Ruud van Nistelrooy's 27th goal of the season was not enough to prevent 10-man Chelsea earning automatic qualification for next year's Champions League but at least it gave the Dutchman a chance to acknowledge the fans he insists he will not leave behind this summer.

Without a Premiership goal since February 11 and with rumours of a move to Real Madrid continuing to swirl round Old Trafford, it looked like being another bleak day for the Holland marksman when he saw his first-half penalty saved by Carlo Cudicini.

But when Cudicini failed to collect a routine cross from Mikael Silvestre 14 minutes from time after the visitors had seen Robert Huth dismissed for a second yellow card, van Nistelrooy kept his nerve to steer the ball into the net.

It was not the most important or classy strike of the striker's 107-goal Red Devils career but as he purposely acknowledged the cheers from all four sides of the stadium, it provided another reminder that van Nistelrooy means what he says when he insists he is going nowhere.

The goal also rescued a point and some pride for United, who must now face the hazardous final qualifying round of the Champions League in August after failing to muster a win from their most convincing performance since defeating Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final.

After three defeats in their last four games, it was to their credit they battled back from Chelsea's early strike.

Arguments are still raging over whether Jesper Gronkjaer meant his brilliant curling effort against Monaco on Wednesday. On Saturday though, there was no doubt.

Taking Joe Cole's cushioned header on the left edge of the area after Wes Brown had nodded Geremi's corner away from immediate danger, the Dane took two steps inside, then delivered a wicked finish which left Tim Howard with no chance.

The hosts were momentarily stunned and it took the drive and desire of Darren Fletcher, of this team the man whose FA Cup final place is most at risk by the impending return of Roy Keane, to raise them.

Mind you, if Sir Alex Ferguson had not taken drastic action, a vacancy might have opened up for Fletcher anyway.

Paul Scholes had already been booked for diving under minimal pressure inside the Chelsea box, so when he followed up with a couple of rash challenges, referee Steve Bennett had to think very carefully about pulling out a second yellow which would have meant automatic suspension from the Millennium Stadium showpiece.

Ferguson was taking no chances and hauled the England man off, although Scholes did not seem to think much of the decision, trudging to the touchline, then watching the remainder of the opening period from in front of the dug-out without exchanging a word with his manager.

Ironically, Scholes' removal allowed Fletcher to move into his preferred central position and gave the Red Devils added impetus.

Huth chopped the Scottish midfielder down in full flight as he raced onto a Ryan Giggs' return pass and Cristiano Ronaldo, who was also impressing, appeared to have sent the free-kick heading towards the top corner before John Terry got in the way.

It was Ronaldo's deep cross that provided Van Nistelrooy with his penalty chance as substitute Louis Saha reacted quickest to John O'Shea's nod back and was taken out by Huth's late challenge.

So lethal from the spot in his first two seasons at United, the Dutchman seems to have lost the knack. Saturday's miss was his third in five attempts this season and brought up an unhappy London double following his last-minute failure against Arsenal in the opening month of the campaign.

In a season which could optimistically be referred to as mixed for United, Saha at least looks to be a decent long-term bet and it was his extreme pace that cost Terry a booking during the opening stages of the second half, although when Ronaldo's free-kick found its way to Fletcher, the Scot, still seeking his first Red Devils goal, volleyed tamely over.

Just as they had done in the opening period, the hosts flagged after a bright start, although, with 17 minutes remaining, Huth sent van Nistelrooy crashing to earn his second yellow card and leave Chelsea to battle out the remainder of the game a man down.

It took the hosts just two minutes to take advantage, although the equaliser owed much to Cudicini's inexplicable failure to collect a hoisted pass from Silvestre, who had switched positions with O'Shea, the loose ball presenting van Nistelrooy with a chance he could not miss.

Teams

Man Utd Howard, Gary Neville, Brown, Silvestre, O'Shea, Fletcher, Scholes (Saha 36), Phil Neville (Kleberson 78), Ronaldo (Solskjaer 87), Giggs, van Nistelrooy.

Subs Not Used: Carroll, Butt.

Booked: Scholes, Phil Neville, Kleberson.

Goals: van Nistelrooy 77.

Chelsea Cudicini, Melchiot (Johnson 74), Huth, Terry, Bridge, Gronkjaer (Babayaro 83), Lampard, Makelele, Geremi, Cole (Parker 78), Gudjohnsen.

Subs Not Used: Ambrosio, Stanic.

Sent Off: Huth (73).

Booked: Huth, Terry.

Goals: Gronkjaer 19.

Att: 67,609

Ref: S Bennett (Kent).