just the bad breaks you get in football, there is nothing you can do about it.
'We huffed and puffed a lot in the second, had some good opportunities in the last third of the field but needed a bit of composure.
'It (the equaliser) gave them something to hold on to and they played the containing game well in the second half.
'We are still in pole position, still in the lead but we'll have to do it the hard way.'
Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate paid tribute to his team after they recovered from a dreadful start to claim a 1-1 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Keiran Richardson gave United a third-minute lead and the Red Devils appeared to ready to go on and claim a clear victory.
However, Boro hit back and equalised through Mark Viduka in first-half injury-time.
Despite having the clearer opportunities, the hosts could not capitalise and became increasingly desperate - with their lead at the top of the table now just four points ahead of Chelsea's trip to Newcastle tomorrow.
And United were fortunate not to concede a late penalty when John O'Shea appeared to bring down Dong Gook Lee.
Southgate told Sky Sports 1: 'We've got to be pleased with a point coming here under the circumstances.
'We recovered from the worst possible start and then the timing of the equaliser and could have got something on the break.'
The Boro boss admitted he thought his team had been denied a penalty, saying: 'It looked like it from where I was. These 50/50 calls don't tend to go for us here.'
Chelsea threw away the chance to closed the gap. wasted!!