United top group after draw

Carlos Tevez's fifth goal in a week after just three minutes seemed to set the Red Devils up for a comfortable win - and what would have been only the holders' third in Europe this term.

But an unexpected first-half response from the visitors with headed goals from Michael Jakobsen and Jeppe Curth turned the game on it's head and although Wayne Rooney levelled, the hosts could not find a winner.

United took the lead moments after the kick-off and it was a delightful move too as Ryan Giggs fed Rooney, took the chested return pass and lofted the ball beyond the static Aalborg defence. Tevez sized up the opportunity and slid a precise shot past Karim Zaza.

On the Red Devils' next attack, Aalborg were carved open again as Anderson found Rooney - and the England man quickly set up Tevez with an astute reverse pass. It seemed certain the Argentinian would find the net a second time. Instead he slipped his shot wide.

But slowly Aalborg gained in confidence - and, taking advantage of the slackness that appeared in United's play, they promptly equalised.

Ferguson will demand to know why his side's marking went so badly awry when Anders Due skimmed over a left-footed free-kick. Once free and in space at the near post, Jakobsen stooped to flick a header out of Tomasz Kuszczak's reach.

The visitors then added a second through Jeppe Curth's superb headed finish, which was well out of Kuszczak's range as it curled neatly home.

While Ferguson exuded calm authority, inside he must have been seething. The interval introductions of Paul Scholes and Park Ji-sung hinted at displeasure, so Rooney's well-taken equaliser seven minutes after the restart would have gone down well.

Rooney's seventh of the season, the same as Tevez, was a ferocious thrash at Anderson's through ball and came not long after he had pole-axed Jakobsen with a dangerous but seemingly accidental challenge as he tried to retrieve possession.