Man United: how the curse of Fergie-time destroyed Moyes| News |

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published 10 February 2014

LAST-MINUTE goals have become part and parcel of life for Manchester United fans, but this season they have been bringing pain rather than pleasure as they fly in at the wrong end at Old Trafford. Under Alex Ferguson, United earned a reputation for scoring crucial goals at the very end of matches, it even led to the creation of a new phrase - Fergie-time - to describe the final moments of a match during which United laid seige to the opposition goal in search of an equaliser or winner. But now the boot is on the other foot, and on Sunday Fulham's Darren Bent struck deep into stoppage time to rob United of a much-needed win. It was the seventh time this season that United have conceded in the last five minutes of a match and those goals have cost David Moyes seven crucial points in the Premier League and led to United's exit from both domestic cups. Here's a run-down of where it has all gone wrong for United: Darren Bent, Premier League, 9 Feb, Man Utd 2 Fulham 2: United dominated the match but still had to come from behind against the Cottagers. But with 94 minutes on the clock and United 2-1 up keeper David De Gea could only parry a shot from Steve Sidwell, and despite the presence of four United defenders in the box it was Bent who nodded home the rebound. Cost: Two points Phil Bardsley, Capital One Cup, 22 Jan, Man Utd 2 Sunderland 1 (Sunderland win 2-1 on pens): With one minute of extra time remaining and United 1-0 up and on their way to Wembley all David Moyes' team needed was to avoid conceding a crucial away goal against Sunderland, who had yet to register a shot on target. But David De Gea will still be having nightmares after he fumbled Bardsley's weak daisy cutter and could only watch as the ball trickled over the line. United responded and scored themselves in injury time, but the penalty shoot-out was a disaster and Sunderland triumphed. Cost: Out of the Capital One Cup Wilfried Bony, FA Cup 5 Jan, Man Utd 1 Swansea 2: United were dumped out of the FA Cup in the third round thanks to a goal from Bony in the 90th minute. With the score at 1-1 and ten-man United hanging on for a draw, Bony headed home a Wayne Routledge cross to win the game and earn the Swans their first ever victory at Old Trafford. Cost: Out of the FA Cup Bryan Oviedo, Premier League, 4 Dec, Man Utd 0 Everton 1: The Toffees recorded their first win at Old Trafford thanks to an 86th-minute strike from full back Oviedo. The result was particularly galling for Moyes, who was manager of Everton for 11 years and never once beat United at Old Trafford during that time. His replacement at Goodison Park, Roberto Martinez, managed it at the first time of asking. Cost: One point Kim Bo-Kyung, Premier League, 24 Nov, Cardiff 2 Man Utd 2: At least this goal wasn't scored in front of the Old Trafford fans and United still emerged with a share of the spoils. But Kim's 91st-minute header, from a Peter Whittingham free kick, cost United two points and denied United the opportunity to climb into the top four. It also began a run of four league games without a win. Cost: Two points Adam Lallana, Premier League, 19 Oct, Man Utd 1 Southampton 1: This should have been the moment that set alarm bells ringing around Old Trafford. United were on course for a routine home win over lowly Southampton but had only found the net once, despite some fine attacking football. Then, in the 89th minute, up popped Lallana to tap home from one yard after a corner caused confusion in the United box. Cost: Two points Omer Toprak, Champions League, 17 Sept, Man Utd 4 Bayer Leverkusen 2: This goal was unimportant in the context of the match, but it may have set a precedent as it was the first of many late goals conceded by United at Old Trafford this season. With United 4-1 up Toprak popped up in the box to scramble the ball home. Cost: None