Porto held United

On a night of high drama at Old Trafford, FC Porto fought back to earn a 2-2 at Manchester United FC thanks to an 89th-minute equaliser from substitute Mariano. United is on the blink of elimination now...

Is United starting to fall apart?

Injuries and suspensions do not help but, even with such a powerful squad, United are starting to look dangerously like a side who have shot their bolt in this most congested of seasons. Already they have played 53 games, with at least another 10 to come. Carrick looks completely gone, while Scholes is in the sort of slump that, at his age, tends to prompt career obituaries. Gary Neville's should have been written a year ago.

Such fatigue is often the case at the business end of a long season. United limped over the line in their Treble season; Arsenal's Invincibles won only four of their last 12 games in all competitions; Blackburn's champions lost three of their last five. "When it goes," Ferguson said as that Blackburn side started to wobble, "it goes quickly, and there is nothing you can do about it." Those words look truer than ever now.