Premier League - Birmingham City hold Manchester United to draw

A Scott Dann own-goal saved Manchester United's blushes as they drew 1-1 at Birmingham City, who extended their unbeaten Premier League run to 12 matches.

The visitors were forced to come from behind, with a fortuitous intervention from Dann earning them a point, as Alex McLeish's side showed that their recent run to the top half of the table is no fluke.

Cameron Jerome opened the scoring for the hosts, who defended well against a hard-working but uninspired United side that had to hold on in the end after Darren Fletcher's late sending off.

In the freezing cold on an icy pitch, United dominated the first half but had little to show for it.

While attempting to play a short-passing game, attacking moves would break down either due to the bobble of the ball or Birmingham's typically packed defence.

United's chances came when they opted for a more direct approach as the conditions meant longer balls took haphazard bounces that caught defenders off guard.

Luis Valencia put a fourth-minute cross in that spun into the path of Fletcher, whose shot was deflected wide.

Paul Scholes earned a corner with a similar effort 10 minutes later, while midway through the first half a hopeful high pass into the channel caught out Stephen Carr, Wayne Rooney got in and found Valencia, whose cut-back was blocked behind.

The percentage game was, when utilised, working for the visitors and two minutes later another punt downfield forced an error from Liam Ridgewell that let Valencia put Rooney through but, on that occasion, he was denied by an excellent stop from Joe Hart.

Hart must be wondering why he is not England number one - let alone in the squad - as on current form he is the only English keeper worthy of a first-team place in the division. Well-protected by a stingy defence and midfield, when he is called upon he does not put a foot or glove wrong, as he showed again when coolly plucking the ball out of the air after a goalmouth scramble.

The rest of the time though United played it short and, speculative long shots aside, were not as threatening as the two-thirds of possession would suggest.

Blues, meanwhile, rarely left their half - but when they did they made it count.

On 39 minutes a long punt downfield by Hart sent Jerome in and he forced a corner with a half-volley from wide.

James McFadden - who was excellent in an attacking midfield role - swung over a deep delivery that Cristian Benitez headed across goal. Patrice Evra half-cleared for Lee Bowyer to put it back in the mixer and, with Jonny Evans unable to get the ball away, Jerome smashed the scrappiest of goals past Tomasz Kuszczak.

The second half followed a near-identical pattern, with United keeping the ball for most of it but Birmingham near-lethal on the break.

Indeed, the hosts looked buoyed by Jerome's goal and at first looked the more likely.

Soon after the restart, Benitez should have scored after some comical defending from United at a corner, but he fired straight at Kuszczak.

Birmingham spurned another chance when, after freed down the right by superb work from McFadden, Jerome aimlessly lofted a far-post chip well wide when a cluster of blue shirts lay in wait on the edge of the six-yard box.

Within 60 seconds United were level. A loose ball spun wide to Evra, who fizzed a low cross-shot into a crowded penalty area that the hapless Dann diverted past Hart with Rooney waiting to pounce.

Birmingham, who have the joint-third best defence in the league, seemed angered by United's cheek at scoring and pushed for a second.

They should have got one but, after sending himself clear with a delightful back-heel around Evans, Benitez was denied by a superb stop from the impressive Kuszczak.

There was an injury scare for Wayne Rooney, who pulled up holding his foot after an innocuous challenge with Sebastian Larsson, but he carried on to complete the match.

With five minutes of normal time left Fletcher picked up a needless second booking when he stuck a foot out to cynically stop Jerome in his tracks and United were holding on at the end.

Kuszczak pulled off the best save of the lot, Schmeichel-esque in blocking Roger Johnson's close-range 87th-minute volley, while for once Sir Alex Ferguson seemed annoyed that referee Mark Clattenburg added six minutes injury time at the end.

But the visitors eked out a draw to close the gap on leaders Chelsea to one point, although Carlo Ancelotti's side have a game in hand after their match against Hull City was postponed.

Birmingham, meanwhile, stay eighth, behind Liverpool on goal difference but six points clear of Fulham behind them.

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