Blackburn Rovers – Manchester United

Hello, readers. My name is Alex; welcome to coverage of this evening's Carling Cup semi-final first leg between Blackburn Rovers and Manchester United.

Settle down, because I'm predicting a classic - and history proves that I am very rarely wrong.

Some team news: Sir Alex Ferguson has gone back on his pre-match threat to field a weakened side by throwing virtually all his main men.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy has had to settle for a place on the bench, but other wise it is a full-strength team for United.

Blackburn have a good recent history in this competition, having won the trophy in 2002, and will be keen to secure a lead ahead of the second leg in two weeks' time.

"We will rock you" bangs out over the Ewood Park speaker system, and 20,000 Lancastrians begin to wave their flat caps in the air in excitement.

Blackburn kick off as Tugay belts the ball out of play with his first touch.

SAVE! United are still asleep as Bentley chips a cross to the middle of the goal where Savage meets it with a firm volley. Van Der Sar saves with his legs. Great start.

Neville is forced to put the ball out for a throw in near his own corner flag as Blackburn heap some early pressure on the visitors.

Silvestre commits the first foul of the evening as he comes through the back of Bentley on the half-way line.

Rooney breaks down the left, but his enticing right-foot cross isn't read by Saha or Ronaldo and the ball skips merrily out of play for a goal-kick.

Saha throws himself to the ground inside the penalty area as he tried to control the ball under pressure from Nelsen. The referee isn't impressed, and neither am I.

Our referee this evening is Mr Rob Styles. He is short and slightly overweight, but seems like a reasonable chap.

CHANCE! Bentley just fails to get a touch on Pedersen's excellent cross from the left wing. He was completely unmarked at the back post, but was unable to turn the ball goalwards.

The home side win a corner when Silvestre blocks an attempted cross. Pedersen sends the cross in to the middle, but Van Der Sar comes through a crowd to punch clear.

Blackburn have made a very promising start to the game; they look very enthusiastic and determined in these early minutes. United, meanwhile, look all at sea.

SHANKED! Rooney completely mis-kicks as he tries to volley home Ronaldo's cute cut-back from the touch-line.

Savage - a former United youth player - is doing a good job of putting the United midfield and defence under pressure as they try to build from the back.

It has been quite an open start to the game; both sides are playing with traditional wide men in midfield, which means there is plenty space all over the park.

Neville is forced to sweep Bellamy's right-wing cross behind for another Rovers corner. The England man did well at the back post there; Pedersen was lurking menacingly.

Rooney launches an immediate counter-attack as United clear the corner, but Saha can make nothing of his ball out to the right wing and Blackburn win back possession.

Andy Todd is winning everything in the air at the back for Blackburn; United will do well to keep aerial balls away from the burly centre-back.

SHOT! Rooney blasts a first-time volley from the edge of the penalty area as he pounces on Saha's knock-down. Friedel makes a smart low save to deny him.

Bentley launches a long ball up to Kuqi inside the United penalty area, but his flicked header drifts aimlessly behind for a goal-kick.

First-leg ties are often fairly dull affairs, but this is has begun very promisingly.

Smith launches in to an unsavoury verbal attack on Pedersen after the Blackburn winger collapses to the ground under a strong tackle from the United midfielder.

Pedersen collapses to the ground again, this time under a challenge from Neville out on the left wing. Free-kick.

OVER! The free-kick finds Bellamy, who cuts the ball back to Bentley on the edge of the penalty area. The young winger does well to get a shot away, but it flies high over Van Der Sar's crossbar.

Blackburn are working very hard in midfield to deny United the space they want to create chances and space for Rooney, Ronaldo and Giggs.

The ball is put out of play to allow some treatment for Bellamy, who took a knock following a challenge with Wes Brown.

ALMOST! Todd makes a crucial interception as Rooney attempted to thread a killer pass through to Saha, who had made a good run behind the Blackburn defence.

Neill is spoken to after a reckless challenge on Rooney. No real complaints from the Australian full-back, who seems to be on his final warning from Referee Styles.

The game is just going through a little quiet spell after a good start; neither side can really get on top in midfield at the moment.

Todd's mis-placed pass goes out of play for a United throw.

Ferdinand tracks Bellamy's run after Kuqi had flicked on Bentley's hopeful ball down the touchline. It has been a dreadfully dull last few minutes.

