Louis Saha kept alive Manchester United's hopes of securing an automatic
Champions League spot with a late winner at St Andrews.
The former Fulham player put the icing on a second-half revival by Sir Alex
Ferguson's side with a 78th-minute header.
It means Birmingham are still without a win on home soil against the Red
Devils in nearly 26 years.
Steve Bruce's side had deservedly led at the interval through Martin Grainger
but Cristiano Ronaldo cancelled out that effort as United dominated the second
45 minutes.
Robbie Savage had fuelled the flames before the game by claiming that United
had some "average players" and had not effectively replaced David Beckham.
And Birmingham were certainly the better side in the opening 45 minutes as
United struggled to recapture the form which had seen them dispose of Arsenal in
the FA Cup semi-final.
Blues had the better chances and could easily have gone in at the interval
with more than a one-goal lead.
But it was a different story after the break and the introduction of Ronaldo
sparked the visitors into life.
He headed the equaliser within five minutes of entering the action - a goal
set up by Ryan Giggs who also delivered the free-kick for Saha's decider 12
minutes from time.
United began promisingly and fit-again Saha had a half- chance on the edge of
the penalty area but Matthew Upson was able to block his shot on the turn.
Birmingham suffered a setback after 13 minutes when left-back Stan Lazaridis
appeared to catch his studs in the pitch, went down in some pain and was taken
off on a stretcher.
The home side then stepped up a gear and twice came close to breaking the
deadlock in a 60-second spell.
First United keeper Roy Carroll blocked a powerful effort by Bryan Hughes who
had cut in from the left after Mikael Forssell had set up the chance.
But the United keeper was relieved as an effort from the edge of the area by
Savage crashed against the crossbar.
Birmingham were on top and United had another escape when an inswinging
free-kick from Savage was only half cleared to Stephen Clemence.
But, instead of volleying first time, he waited for the ball to drop and his
eventual lob went just over the bar.
Mikael Silvestre had to make a strong challenge to hold back Clinton Morrison
after Forssell had headed the ball into his path.
United briefly threatened when a first-time flick from Scholes over the Blues
defence almost played in Saha but he was at full stretch and could only divert
his shot wide.
Forssell was posing problems to the United defence and a first-time shot was
only just past Carroll's right-hand post after Hughes had found him in space.
Then in the 39th minutes St Andrews erupted as Grainger put Blues ahead with a
30-yard free-kick.
Carroll should have done better as he got both hands to the left-footed effort
which he parried onto the post only for it to rebound into the net.
It was the first goal Birmingham had scored against the Red Devils in four
attempts since returning to the top flight.
Birmingham were forced into a second substitution when injured goal hero
Grainger was replaced at left-back by Jamie Clapham who had recovered from a
bout of shingles.
Ferguson would have been looking for a positive response after an inept
first-half display and Saha wasted a golden opportunity in the first 60
seconds.
Scholes teed up the former Fulham player 15 yards from goal but his shot flew
high over Maik Taylor's goal.
Taylor then went down low to hold onto a dipping drive from Scholes but at the
other end Carroll had to come racing out of his area to take the ball away from
Forssell.
The ex-Fulham keeper produced a superb save to tip over a close-range header
from Saha after Silvestre had flicked on a Giggs corner.
But United were not to be denied and after 61 minutes Ronaldo levelled with a
header which flew past Taylor following a Giggs centre.
Giggs then screwed a low shot inches wide of Taylor's far post after good play
involving Scholes and Saha.
The pressure was mounting and another Ronaldo header was blocked before Giggs
set up the winner for Saha.
His inswinging free-kick was perfectly placed and weighted for Saha to send an
unstoppable header past Taylor.
E-mail Article 
Print-Friendly
Subscribe to RSS Feed 
Post to del.icio.us
Facebook