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| Shuti la Van Persie likimbabatiza Bramble. |
Goli la bahati la kujifunga mwenyewe la Titus Bramble wa Sunderland limeisogeza United kusogelea ubingwa wa ligi kuu nchini England Barclays Premier League.
Mlinzi huyo mwenye bahati mbaya kwa siku ya jana alibabatizwa na mpira uliopigwa na Robin van Persie kunako dakika ya 27 na mpira huo kumpita mlinda mlango Simon Mignolet.
It proved enough to hand United a seventh successive league victory on a day when they were far superior to their relegation-threatened hosts for long periods, but were unable to make their superiority tell.
Closing in on the title: Robin van Persie celebrates with Nemanja Vidic and Alex Buttner.
The Black Cats were barely in the game before the break, but buoyed by United's failure to build upon their lead, rallied after it without ever testing keeper David de Gea as they extended their run without a league win to eight games in front of a crowd of 43,760.
United probably should have killed the game off long before the final whistle, but they did enough to extend their lead at the top of the table, for a few hours at least, to 18 points, the perfect preparation for Monday night's FA Cup quarter-final replay at Chelsea.
It was Nelson Mandela Day at the Stadium of Light with the club celebrating its recent collaboration with the former South Africa president's foundation at a time when the 94-year-old is battling a lung infection in hospital.
The omens for a Sunderland change of fortune were hardly promising - the had beaten United only once in 23 previous Premier League encounters - and they proved depressingly accurate before the break.
Sir Alex Ferguson did not even include Rio Ferdinand and Wayne Rooney in his 18 with Monday's trip to Stamford Bridge looming large, but his side eased their way through the first half without ever having to find top gear.
Unfortunate: Van Persie sees his shot go in off Bramble.
There were 12 minutes gone when full-back Alex Buttner embarked upon a determined run which took him past both Craig Gardner and Bardsley and deep into the penalty area, where Mignolet managed to block his close-range effort.
The Belgian had to be equally alert three minutes later as the Dutchman threatened to get on the end of a through-ball, and he then had to claw an Ashley Young cross out of his top corner as the visitors found their rhythm.
However, even he could do nothing about the chain of events which led to the opening goal with 27 minutes gone.
Going close: Manchester United's Ashley Young takes a free kick that goes just wide
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