Paul Scholes rescued United after the Upton Park spectres had threatened to derail their championship challenge once again.

Six years ago, United's seemingly certain procession to the title that had eluded them for a quarter of a century had smashed into the rocks as they were beaten by an already-relegated Hammers side.

Alex Ferguson had branded that home effort "obscene" and the East End gremlins haunted the Old Trafford chief again three years later, when a last-day draw handed Blackburn the Premiership.

Tonight, as his team appeared lifeless and listless, Ferguson must have feared the worst when Trevor Sinclair scored a controversial seventh-minute opener for the Hammers.

But England ace Scholes claimed his first League goal in four months after the break to salvage a point.

With just 24 minutes left, Scholes collected Teddy Sheringham's ball into the edge of the box, bringing the ball down as Ian Pearce came in to challenge.

While the defender lacked conviction, Scholes had plenty of it, driving through the tackle and ramming past Bernard Lama.

It was a finish that showed why Glenn Hoddle believes Scholes can be "the jewel" in England's World Cup crown, a vital blow in Ferguson's bid to be acclaimed king of the Premiership castle once again.

But even then it needed a truly incredible miss from Samassi Abou, blazing over the top from barely a yard after Steve Lomas had nodded a corner down into the danger zone, to prevent the champions slipping to their seventh defeat of the campaign.

Yet this time, arguably for the first time, Ferguson found fortune in the East End, his side holding on for the point that could prove so vital come the end of May.

Before the game, things had looked so different. John Hartson, Paul Kitson, and David Unsworth were still missing and only Sinclair was added to what Redknapp described as the Hammers' "bare bones," while United had Peter Schmeichel and Denis Irwin back.

But with Phil Neville and Ronny Johnsen not risked, Brian McClair made only his second League start of the campaign and, for whatever reason, the champions were not at the races.

Twice inside the first six minutes David May just managed to keep United on terms as Ferguson's side rocked under wave after wave of home pressure.

First Abou, so powerful, so strong, linked with Andy Impey, with Impey's cross headed towards former QPR team-mate Sinclair as May stretched to turn behind.

The danger was not over, Eyal Berkovic's corner finding Frank Lampard unmarked and when Schmeichel fumbled his low shot, May was to the rescue again as Abou turned the rebound towards goal.

But it was third time lucky for the home side as they took the lead. Stan Lazaridis worked a short corner, and when he clipped in, Rio Ferdinand's touch fell to Berkovic in acres of space, with United appealing in vain for a flag.

The Israeli had time to dance round Schmeichel and pick his spot, but wanted even longer, his hands moving to his head as Sheringham blocked on the line.

Yet before they could get there, Sinclair was alive, ramming the rebound back into the net.

United, with Scholes pushed up alongside Sheringham and Andy Cole, were struggling with the strength and pace of the home front line, Berkovic adding his invention to cause real problems to the visitors.

They did come close to an equaliser when Nicky Butt, otherwise subdued by Lomas and Lampard, rampaged through the middle to find Cole in space on the left.

Bernard Lama could not hold but McClair's attempt to turn the loose ball home was foiled by Pearce on the line.

Yet that was as good as it got for United, David Beckham receiving relentless foul-mouthed taunts over his relationship with 'Posh Spice' and his team-mates uncharacteristically sloppy and slow.

West Ham, by contrast, were up for it and then some, Sinclair everywhere, Berkovic, Lampard and Lomas not far behind.

Sinclair flashed one effort across Schmeichel with nobody in support, Abou nutmegged May but pushed the ball too far and then Lomas nearly caught Schmeichel off guard from way out on the left.

Cole was the one United player who looked as if he was in the right frame of mind, one superb touch sending the jet-heeled striker clear of Ferdinand and in front of Steve Potts, although his shot was drilled wide.

But the half ended as it had begun, with the Hammers calling the shots. Lomas fed Lampard, and from 25 yards the midfielder let fly.

Against any other keeper it would have been in, but the great Dane was exactly that, flying to his left to touch onto the upright and then relieved as Lazaridis curled the return a fraction wide.

Ferguson had to do something and did at the break, Ben Thornley replacing McClair.

It sparked a change for the better, Scholes firing wide after linking with Cole and then bringing Lama to his knees, but when the limping Butt was forced off, John Curtis coming on, the home fans sensed another of those nights.

They would surely have been right if Abou, having shrugged off Henning Berg as Lampard floated across, had got any sort of touch with his header, or Lomas' 20-yarder been a foot to the left.

But out of nothing United were back on terms as Scholes rode his luck, showed his determination, and then lashed home, punching the air in triumph.

Even so, this was not the United who had been so dominant at home and abroad before Christmas, and Redknapp's side remained in charge.

Sinclair's shot was easy for Schmeichel before Lazaridis flashed into the side-netting, and then Lampard fed Berkovic, who jinked inside Berg but scuffed wildly off-target.

Yet that was nothing to compare with Abou's unbelievable miss five minutes from time, with everybody in the ground left stunned.

Gary Neville, his shot deflected a couple of inches wide, and Scholes, with a header, might even have stolen it for United, but Ferguson will have been happy enough with the great escape.

Teams

West Ham: Lama, Pearce, Ferdinand, Potts, Impey, Lomas, Lazaridis, Berkovic, Abou, Sinclair, Lampard.

Subs Not Used: Forrest, Hodges, Coyne, Bishop, Mean.

Booked: Lampard, Sinclair.

Goals: Sinclair 6.

Man Utd: Schmeichel, Neville, Irwin, May, Beckham, Butt, Cole (Solskjaer 77), Sheringham, McClair (Thornley 46), Scholes, Berg.

Subs Not Used: Van Der Gouw, Casper, Curtis.

Booked: Scholes.

Goals: Scholes 66.

Att: 25,892

Ref: G S Willard (Worthing).