Ole Gunnar Solskajer lived up to his unwanted tag of supersub when he rescued Manchester United yet again with a late winner against Bordeaux.

The mighty Treble winners were heading for what would have been an embarrassing draw against Bordeaux's 10 men in the Stade de Lescure when Solskjaer rose to the occasion yet again.

The Norwegian, who netted the stoppage-time winner in the Champions League Final and equalised against Liverpool on Saturday, had only been on the pitch for two minutes when he netted.

With just six minutes left on the clock, Solskjaer broke down the left before cutting inside the covering Bordeaux defenders and planting a right-foot effort beyond Ulrich Rame in the home goal for his ninth goal of the season.

Sir Alex Ferguson had promised Solskjaer a run in the team on the eve of this Champions League game only to drop him and surely the United boss cannot resist his claims for a starting place any longer.

Solskjaer's winner leaves United sitting pretty in Group B and they are within touching distance of a place in the quarter-finals with two games remaining.

The result was harsh on Bordeaux and they deserved more for the way they kept attacking after they had been reduced to 10 men after 22 minutes when Lilian Laslandes was sent off.

Bordeaux coach Elie Baup had promised to be more aggressive after their supine performance at Old Trafford and his side were as good as his word from the first whistle in the Stade de Lescure.

However, even Bordeaux were surprised when they took the lead after nine minutes.

Bordeaux skipper Michel Pavon shot more in hope than expectation from 30 yards out and Raimond Van der Gouw was well positioned to save the ball, which was coming straight at him.

But the Dutchman inexplicably palmed the ball over his head and it bounced into the net for the home side's first goal in 473 minutes of Champions League action.

It was a blunder of Massimo Taibi proportions and Bordeaux could only have dreamt of such a flying start before the game and buoyed by this unexpected boost, Sylvain Wiltord shot just past Van der Gouw's near post.

Once again Mickael Silvestre and Jaap Stam contrived to get in each other's way and from one mix-up, Wiltord won possession and played Laslandes through only for the striker to be denied by Van der Gouw.

Back came United and Teddy Sheringham headed a David Beckham corner just over the bar.

The game shifted further towards United when Laslandes stupidly got himself sent off for two needless yellow card offences within 20 seconds of each other in the 22nd minute.

He received his first caution from Dutch referee Jan Wegereef for playing on after he had blown for offside and he was booked a second time after he caught Beckham with a late tackle near the touchline.

The home fans clearly felt the England midfielder had made a meal of the challenge and booed him mercilessly every time he touched the ball.

United duly capitalised on their man advantage when they equalised after 33 minutes.

Sheringham played Roy Keane through and although Rame saved his first effort, the United skipper scored from the rebound for his 11th goal of the season.

That should have been United's cue to take control of the Group B game, but back came Bordeaux and Wiltord beat Stam and shot narrowly wide in stoppage time at the end of the first half.

Andy Cole should have given United the lead a minute after the restart when he was played clean through.

But Nisa Saveljic managed to make up two yards on the striker and deflect Cole's shot wide for a corner.

Johan Micoud came within centimetres of scoring for Bordeaux when he was released by Stephane Ziani on the right.

Silvestre appeared to have the midfielder covered, but he let fly with a right-foot effort which hit the inside of the post and Wiltord blazed across the goal from the rebound.

Chances were being created at both ends and Ulrich parried a shot from Ryan Giggs before Keane headed just wide from a Beckham cross.

That man Micoud, who has been compared to Eric Cantona, went close again in the 58th minute with a left-foot volley which whistled narrowly wide of the upright before Cole nodded a weak header wide.

Wiltord was transformed from the player who looked so inept seven days ago and six minutes later he went haring down the right before cutting inside his old Stade Rennais team-mate Silvestre and releasing a shot, which Van der Gouw smothered.

But just as Bordeaux sensed a winner that man Solskjaer, who replaced Denis Irwin in the 84th minute, broke their hearts.

Teams:

Bordeaux: Rame, Grenet, Saveljic, Afanou, Bonnissel, Ziani (Rouviere 60), Batlles (Diabate 9), Pavon, Micoud, Wiltord (Feindouno 82), Laslandes.

Subs Not Used: Richert, Zanotti, Colucci.

Sent Off: Laslandes (23).

Booked: Laslandes, Pavon, Grenet, Diabate.

Goals: Pavon 9.

Man Utd: Van Der Gouw, G. Neville, Stam, Silvestre, Irwin (Solskjaer 83), Beckham, Keane, Butt, Giggs, Sheringham (Yorke 77), Cole (Berg 86).

Subs Not Used: Bosnich, P. Neville, Cruyff, Fortune.

Booked: Stam, Giggs.

Goals: Keane 33, Solskjaer 84.

Att: 33,100

Ref: J Wegereef (Holland).