The 18-year-old Belgian winger, who had earlier been booked for diving, dragged a misfiring United back into the game with a calmly-taken 55th-minute equaliser and then smashed a dipping volley past keeper Keiren Westwood to win the game just six minutes later.
On an afternoon when United were far from their best, they were all but taken apart by the bottom-of-the-table Black Cats before the break with Craig Gardner's fifth-minute opener setting the stage for a concerted assault by the home side.
Jaw dropping: Adnan Januzaj rescued Manchester United with two goals, his second a stunning volley
But David Moyes' men, who were facing a third successive Barclays Premier League defeat for the first time since December 2001, responded in the second half and eventually earned their reward.
Defeat left Sunderland with just a single point from the 21 they have now contested, and watching owner Ellis Short knowing he needs to find a replacement for Paolo Di Canio sooner rather than later.
Interim head coach Kevin Ball could have been forgiven for sending his team out simply to batten down the hatches and attempt to deny United anything in a bad to halt a run of three home defeats in the league.
However, the 48-year-old, who guided the Black Cats to a 0-0 draw at Old Trafford during his last spell in temporary charge, decided attack was the best form of defence and went for it from the off.
It took the hosts just five minutes to get their noses in front, although the goal arrived courtesy of some calamitous defending which rather set the tone for United's first-half display.
Emanuele Giaccherini tricked his way past Patrice Evra on the Sunderland right all too easily and fired in a cross which Phil Jones thumped straight at team-mate Nemanja Vidic.
The Serbia international could do little more than present the ball to the fast-arriving Gardner, who drilled a low shot across keeper David de Gea and into the bottom corner.
Few inside the Stadium of Light expected anything other than a ruthless fightback from the visitors, but United's efforts to get themselves back into the game were subdued at best.
Relief: The result was much needed for David Moyes
Shock: Craig Gardner slammed home the first goal after a terrible mistake by Nemanja Vidic
But Moyes' men were astonishingly fragile at the back, where Jones in particular was found wanting on more than one occasion, and the Black Cats could have gone in at the break with a significantly bigger lead to defend after it.
Gardner made the most of the defender's indecision to run in on goal once again with nine minutes gone, but with the unmarked Jozy Altidore pleading for a cross, he delayed and Jones managed to recover.
Loss of form: Jozy Altidore (left) made Nemanja Vidic look ordinary in the first half
Adnan Januzaj was a constant threat to Sunderland on the left - check out more stats and results on our match zone service
Adnan Januzaj
Dropped again: Playmaker Shinji Kagawa was named on the bench by Moyes
Down hearted: Manchester United players look on after Craig Gardners opener for Sunderland
Agility: David De Gea made a remarkable save to keep the score at 1-0 in the first half
Keiren Westwood was called upon to beat away Nani's 41st-minute shot, but Giaccherini might have doubled Sunderland's lead in the final minute of the first half when he was presented with another golden opportunity by Adam Johnson's run through a porous United defence, only to sky his effort high over the bar.
United's desperation was summed up within three minutes of the restart when Januzaj collapsed in a heap as he went past John O'Shea inside the penalty area and was promptly booked for diving.
From zero... Januzaj was booked for diving early on in the second half
To hero... Soon after he earned his team the three points
To hero... Soon after he earned his team the three points
Westwood had to get down well to keep out a 58th-minute Robin van Persie snapshot, but he was powerless to prevent United taking the lead three minutes later.
O'Shea got his head to Nani's right-wing cross and the ball dropped nicely for Januzaj, who gleefully dispatched it into the bottom corner with a sweet left-foot volley.
Van Persie should have made sure at the death after being played in by substitute Antonio Valencia, put prodded his effort wide of the upright.
Greeting: Moyes and Ball shake hands before the match
Pants! Adnan Januzaj tries to find a way to bring down Sunderlands Ondrej Celustka
Old boys: Former United defender Wes Brown (left) welcomes Wayne Rooney to the Stadium of Light
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