▁third ▁place . ▁ ▁However , ▁the ▁top ▁two ▁sw apped ▁places ▁after ▁Ch else a ▁defeated ▁United ▁ 2 – 1 ▁at ▁Old ▁Tra ff ord ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁League ▁game . ▁Wayne ▁Ro oney ▁was ▁unable ▁to ▁play , ▁having ▁been ▁injured ▁at ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Champions ▁League ▁quarter - final ▁first ▁leg ▁defeat ▁by ▁Bayern ▁Mun ich ▁and ▁United ▁clearly ▁missed ▁their ▁main ▁stri ker ▁with ▁a ▁below - par ▁performance . ▁Joe ▁Cole ▁sli pped ▁a ▁back - heel ▁home ▁mid way ▁through ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁and ▁– ▁despite ▁a ▁vast ly ▁improved ▁performance ▁in ▁the ▁second , ▁Did ier ▁D rog ba ▁scored ▁from ▁an ▁off side ▁position ▁after ▁ 7 9 ▁minutes , ▁the ▁goal ▁standing ▁despite ▁the ▁off side . ▁Feder ico ▁M ached a ▁scored ▁from ▁close ▁range ▁two ▁minutes ▁later ▁( though ▁this ▁goal ▁was ▁also ▁question able , ▁having ▁appeared ▁to ▁be ▁scored ▁by ▁M ached a ' s ▁hands ) ▁and , ▁although ▁United ▁threw ▁themselves ▁forward ▁( even ▁Ed win ▁van ▁der ▁Sar ▁ran ▁up field ▁at ▁a ▁late ▁corner ) ▁Ch else a ▁held ▁on ▁to ▁take ▁control ▁of ▁the ▁title ▁race ▁with ▁just ▁five ▁games ▁remaining . ▁ ▁United s ' ▁next ▁game ▁was ▁away ▁to ▁Black burn ▁Ro vers ▁and ▁followed ▁the ▁ 3 – 2 ▁victory ▁over ▁Bayern ▁Mun ich ▁in ▁the ▁Champions ▁League , ▁but ▁which ▁was ▁not ▁good ▁enough ▁to ▁put ▁the ▁Red s ▁into ▁the ▁semi - final s ▁of ▁that ▁competition .