Manchester United go back to the top of the Premiership but only on goal difference from Manchester City after conceding a late equaliser in the 1-1 draw at Birmingham. Sir Alex Ferguson's team continue to drop points away from home as they have still only won once on their travels this campaign.
Dimitar Berbatov looked to have doubled that record when he scored just before the hour and then moments later struck a post.
But Birmingham kept up the pressure and with a minute remaining a ball into the United penalty area fell kindly, after appearing to hit Nikola Zigic's arm, allowing Lee Bowyer to level.
The Blues have now gone 23 league games since they last defeated United but tonight's point will feel like a win considering their precarious position on the fringes of the drop zone.
For United it is another two points dropped on their travels to a late equaliser and how they must be regretting Ryan Giggs hitting the woodwork in the first half followed by Berbatov in the second period.
At least the Reds reached Christmas unbeaten for the first time in their history, and will now be concentrating on extending that run into the New Year, with hopefully an improvement on their away form.
Referee: Lee Mason
Venue: St Andrews Attendance: 28,242
Birmingham scorers: Bowyer 89 Man Utd scorers: Berbatov 58
BIRMINGHAM 26 Foster 02 Carr 05 Johnson 06 Ridgewell 15 Dann (yellow card) 04 Bowyer (yellow card) 07 Larsson (Hleb 69) 08 Gardner (yellow card) 12 Ferguson 23 Beausejour (Zigic 82) 10 Jerome (Phillips 85)
Substitutes 01 Taylor, 28 Jiranek, 18 Fahey, 22 Hleb, 09 Phillips, 14 Derbyshire, 19 Zigic
MAN UTD 01 Van der Sar 03 Evra 05 Ferdinand 15 Vidic (yellow card) 21 Rafael Da Silva 08 Anderson (yellow card) (Fletcher 73) 11 Giggs 16 Carrick 28 Gibson (Hernandez 90+1) 09 Berbatov 10 Rooney
Substitutes 29 Kuszczak, 02 Neville, 23 Evans, 24 Fletcher, 14 Hernandez, 26 Obertan, 27 Macheda
