Sunderland European hopes all but over after drab goalless draw against Manchester United

[p]For two sides jostling for little more than position in the final three rounds, this clash ought to have had an end-of-season feel to it, but that message hadn’t relayed itself to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sunderland/WSzc94ws/"]Sunderland[/a] in the opening stages.[/p][p]They created a gilt-edged chance inside the opening 10 minutes when a sweeping one-touch passing move ended with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/le-fee-enzo/hC5yfF2A/"]Enzo Le Fée[/a] threading [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sadiki-noah/UJnCIUV6/"]Noah Sadiki[/a] through on goal, but a fine reflex save from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lammens-senne/UFssg7X4/"]Senne Lammens[/a] to get low down to his right denied the DR Congo international a first PL goal.[/p][image alt="Match momentum" id="be36dba6-cbfa-4764-9a1d-4a0177f4572b" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="8eb557d6-b887-45e6-85f2-c5a9391364c1" original-width="1920" original-height="1080" /][p]The Black Cats felt aggrieved midway through the first half when they felt they should’ve had a penalty after Le Fée’s effort deflected off the outstretched arm of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/traore-amad/I5Rhq1WL/"]Amad Diallo[/a], but neither referee Stuart Attwell nor VAR saw it befitting of a spot-kick.[/p][p]Sunderland did most of the legwork in the final third in the first half, coming close through [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/brobbey-brian/pfAvgQUT/"]Brian Brobbey[/a] and Sadiki once more before the break, with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zirkzee-joshua/CCdlIA7L/"]Joshua Zirkzee[/a] wasting [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]United[/a]'s only real chance of note when he headed over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matheus-cunha/bq5QzRdb/"]Matheus Cunha[/a]’s cross, leaving Michael Carrick with plenty to ponder at HT. [/p][p]Cunha’s effort, which was blazed wildly over within minutes of the restart, almost perfectly summed up United’s struggles, and their misery was almost compounded shortly after the hour mark.[/p][p]Le Fée was again involved, picking out Brobbey inside the area, but his low left-footed drive was impressively stopped by Lammens.[/p][p]The United stopper was stranded just moments later when Brobbey teed up [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/geertruida-lutsharel/zwx6dFjk/"]Lutsharel Geertruida[/a], who crashed an effort against the post as pressure began to build on the United goal.[/p][image alt="Match stats" id="59718e5b-4777-4397-af1c-9837d849f21d" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="5e67faad-fd87-4eb9-bab0-c4c7dc441ddb" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p]Carrick turned to his bench to introduce his trump card in [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbeumo-bryan/8KDrOl80/"]Bryan Mbeumo[/a] in the closing stages in an attempt to help United to a fourth successive win, but the Cameroonian made precious little impact for the visitors, who registered just a single shot on target - and even then it came in second-half stoppage time through Cunha.[/p][p]A point is far from a disaster for United, who remain in the driving seat to finish third with just two rounds remaining, while a draw here has all but ended Sunderland’s fanciful chances of finishing in the European places. [/p][p][b]Flashscore Man of the Match: [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/lammens-senne/UFssg7X4/"]Senne Lammens[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manchester-united/ppjDR086/"]Manchester United[/a])[/b][/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/game/soccer/manchester-utd-ppjDR086/sunderland-WSzc94ws/?mid=dY8uKRGO"]Click here for all the stats of the match[/a][/b][/p]