United two new signings, Vidic and Evra, are spotted in the crowd; rumours are that Silvestre's place is the one most under threat.

GOAL! Saha opens the scoring as he makes a good run, gets on the end of Giggs's simple pass and buries a low shot past Freidel from the edge of the penalty area.

This is now the third round running that Saha has scored in this season's Carling Cup competition. It was a really good finish from the Frenchman after a good run from Giggs.

United can probably count themselves lucky to be a goal in front; they haven't exactly dominated the opening half-hour.

Bentley lofts a cross over from the right wing, but is caught late by Silvestre as he did so. Free-kick to the home side.

Pedersen swings the ball in from the set-piece, but Smith heads clear on the edge of the penalty area. Poor free-kick from the Norwegian.

Van Der Sar comes through a crowd of players to punch clear a dangerous cross. The referee rules he is fouled in the process, and Bellamy is then booked for disputing the decision.

United look to have found their feet after a poor opening to this game; they are looking a lot stronger and more solid in defence at the moment, and Bellamy and Kuqi are getting little out of the Reds' back four.

GOAL! A superb Pedersen volley levels the scoring as he sprints on to Kuqi's knock-down and blasts his shot in to the top corner from just inside the penalty area.

Pedersen's equaliser really came out of the blue. Kuqi did superbly to win the header on the edge of the area, but Pedersen's finish was top-drawer.

A real scuffle develops beween Rooney, Savage and Smith after a strong challege just inside the Blackburn half. The two United players are booked for their part in the incident, before Savage is also yellow carded after he receives treatment on a mystery facial injury.

Replays showed that Rooney and Savage were the two real culprits in the scuffle, but it really was something and nothing. Handbags at five paces, one might say.

Gary Neville appears to have picked up a hand injury somewhere along the line; he has passed on throw-in duties after deeming himself unable to pick up the ball.

Rooney's booking a moment or two ago was his fifth of the season, meaning he will miss United's FA Cup replay against Burton Albion a week-today.

SHOT! Pedersen's low shot from the edge of the area is easily saved by Van Der Sar. The winger has had a good half, and caused more than a few problems for United.

Neill brings down Saha on the edge of the area with a needless and rather crude push in the chest. Free-kick to United in a dangerous spot...

Giggs and Ronaldo stand over the set-piece, on the left-edge of the penalty area...

Ronaldo shoots right-footed, but his effort clips the top of the Rovers wall and is deflected over the crossbar for a corner.

Blackburn win a free-kick when Brown pushes Kuqi as the pair challenge for a high ball. Pedersen sends the ball in to the middle, but United deal easily with the threat.

HALF-TIME: A mixed 45 minutes, with alternating spells of genuine excitement and long periods of almost complete inactivity.

There have been no changes during the break, and United kick off the second half.

Tugay brings down Fletcher in the centre-circle. The referee has a long look before awarding the free-kick to United.

Rooney picks up Saha's pass 30 yards out, but his right-foot shot flies high and wide of Freidel's goal.

There seems to be some left-overs from the first-half clash, with Savage and Smith snapping at each other's heels in the centre of midfield.

WIDE! Good play from Bellamy works Kuqi some space on the edge of the penalty area, but his right-foot shot from a tight angle flies well wide.

Rooney shows some great skill on the edge of the Rovers penalty area, but Todd wins the ball back for the home side with a no-nonsence tackle.

Tugay's pass up-field is dealt with by Brown, but he can only clear to touch for a Blackburn throw. Good pressure from Kuqi, high up the pitch.

CLOSE! Rooney robs Todd of the ball, 25 yards out. He bundles his way past a couple of challenges, but his prodded-shot bobbles a few yards wide of the far post.

Giggs and Ronaldo mount a swift counter; the young Portuguese winger sends over a dangerous low cross towards Smith, but Nelsen's lunge just takes the ball off his foot.

Kuqi's determination wins his side a corner. Pedersen sends it in to the middle, but Smith clears with a diving header at the near post.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy is spotted warming up on the touchline. Perhaps Ferguson is pondering a change to try and liven up his side.

Ronaldo is caught by Tugay's trailing leg, and wins his side a free-kick 35 yards out. Ferdinand trots forward, awaiting the cross.

United win a corner when Rooney's shot is blocked. Giggs takes it short before lofting the return pass in to the penalty area, though Savage clears with his head at the far post.

