As late victories have been such a hallmark of Ferguson's time in charge, Park Ji-sung's winner in the second minute of stoppage time against Wolves at Old Trafford was a fitting way to celebrate the Scot's 24th anniversary as United boss.

The effort clinched a 2-1 win for the hosts when it had seemed Wolves were more likely to find a winner once Red Devils' old-boy Sylvan Ebanks-Blake had levelled Park's first-half opener.

McCarthy's frustration was obvious, both before and long after the final whistle, leaving him to accept Ferguson's famed hospitality through gritted teeth.

"I would prefer to be drinking his fine wine with a point because now it is going to taste like vinegar," said the Wolves manager.

"We should have got something on our performance. But in my book that doesn't count for anything.

"I am a hard-nosed professional. I want to win games. I am not interested in playing well and getting beaten."

What must have made it worse for McCarthy was that United never really looked like conjuring up one of those famed epic finales.

By their own admission, they had gone in front against the run of play when Darren Fletcher played a sublime pass through the middle of the Wolves defence which allowed Park to tuck home in impressive style just before the interval.

The hosts improved slightly after the break but ravaged by illness and injury, they were reliant on keeping a clean sheet to secure victory.

When Ebanks-Blake caught Nemanja Vidic on his heels and turned smartly before driving a shot through Edwin van der Sar's legs it seemed the Red Devils would be forced to settle for a point that would dent confidence ahead of Wednesday's Manchester derby at Eastlands and possibly prove terminal to their title challenge, even at this early stage of the season.

Javier Hernandez's ridiculous attempt to win a penalty proved how desperate United had become, so when Park collected Fletcher's pass and began the run from the right touchline that ended with him powering a near-post shot past Marcus Hahnemann, they really were entering that old last-chance saloon once more.

"I was worried about dropping points but when I got the ball I didn't think about what the reaction would be afterwards. I was trying to score," said Park.

"Once I had avoided the first tackle, there was no decision but to shoot and thankfully it went in.

"You cannot compare anything to scoring a last minute goal and match-winner in front of the Stretford End. It was an unbelievable feeling."

It was certainly a better feeling than the one he experienced earlier in the week when the South Korean caught the virus that sidelined so many team-mates, plus Ferguson, who kept away from the Carrington training ground on Friday.

Dimitar Berbatov was sent home on the morning of the match, Paul Scholes was not considered fit enough to start and neither Patrice Evra, nor Vidic were anywhere close to 100% despite getting through the entire contest.

Ryan Giggs was ruled out with a hamstring problem and Owen Hargreaves lasted just five minutes of his comeback after sustaining a similar injury.

"It was strange," admitted John O'Shea, who featured alongside Fletcher in central midfield.

"We knew on Friday we might be a few bodies down and then even more disappeared. They were all falling away.

"Eventually we managed to get a team and substitutes.

"These things happen but hopefully we will have a lot more lads back for Wednesday."

Victory means United are now unbeaten in 24 games and are on the longest run without a defeat from the start of the season during Ferguson's entire reign.

Their next challenge is one of their most significant though, with local pride and points at stake when they square up to City.

"Derby games are fantastic to look forward to," said O'Shea.

"We couldn't be going into it on a bigger high."