David de Gea’s 82nd-minute own goal condemned Manchester United to a 2-1 defeat at struggling Sunderland on Saturday in the Premier League that compromised its hopes of Champions League qualification.
Bidding to close the six-point gap separating them from fourth-place Manchester City, United fell behind in the third minute when Wahbi Khazri’s free-kick from out on the left eluded everyone and crept in at the far post.
Anthony Martial equalised in the 39th minute, but Sunderland took the points when Martial’s attempt to clear Lamine Kone’s header off the line struck goalkeeper de Gea’s arm and rolled into the net.
It was United’s seventh league defeat of the season.
The result lifted Sunderland to 18th place in the table, still inside the relegation zone but now just a point from safety ahead of the rest of the weekend’s games.
Louis van Gaal dismissed suggestions that the defeat has put him under even more pressure as Manchester United manager. When asked if the defeat at the Stadium of Light put him under more pressure, he replied: “No. I have to do my work and I do my work to my utmost best and I cannot do more.
“I shall prepare my players against Midtjylland (in the Europa League) 100 percent and I shall do that always.”
The results: EPL: Sunderland 2 (Khazri 3, de Gea 82-og) bt Manchester United 1 (Martial 39); Norwich City 2 (Brady 54, Hoolahan 65) drew with West Ham United 2 (Payet 74, Noble 76); Everton 0 lost to West Brom 1 (Rondon 14); Swansea City 0 lost to Southampton 1 (Long 69); Bournemouth 1 (Ritchie 57) lost to Stoke City 3 (Imbula 9, Afellay 52, Joselu 55); Crystal Palace 1 (Adebayor 45) lost to Watford 2 (Deeney 16-p, 82).
La Liga: On Saturday: Real Madrid 4 (Ronaldo 3, 87, Rodríguez 37, Kroos 45) bt Athletic Bilbao 2 (Eraso 10, Elustondo 90); Sporting Gijon 2 (Guerrero Martin 5, Halilovic 45+1) drew with Rayo Vallecano 2 (Miku 39, Jozabed 58).
Bundesliga: On Saturday: Borussia Dortmund 1 (Mkhitaryan 57) bt Hanover 96 0; Wolfsburg 2 (Draxler 29, Knoche 39) bt Ingolstadt 0; Stuttgart 2 (Serey Die 51, Kostic 84) bt Hertha Berlin 0; Werder Bremen 1 (Djilobodji 13) drew with Hoffenheim 1 (Kramaric 10); Darmstadt 1 (Wagner 28) lost to Leverkusen 2 (Sulu 62-og, Brandt 77).
On Friday: Mainz 05 2 (Bussmann 33, Baumgartlinger 79) bt Schalke 04 1 (Belhanda 46).
Serie A: On Saturday: Empoli 1 (Maccarone 60) lost to Frosinone 2 (Ciofani 17, 73-pen).
On Friday: Carpi 1 (Lasagna 61) lost to Roma 3 (Digne 56, Dzeko 84, Salah 85).
