Louis van Gaal said he did not much like Manchester United’s last home win, 3-1 against Burnley, and he will have liked this one even less. Once again United were far from fluent, once again the visitors were a shade unlucky, but once again the three points moved the home side up the table to keep alive Champions League hopes. United are flattered by their present position, tucked in behind Chelsea and Manchester City, yet they have been there for most of the season and despite appearing to be there for the taking they are still getting away with it.  Jonny Evans was booed midway through the first half for passing back to his own goalkeeper from halfway, before the United crowd once again implored the home team to “attack, attack, attack”. United never used to need any telling, but this current creation looks more like a collective tribute to Ray “The Crab” Wilkins’ passing style than a collection of internationals recently refitted to the tune of £150m.  Robin van Persie missed this game through injury, meaning a more attacking role for Wayne Rooney, but as Van Gaal admitted beforehand he does not have a reliable, 20-goals-a-season striker in his squad. Just as well, since he does not have anyone to supply such a striker either.  Ángel Di María continues to be a major disappointment, especially considering the £60m price tag. In the first half he kept giving away possession, frequently making the wrong decision and being knocked off the ball more easily than Radamel Falcao, which is saying something. Di María really ought to fit into United’s tradition of adventurous, buccaneering football yet, like most of his team-mates at the moment, the Argentinian does not seem relaxed enough to play his natural game.  The next time Evans received the ball on halfway he thought twice about passing back to David de Gea, but under pressure from Adam Johnson he did so anyway, to more jeers from his own crowd. When he finally managed a forward run it was brought loud applause, even though it was only a defender’s run that ultimately came to nothing. That is how desperate United supporters are at the moment, and that is the tension that is transmitting itself to the players.  Sunderland should have been in front by the interval, if only because they played without fear – if also without sophistication – and were given more than enough opportunities to take the lead by United’s sloppy ball retention. Connor Wickham brought the first save of the game from De Gea, after being allowed to run for far too long with the ball once Patrick van Aanholt had dispossessed Di María way back in the Sunderland half. Lee Cattermole then popped up to win possession on the edge of the United area for Jermain Defoe to bring another save from the goalkeeper, and the same player tested De Gea again after Wes Brown pinched the ball off Falcao with something resembling contemptuous ease.  United did make a few chances, notably when John O’Shea diverted a shot from the lively Ashley Young against his own crossbar, but apart from a couple of attempts from free-kicks the home side did not manage to put much together. When Sunderland lost the ball in the centre circle just before the break Di María was perfectly positioned to pick it up and head for goal with options either side, yet to no one’s enormous surprise he produced a final pass that went to the one place in the penalty area where no red shirt was waiting.  Van Gaal’s attempted solution was to replace Di María with Adnan Januzaj at the interval, a switch the crowd greeted with approval. The Belgian won a couple of quick corners and was not too far wide with a powerful drive when a Rooney free-kick was blocked, but nothing substantial changed and Marouane Fellaini was warming up on the touchline when a cross from Ander Herrera reached Falcao in the area. In attempting to dispossess him from behind, O’Shea pulled him over by the neck to concede a penalty.  The referee, Roger East, pointed immediately to the spot, which was fair enough, then showed the red card to Brown, which was plain wrong. Even O’Shea interceding on his team-mate’s behalf did nothing to change the official’s mind, and nor did radio communication with his assistants. Brown had to make the walk, even though he had done little more than arrive late on the scene as Falcao was going to ground, and departed shaking his head as Rooney confidently put away the penalty.  At least, and at last, it was a significant contribution from Falcao, but it was his final one. When Fellaini came on immediately after the goal the Colombian made way. Van Gaal confirmed he would have made the substitution had the game still been scoreless. “We needed to keep the ball more,” the United manager said.  Playing against 10 men, United made the scoreline more respectable five minutes from time when Rooney headed in from close range after a Januzaj shot had come back off the goalkeeper, but this was not convincing. United face Spurs and Liverpool in March, and if they or any other members of the chasing pack fail to take advantage they will be left kicking themselves.
Manchester United moved up to third in the Premier League after a far-from-convincing 2-0 home win over Sunderland, with Wayne Rooney scoring twice