United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's belief that Bolton can hold or even beat leaders Chelsea at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday now seems like a cry in the wilderness.
Perhaps Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho should send Sunderland goalkeeper Kelvin Davis a magnum of champagne for his efforts in keeping the Red Devils at bay.
Davis made a string of world-class saves to keep out United as the hosts threw everything but the kitchen sink at the Sunderland goal.
Davis' first good save was a full-length tip away from Ryan Giggs' 25-yard free-kick in the 12th minute, but that was child's play compared to his later efforts.
With a minute of the first half remaining, Ruud van Nistelrooy laid the ball off for Gary Neville who found Wayne Rooney 12 yards out with a cross from the right.
Rooney turned on a sixpence to hit a thundering shot which was brilliantly turned over by Davis.
Seconds after the interval, the Black Cats shot-stopper again denied United when he tipped away Ji-Sung Park's raking 20-yard shot.
Davis saved well from Neville soon after and he kept a Cristiano Ronaldo effort out in the 52nd minute.
The shots kept on coming, but Davis just got better and better.
In the 59th minute John O'Shea found van Nistelrooy on the edge of the Sunderland box.
He got in a rasping shot which was brilliantly saved by Davis. The ball was cleared to Rooney, whose 20-yard effort again found the goalkeeper.
Van Nistelrooy missed the ball from only four yards out and Davis produced his best save in the 62nd minute.
Van Nistelrooy fed Rooney, whose tremendous throughball released Ronaldo. The Portuguese winger seemed certain to score with only Davis to beat from 12 yards, but his ferocious drive brought a magnificent reflex stop from the Sunderland goalkeeper.
United brought on Ole Gunnar Solskjaer for O'Shea after 67 minutes and he was soon in the action, setting up van Nistelrooy to hit a powerful shot from 12 yards which was saved by Davis at full stretch.
The Red Devils' ever more desperate assault on the Sunderland goal left them open at the back and the visitors could have snatched a goal four minutes from time.
Justin Hoyte found substitute Anthony Le Tallec free 12 yards out on the right side of the United penalty area, but he hurried his shot and goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar saved at full stretch.
If Chelsea beat Bolton they will be nine points clear of United with only four games to play - surely a bridge too far for even Ferguson's men.