Despite looking more like our old selves on paper and finishing with eleven players for the first time in four games, our winless run was stretched to five games on Saturday, as Swansea City held out for their fifth goalless draw of the season.

Although the home side dominated proceedings, that crucial strike to break the deadlock stubbornly refused to come. Demba Ba came closest with some more rubber-limbed efforts reminiscent of Asprilla, and both he and Fabricio Coloccini struck the Leazes End goal frame in the first half.

United managed seventeen attempts on the City goal, compared to just three off-target efforts from the visitors but Swans' Dutch 'keeper Michel Vorm was on fine form and his defence - including former toon transfer target Neil Taylor - stayed solid, disciplined and compact.  

On an afternoon when tributes to the late Gary Speed postponed from the Chelsea game were paid by a near full house, United were boosted by the return of Coloccini, Cheick Tiote and Leon Best to the starting lineup. Injury saw Ryan Taylor lose his ever-present tag as Davide Santon continued at left back while James Perch looked rather more comfortable this week partnered by Colo in central defence as Danny Simpson reverted to right back.

But having failed to find the net in a very one-sided first 45 minutes, which also saw Jonas Gutierrez shave the post with a powerful drive, United needed an early goal after the break to settle the nerves. It almost came when Ba volleyed Simpson's cross just wide and he appealed in vain for a push as he struck his effort. But having weathered an hour's battering, the visitors sensed they could sneak a winner and they came close when Scott Sinclair shot narrowly wide.

Nursing an injured shoulder, Leon Best made way for Shola Ameobi who promptly opened up the Swans defence and tested Vorm. Haris Vuckic and Sammy Ameobi meanwhile replaced cramp victim Tiote and Obertan - the latter of whom contributed little more than his SJP predecessor in the City side - Wayne Routledge.

Hatem Ben Arfa had looked set to come on before Tiote went down suffering from cramp towards the North West corner of the ground and enthusiastic though Vuckic was, Ben Arfa seemed a more obvious supplier of that longed for moment of inspiration to outwit stubborn opposition.

Four minutes of added time came and went before referee Lee Mason blew for full-time Mason had earlier infuriated Pardew for cautioning Yohan Cabaye - the Frenchman's fifth yellow card of the season earning him a one game ban - and Cabaye himself was shepherded down the tunnel after engaging both the officials and Swansea bench in conversation.

A point was still enough to take us back above Liverpool into sixth, but a Craig Bellamy inspired victory for the Reds at Villa on Sunday returned us to seventh. Ten goals scored in our eight home games to date though tells a story, the same time frame bringing 19 last season and 13 in the relegation campaign. We did have chances today and their 'keeper kept a few out, but our attempts at building to a crescendo of attacking lacked the intensity Manchester United summoned up against us - when we somehow held out and one report commented on the "forcefield" round Krul's goal.

And despite what Pardew may say, some of the blame for that has to lie at the shuffling feet of Obertan. Where people are prepared to indulge the raw Sammy Ameobi, expectations of the Frenchman are inevitably higher due to his origins, as are suspicions that Fergie doesn't let anyone go who is in possession of the right stuff (unless they pen unauthorised autobiographies....)

In talking about fans expecting the former Red Devil to beat players on the outside all the time though, the manager is perhaps missing the point. Obertan seems to lack not only the ability to get past his man but also deliver a killer pass. Our hopes were raised when returning to Old Trafford looked to have put some fire in his belly, but that's not really been evident subsequently.  

What was a fabulous attendance just about kept faith with the side and most folks bit their lips at full time rather than cursing the lost points. On another day (like the Wigan game), someone would have stuck out a foot or a thigh, we'd have won 1-0 and only the result would be remembered.  

But although our lineup looked more familiar, there were still some inevitable issues of the form and fitness variety: Tiote wildly misfiring in the early stages and Best never really imposing himself. The addition of Vuckic though was an interesting move - coming after we'd commented on his lack of spark in reserve games and wondered whether a loan move to inspire/rattle him was required. 

Rather than the stick approach, it seems that the carrot was dangled in front of the Slovenian.  Hopefully he and Mehdi Abeid will grasp whatever opportunities present themselves rather more intelligently than Nile Ranger has managed thus far.

Looking for positives, a couple of weaving attacks from Davide Santon had the crowd cheering - although Swansea weren't quite smart enough to exploit what was a yawning chasm down our left when Gutierrez failed to drop back and assist Santon - a situation that at times had echoes of the Beresford / Ginola conundrum. One suspects that more offensively-minded teams may note that.

Up this Wednesday, West Bromwich Albion. Three points required, nothing else satisfactory. 

Failing to achieve that ahead of visits to those arenas of almost perpetual disappointment, The Reebok and Anfield would add pressure to a level where we could begin to unravel and the Blackburn FA Cup tie be an unwanted distraction to both sides. Like the uncertainty of the transfer window though, that can't be allowed to outweigh the positives and see us tail off for another season.  

Biffa