Rooney return spurs United but Ferguson left to 'clutch at straws'

Sunderland 0 Manchester United 1

It wasn't a wake for the visitors, even though they wore black, but the sense of loss will probably hit them today, with hopes of a fourth successive title resting on the highly fanciful notion of Wigan avoiding defeat against Chelsea in west London six days from now.

What if United hadn't lost at Burnley back in August or missed a hatful of chances to equalise Aston Villa's opener at Old Trafford in December? But the underlying truth is that the title is all but Chelsea's because United couldn't live without Wayne Rooney for much of the decisive past month and most especially when Chelsea arrived at Old Trafford last month for a win which seems to have proved so decisive in the final reckoning. When Rooney returned yesterday to the best form he has shown since United sent Liverpool packing from Old Trafford on 21 March, United also happened to put in their most convincing display since that day. Too late.

There were no goals yesterday from the Player of the Year – nothing really fell for him – but the size of his contribution was a metaphor for a 26-goal league season. The old United chant no longer fitted the side yesterday but it still belonged to Rooney: "Pride of all Europe, cock of the North." He burrowed for the ball, emerged with it and delivered with it – providing one of the critical touches to the elegant and intricate interchange which saw Luis Nani deliver his second clinically struck goal in as many games.

Dimitar Berbatov's game was a metaphor for his season too – another of those "what ifs?" for United. His manager has publicly marvelled at the quality of his touch and vision, but Sir Alex Ferguson stared into the bitter Wearside sky after watching Rooney run a ball across the six-yard box for Berbatov to send over the bar. "It was just careless finishing. It looked that way because we had some great chances," Ferguson of the day and he could only have had Berbatov in mind.

The compensations for a disappointing season include Nani's illustration that he should deliver more consistently when United come back next season. As recently as January, when Nani's comments critical of Ferguson came back from Portugal, he seemed to have no future but it is no coincidence that his new contract has coincided with four goals in five games. His calm, first-time strike well to Craig Gordon's right was more proof that he does things in style. Owen Hargreaves could hardly have had a shorter return to competitive action at the end after 18 months out – one successful aerial challenge with Kieran Richardson; he grinned sheepishly when his 30-second cameo was concluded – but his career is not over.

Steve Bruce, whose day was made worse by suggestions that his midfielder David Meyler may have a serious cruciate knee ligament injury, suggested that Chelsea's result at Anfield had affected his own side. "I think it took the intensity out of the occasion," he said. Sunderland's football and spirit were certainly poor. Lee Cattermole, who arrived in Meyler's place, and the first-half performance of Steed Malbranque, were the only exceptions. Ferguson declared that 1-0 "wasn't a healthy scoreline" but there was never any prospect of the title being handed to west London a week early.

Only four minutes had elapsed before Craig Gordon parried away a shot from Rooney, who had swivelled on to Berbatov's ball in the area, and Phil Bardsley did well to block when Ryan Giggs followed up. Giggs, interchanging roles with a marauding Patrice Evra, then fired against the crossbar.

Berbatov heinously fired over the same bar after Rooney, spotting him unmarked in the right side of the area, slid an immaculate pass across. The only test for Edwin van der Sar came when Malbranque took a return pass and unravelled an 18-yard shot which the goalkeeper acrobatically touched over. "We knew the [Liverpool] result," Ferguson said later. "So I said, 'Just go and enjoy yourselves and play the Manchester way and express ourselves'." They did that much for him.

Ferguson may reflect this summer United have not been champion material. Only one team – Blackburn 12 years ago – have lost seven games as his own have this season and still won the title in the Premier League era.

Dare United still hope? Bruce was as diplomatic as he could be about his old side Wigan's prospects of replicating at Stamford Bridge next Sunday the 3-1 win they recorded against Carlo Ancelotti's side on 26 September. "It will be a big ask," he said.

The numbers tell you that much: Chelsea have dropped five points from 54 at home, Wigan have collected 11 from 54 away. "Manchester City did us a great turn by beating Chelsea twice and Wigan are another neighbour, but listen, we know we are clutching at straws a little bit," Ferguson said. But he grinned wistfully when he said it. It's over and he knows it.

Sunderland (4-1-4-1) Gordon; Bardsley, Turner, Mensah (Kilgallon, 18), Richardson; Cana; Campbell, Henderson (Jones, 74) Meyler (Cattermole, 38) Malbranque; Bent. Substitutes not used Carson (gk), Da Silva, Zenden, Ferdinand

Manchester United (4-4-2): Van der Sar; O'Shea, Evans, Vidic, Evra; Nani (Hargreaves, 90), Scholes, Fletcher (Ferdinand, 88), Giggs; Rooney, Berbatov (Carrick, 71). Substitutes not used Brown, Foster (gk), Park, Macheda

Referee S Bennett (Kent).

Booked: Sunderland Bardsley; Manchester United Richardson Vidic, Scholes.

Man of the match Rooney

Attendance 47,641.