Giggs almost picks out Saha's run through the middle, but Todd is alert enough to track the run and head clear.

United have certainly had the better of the opening minutes of this second half; they are starting to create a bit of sustained pressure on the home goal.

Tugay's clumsy challenge on Saha seems to be set to earn him a yellow card, though referee Styles has a last minute change of mind and offers him a reprive.

Giggs half-heartedly appeals for handball after Silvestre's cross hits the big centre-back on the chest inside the penalty area.

Rooney brilliantly works some space in the penalty area, but his cut-back to the penalty spot evades all his United team-mates.

Tugay is finally booked after shoulder charging Ronaldo off the ball on the right touchline.

Silvestre's cross from the left is dealt with on the edge of his six-yard box by Nelsen as Blackburn continue to comfortably ride a period of pressure.

Blackburn manager Hughes must be thinking of making a change sometime soon; his side have been poor since the break, and he will be desperate to take a lead to Old Trafford for the second leg.

Rooney can't quite thread the ball through to Saha; Todd again intercepts.

The home crowd are doing their best to lift their side, but it seems to be having little effect; Blackburn have been penned in to their own half for about 15 minutes now.

Rooney finds Neville with a good pass out to the right wing, but the United captain's cross is sliced and flies over Freidel's crossbar.

Although United have dominated the second half, they haven't created any real chances and Blackburn have looked fairly comfortable in defence.

Saha is booked for kicking the ball away after a tight off-side decision goes against him.

Giggs' skill and determination win United a corner as he chases down Ronaldo's over-hit cross and plays the ball out off the legs of Neill.

Smith suffers quite a bad cut to the head after he challenged Friedel for a high ball inside the penalty area. He is taken off the field for some treatment.

BLOCK! Giggs runs past a couple of Blackburn challenges before cutting the ball back to the edge of the area. Rooney meets it with a fearsome shot, but his effort strikes Saha on the penalty spot and the ball rebounds clear.

Blackburn look to be ready to make a couple of changes. United, meanwhile, are still down to ten men, with Smith still receiving treatment on the gash on his head.

Neill does well as he calmly nods Ronaldo's cross back to Freidel, with Giggs flying in behind him at the back post.

BLACKBURN SUBS: Bentley and Tugay are replaced by Reid and Emerton. Hughes opts to inject some energy and fresh legs in his midfield.

Nelsen shows good strength and awareness to hold off Saha as the United striker tried to get on the end of Rooney's chip over the top.

United will be disappointed if they fail to get a second goal here; they have dominated possession in the second half, although they have failed to creat any decent chances to speak of.

United are preparing to send on Van Nistelrooy for the final few minutes. Will he make the difference? Who knows?

Rooney meets Fletcher's deep cross, but from 16 yards or so, he can't direct his header on target and Friedel is able to watch it drift wide of the far post.

UNITED SUB: Van Nistelrooy replaces Saha. An attacking change from Ferguson as he sends on his most lethal finisher to try and snatch a late goal.

Although they have offered absolutely nothing going forward, Blackburn have at least defended very well in the second half. Friedel hasn't really had a tough save to make since the break.

UNITED SUB: Fletcher is replaced by O'Shea. The Irishman will slot in to centre-midfield for the final 10 minutes or so.

BLACKBURN SUB: Dickov comes on for Kuqi. Kuqi offers Rovers a real physical presence up front, but he has barely had a touch since the break.

Bellamy has a shot from the edge of the penalty area blocked by Brown in Blackburn's first attack for about half-an-hour.

Savage angers Smith and Ronaldo after keeping hold of the ball following the awarding of a United free-kick.

Good defending at the back post by Grey as he nods clear Giggs' dangerous cross.

O'Shea is booked for a slight tug on Reid as the Blackburn man broke up field after halting a United attack on the edge of his own penalty area.

Neville brings down Grey after the full-back had made a good tackle to halt Ronaldo in his stride.

Dickov is miffed after a free-kick decision goes against him. Seconds later, the substitute is harshly booked for a tackle on Neville.

SHOT! Neill fires a left-foot shot high and wide after cutting in from the right flank.

FULL-TIME: United fail to break down Rovers after dominating the second half, and both sides will enter the second leg at Old Trafford with hopes of progressing to the final.