Manchester United failed to profit from Chelsea’s inactivity, drawing at in-form Birmingham, when victory would have put them top of the EPL.

And they were fortunate to come away with a point. They levelled with an own goal and Blues central defender Roger Johnson nearly won the match in stoppage time.

By then, United were a man short, referee Mark Clattenburg dismissing midfielder Darren Fletcher on 83 minutes for a second bookable offence.

But if Fletcher’s second booking was harsh – predictably, manager Alex Ferguson thought so – they were grateful to Clattenburg for overruling an erroneous offside flag when United equalised.

United territorially dominated first-half possession but were restricted to one clear chance by Birmingham’s willingness to get bodies in the way of any number of goalbound shots. Wayne Rooney latched onto Antonio Valencia’s ball over the top on 25 minutes but Blues keeper Joe Hart was equal to his right-foot shot.

Birmingham went ahead on 39 minutes after their first real attack. A corner was only half-cleared to Lee Bowyer on the edge of the box.

He nodded the ball back into the danger area where it rebounded off central-defender Jonny Evans into Cameron Jerome’s path and he drove it home.

United equalised on 63 minutes, having withstood Blues’ best spell, which saw Ecuadorian striker Christian Benitez test keeper Tomasz Kuszczak.

They had two efforts blocked before left-back Patrice Evra’s low cross-cum-shot was diverted in by central defender Scott Dann.

The referee’s assistant flagged for offside against two United players. But Clattenburg ruled that they weren’t interfering and replays showed they were onside, Birmingham manager Alex McLeish generously admitting that the right decision had, eventually, been made.

Fletcher’s silly second booking, for an un-necessary trip on Benitez, put United under late pressure. And Kuszczak saved well from Johnson’s left-foot volley deep into stoppage time.

But it was two points dropped for United.