Sunderland - 1 Manchester United - 1Roy Keane was in the wars again when he was sent off in the dying seconds of the Premiership clash at the Stadium of Light on Saturday after apparently elbowing former Republic of Ireland team-mate Jason McAteer. The Manchester United skipper appeared to strike McAteer after a heated tussle throughout the game and referee Uriah Rennie reached for the red card.
Sunderland's record signing Tore Andre Flo claimed a debut day goal to deny United victory.
The £6.75million striker, who only completed his move to Wearside on Friday, struck with 71 minutes gone to cancel out Ryan Giggs' early opener and salvage a point for the home side.
The writing looked to be on the wall from the moment the Welshman fired past Thomas Sorensen with just seven minutes gone to spark a scintillating first-half performance by the visitors.
But Sunderland rallied after the break and, despite needing two excellent saves from Sorensen to keep out first Keane and then Ruud van Nistelrooy, Peter Reid's side were good value for their point in front of a crowd of 47,586.
A heady blend of optimism and excitement had engulfed the Stadium of Light in the days leading up to the visit of United following Wednesday`s remarkable win at Leeds and the arrivals of Flo and Marcus Stewart.
But that was all put into a little clearer perspective before the break as United turned up determined to stamp out the inconsistency which cost them so dear last season.
At times, they were irresistible as England skipper David Beckham and Giggs carved the Black Cats apart at regular intervals.
At the other end, Rio Ferdinand and Laurent Blanc barely broke sweat to leave the home supporters, who had turned up in the hope of seeing another scoring debut for Flo, almost breathless.
Reid's side simply could not get hold of the ball as United stroked it imperiously around the park, although Claudio Reyna gradually gained a measure of control in central midfield to allow winger Matt Piper to test substitute John O'Shea, on for the injured Mikael Silvestre, late in the half.
Stewart's conspicuous absence from the 16 was later explained by the news that he had been allowed to return to Ipswich after learning that his wife had gone into labour, and he certainly had the better part of the bargain in the early stages.
It took United just seven minutes to force their way in front, Giggs firing low past Sorensen's left-hand after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer had headed a clearance back into the box, and it could have been worse for the home side.
Giggs shot straight at the Dane four minutes later after Keane and Solskjaer had fashioned an opening for him and Keane himself rifled high over after van Nistelrooy had robbed Joachim Bjorklund.
Solskjaer's control for once let him down with 25 minutes gone after Giggs had split the Sunderland defence and Giggs drove just wide following Beckham's break down the right nine minutes before the break.
In the meantime, Roy Carroll had tipped a McAteer effort over and Phillips shot wide from distance, but Flo was restricted to just one half-chance which he skied high over.
Even United cannot dominate games for the entire 90 minutes, and as Sunderland stepped up a gear after the break, the contest entered a new phase.
Juan Sebastian Veron sliced a 49th-minute clearance on to the roof of his own net and Bjorklund hacked a van Nistelrooy shot away after the Dutchman has rounded Carroll, and it took a brave block from Stephen Wright to deny Giggs a second with 53 minutes gone.
Beckham temporarily lost his composure after being booked for failing to retreat at a free-kick, and as the home crowd got the bit between their teeth, Sunderland responded.
And they got their reward with 19 minutes remaining when Reyna slipped McAteer in and he rounded Carroll before shooting from a tight angle.
The ball appeared to hit Blanc's arm on the line, but referee Rennie allowed play to continue and Flo stabbed home off the underside of the bar.
With the game back in the melting pot, the visitors responded, and it took a fine save from Sorensen to keep out Keane's close-range effort on 77 minutes.
Quinn's introduction for Flo two minutes later raised the temperature even further, but Sorensen proved the hero once again four minutes from time when he saved from van Nistelrooy from point-blank range after Phil Babb's slip had let the Dutchman in.
Keane sparked further controversy in injury time when he was dismissed after lashing out at McAteer to end a disappointing second half for the visitors.
SUNDERLAND: Sorensen, Wright, Babb, Bjorklund, Gray, Piper (Thirlwell 88), McAteer, Reyna, Butler, Flo (Quinn 79), Phillips. Subs not used: Myhre, Kyle, McCartney. Booked: McAteer. Goals: Flo 70.
MANCHESTER UNITED: Carroll, Phil Neville (Forlan 90), Blanc, Ferdinand, Silvestre (O'Shea 26), Beckham, Veron, Keane, Giggs, van Nistelrooy, Solskjaer. Subs not used: Stewart, Williams, Chadwick. Sent off: Keane (90). Booked: Phil Neville, Beckham. Goals: Giggs 7.
Referee: U Rennie (South Yorkshire).
