Ronaldo and Foster to the rescue as United draw on their legendary grit

Yet in the context of this season's title race, Cristiano Ronaldo's goal 14 minutes from the end of a very testing encounter could turn out to be as crucial as any he has scored during past eight months.

Before kick-off, this match was, to all intents, 'a gimme'.

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The bookmakers certainly thought so.

And, if truth be told, there were probably few home fans among Derby County's laudable sell-out crowd who would have backed their team with hard cash.

But with the balance of power slowly changing elsewhere, Manchester United again confirmed what everyone has known since the first ball was kicked in anger: Even when they play below par, they can still manage to win.

At the start of the season, when they were grinding out single-goal victories, people pointed to the strength of their defence.

And on Saturday they owed much to their debutant goalkeeper Ben Foster.

But it is in front of goal where they have stolen a march on Arsenal recently.

Wayne Rooney and Ronaldo were again outstanding and Sir Alex Ferguson can also throw into the mix Carlos Tevez, an absentee at Pride Park. And in the unlikely event Louis Saha can stay fit, Fergie has another match-winner to turn to.

Can Arsene Wenger rely on anyone other than Emanuel Adebayor, who has scored just once in Arsenal's last seven matches?

And does Avram Grant at Chelsea have anyone who can pose a similar threat to that of Ronaldo, either out wide or playing as an out-and-out striker?

Make no mistake, United were under the cosh at Pride Park.

Ferguson's men fumbled around for well over an hour and twice needed Foster to keep them out of trouble.

They missed plenty of chances, but Ronaldo was the matchwinner again and by the time the final whistle blew, Sir Alex was able to praise Paul Jewell, Derby's players and the home crowd, safe in the knowledge he was three points closer to retaining the Premier League title.

"We have two home matches now," said Ferguson's No 2 Carlos Queiroz ominously, "and there can be no more room for mistakes."

Foster, making his full debut three years after signing, could have been forgiven for rustiness but, like Ronaldo and Rooney, he was among the visitors' better players on a day some of his team mates might prefer to forget.

Paul Scholes and Anderson struggled against the ageing Robbie Savage and David Jones.

Ryan Giggs was peripheral.

The defence, missing Rio Ferdinand, was pulled around by Kenny Miller and Robert Earnshaw.

Foster's performance was a throwback to the Nineties when Peter Schmeichel provided the platform for United to cart umpteen trophies back to Old Trafford.

Queiroz added: "It was brilliant to see Ben after so many months without playing. His saves were crucial. He kept our team fighting for three points. Without those two saves it could have been very difficult.

"We believe he is good enough to be England's No 1. He needs to keep working but he has a great future ahead of him. We have excellent competition now involving Edwin van der Sar, Tomasz Kuszczak and Ben."

Foster, capped by England against Spain last February, carries no airs and graces, and football's cognoscenti have long suspected that, in the long term, he is bestplaced to become Fabio Capello's No 1.

The keeper said: "When I found out I was playing, I realised it might be an ideal game to make my debut, especially with them coming off the back of a 6-1 defeat.

"As it turns out, I was a bit busier than I thought I'd be. But I don't expect to be in goal in front of any other keepers so soon. I may have to go on loan for the rest of the season to play some games. Maybe next season it will be different."

Derby boss Jewell has not been slow to criticise his players, but this time he applauded them off the field. And, for once, they thoroughly deserved it.

In recent weeks he has grown used to talking away big defeats, but the tag of being the worst ever Premier League team is not one any manager wants on his c.v.

Derby have 10 points; Sunderland, currently holders of that unenviable record, mustered 15.

"We have eight games left and if we play like that between now and the end of the season, we'll get those five points," Jewell promised.

Even in adversity Jewell's trademark humour is never far from the surface.

"He's brilliant, Ronaldo, isn't he?" he said to a nodding audience.

"You can't man-mark him because he starts off up front, drifts wide, comes into the hole. He's six-foot two, brave as a lion, strong as an ox, quick as lightning.

"If he was good-looking, you'd say he has everything."