Manchester United get lucky twice.

Manchester United aren't winning. Liverpool are, as it stands, top of the league. A goal is required. Sir Alex Ferguson has turned to an utterly untried striker. And he has delivered: once with his last touch, once with his first. Both have transformed one point into three. Both have thwarted Rafael Benitez and Liverpool as much as the side who have had to retrieve the ball from their net. Federico "Kiko" Macheda has done it again. Once was remarkable enough. Twice verges on the incredible.

  

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Manchester United can thank the seventeen-year-old for their status as leaders of the title race.

Villa could count themselves unfortunate to be defeated by a glorious goal. Sunderland were still unluckier, beaten by a strike that contained an element of fortune. Some 46 seconds after his introduction, Macheda positioned himself in the penalty area when Michael Carrick took aim. The ball ended up, via Macheda, in the Sunderland net. The deflection may have contained more luck than judgment, but the result was the sameWhat he knows about it is immaterial," said an admirably phlegmatic Ricky Sbragia. "Everything he touches seems to turn to gold." He was almost right: everything he touches seems to turn to goals."He has got something special about him, the boy," said Ferguson. "He is quick thinking. Goalscorers have that. He's got the instinct. He isn't fazed by anything, I have had a chat with his family this week and he will be ok. He will keep his feet on the ground."That might not be easy. Players can go through an entire career without enjoying a week like Macheda's. Whereas Carlos Tevez had chugged around energetically and Dimitar Berbatov strolled around languidly without either suggesting they would score, Macheda managed it in a matter of seconds. It is now four points that can be attributed solely to the substitute. It is the difference between first and third place. It is scarcely credible.

When Cristiano Ronaldo had been left among the replacements, it appeared he was Ferguson's insurance policy. Events proved Macheda was. If his manager is grateful to the 17-year-old Italian, his team-mates ought to be. For the second successive match, their failings have been obscured by his finishing.Defensively, once again, United were fragile. There were reasons to rest, or omit, the out-of-form Patrice Evra. Nevertheless, Wednesday's Champions League tie at Porto appeared to have been prioritised with the left-back, alongside Ronaldo, Ryan Giggs and Edwin van der Sar on the bench. It meant Ben Foster was given his first Premier League start of the season and the goalkeeper appeared fallible when failing to claim Teemu Tainio's cross, allowing Kenwyne Jones to equalise at the second attempt. Later after coming of the bench, he scores the winner after Michael Carrick shot the ball and he kicked it at the other side.