OWEN Coyle refused to point the finger at Jussi Jaaskelainen after the veteran keeper’s error gifted Manchester United a dramatic late winner at Old Trafford.

Dimitar Berbatov pounced in the 88th minute to give United a 1-0 win after Jaaskelainen failed to hold Nani’s low drive.

But the Bolton boss, who thought Wanderers had done enough to take something out of the match, attached no blame to the big Finn, who was making his 501st appearance for the club.

“Nani hits the ball ferociously,” Coyle said. “We have gifted individual players and Jussi is one of those. He made one or two other outstanding saves.

“The ball should never have been allowed to come in for the goal. Nani had too much time from the throw in to get a shot in because we know what power he has in both feet to get shots away.

“We came here to be positive and try and win the game and had a great chance with Matty Taylor’s header just prior to their goal but United have that desire to win games and Championships.

“If someone said to us a year ago when we were favourites for relegation that we’d go to Old Trafford and be disappointed to leave with nothing we’d have taken that, but we also know it was a great opportunity to take points and we’ve let that pass us by.”

Coyle said United were, ironically, helped by the 76th-minute dismissal of defender Jonny Evans who was down a straight red card for a studs-up challenge on Stuart Holden that led to the influential American midfielder being stretchered off with a deep gash on his knee. At 0-0 the sending off appeared to swing the game in Wanderers’ favour, but Coyle felt it benefited United more and he was proved correct when Berbatov struck.

“At 11 v 11 we were well in the game and could’ve won,” the Wanderers boss added. “The sending off hurt us more than Manchester United because we lost our balance in Stuart Holden’s absence.

“We lost our fluency in the middle of the park and ended up with three wingers in there. Fabrice Mumaba was our only natural central midfielder.

It had a big effect on us and I would’ve been quite happy to carry on 11 v 11 with Stuart on the park because of what he brings to our team.”