Manchester United – Blackburn Rovers

Hello. You're here because you want to follow Manchester United's League Cup second leg against Blackburn Rovers. I'm here to tell you what's going on. It's a mutually-beneficial partnership.

Injuries have forced Sir Alex Ferguson has to select a very offensive side this evening, despite the fact that a 0-0 draw will see the Reds through.

Injuries have also hit Blackburn's preparations, with strikers Bellamy and Dickov missing out - tough luck on Rovers, who need to score at least once to have any chance of progressing to the final.

United kick off. It's a cold, dry night in Manchester, and the crowd are in good voice inside this magnificent stadium.

Rooney takes an early blow to the face as he and Nelsen challenged for a bouncing ball. The young United star rejects any medical attention.

United have started with Rooney moved out on to the right wing, with Saha and Van Nistelrooy operating up front.

Kuqi puts pressure on Brown as the two chased down a hopeful ball down the line from Tugay.

The only score that can see us going to extra-time tonight is a 1-1 draw; anything other than that scoreline will see one of the two sides progress after 90 minutes.

Saha picks up Rooney's pass and runs at Neill, though the United man is eventually stopped just inside the Blackburn area.

Ferdinand is quick to spot the danger as Pedersen drifts in to the centre from his position on the left wing. Good defending from the in-form England man.

Pedersen has already scored three goals against United so far this season; two in Blackburn's triumph at Old Traffor in the Premiership, and another in the equaliser in the first leg of this tie.

GOAL! United get off to a flyer as Van Nistelrooy pounces on a sloppy piece of defending inside his own area by Gray and prods a shot past Friedel.

This is Van Nistelrooy's first start in the League Cup since 2003. He was deadly there; so quick to get on the ball after Gray had allowed it to get away from him, and the finish was clinical.

United have started very strongly; every time they get the ball they are causing problems for Rovers.

Blackburn look a little disorganised at the moment, especially at the back. They seem to be finding it difficult to pick Rooney and Saha up; they are drifting and roaming everywhere.

Fletcher brings down Pedersen in the centre-circle; free-kick.

UNITED SUB: Giggs seems to have picked up an injury; he trudges off to be replaced by Smith.

Evra goes in strongly and gives away a free-kick out on the right touchline. Pedersen swings the ball in to the crowded box, but Brown heads clear.

Great defending at the near post from Brown as he tracks the run off Kuqi and puts the ball behind off the Blackburn man. Goal-kick.

News from the United camp is that Giggs had picked up a hamstring injury - not the sort of news Sir Alex Ferguson would have wanted, considering how many midfielders he already has out.

Van Nistelrooy and Rooney launch a counter-attack, but the Dutchman's pass in to his team-mate's path is too strong and runs for a goal-kick.

Zurab Khizanishvili attempts to feed the ball in to Kuqi, but his pass from the back is mis-directed and Van Der Sar collects easily on the edge of his box.

Blackburn came in to this match unbeaten in eight games; they have got to improve if that run is to stretch to nine. Their passing has been dreadful so far this evening.

Rooney threads a great pass through the Blackburn defence towards Saha, though the linesman's flag stops the Frenchman in his tracks.

Blackburn are missing their two first-choice strikers tonight in Dickov and Bellamy, and they really don't look like they have much of a cutting edge with Kuqi and Bentley.

Reid wins his side a corner when he chases down a lofted ball in to the area and forces Evra to put it behind.

Pedersen curls the corner in to a dangerous spot, but the referee has noticed a foul on Van Der Sar by Kuqi and gives a United free-kick.

Blackburn are enjoying their longest spell of possession so far in the match, though they are really struggling to break United down.

Richardson breaks forward from midfield, narrowly failing to take Rooney's pass in his stride as he got to the edge of the Rovers box.

United look very comfortable on the ball, because Rovers just aren't getting close enough to the man in possession.

Gray sends over a good cross from the left and Evra, under pressure from Reid at the back post, is forced to head the ball behind for a corner.

Rooney picks up the loose ball from the Blackburn corner and finds Van Nistelrooy with a good pass up-field. The United man just doesn't have the pace to get past Khizanishvili, however.

Smith is booked for a rather ugly challenge on Savage. The yellow card is his fifth of the season, and means he faces a one-match suspension.

Savage comes back on to the pitch after a brief time off to receive treatment on a knock picked up after the Smith challenge.

The crowd have gone a bit quiet in the last few minutes; perhaps they sense that the hard work is done for United; they just need to keep Rovers out to progress to another Cardiff final.

Evra has shown a couple of nice touches on the ball; he looks to be gradually finding his feet in the English game.

GOAL! Reid pounces on a sliced clearance by Richardson and drills a low shot under Van Der Sar from 14 yards out. The keeper probably should have done better.

It was a good strike from Reid as he came in from the right-hand side, though Van Der Sar was very slow to get down. It really came out of nothing; Blackburn had done nothing up to that point.

Rooney shows great skills out on the right touchline as he nutmegs his marker with a cute turn. Unfortunately, his attempted cross then flies high over Friedel's crossbar.

Neville fails to deal with a bouncing ball on the edge of his box, but Van Der Sar comes out to clear, flattening Pedersen in the process.

Pedersen requires some treatment after being clattered by the United keeper; he looks to have had the wind taken out of him.

So, if the score stays as it is, we will face extra-time; there is a long time to go, though...

United have been knocked out of their stride by the Rovers equaliser; they were playing with ease and confidence before, but Reid's strike has given their opponents real belief.

Kuqi does well to turn Evra on the touchline, though he doesn't have the pace to beat Brown as he tried to run across the edge of the box.

Rooney picks up a loose ball 20 yards out, but his attempted shot is blocked by Gray and Friedel collects.

Ferdinand smashes a good ball over the top of the Blackburn defence for Saha to chase, but Nelsen shows good pace to nod back to the keeper.

PENALTY! Zurab Khizanishvili is very unfortunate to have a penalty decision go against him as the ball strikes his hand as Van Nistelrooy tries to pass him inside the area.

SAVED! Friedel guesses the right way and brilliantly pushes away Van Nistelrooy's well-struck spot-kick.

Nelsen has to be alert to put the ball behind for a corner after Fletcher had headed in to the area for Saha and Van Nistelrooy to chase.

SHOT! Van Nisterlrooy profits from a deflection on the edge of the penalty area as he twists and turns Neill before firing a low shot on goal that Friedel has to get down quickly to save.

Blackburn could really do with the half-time whistle; they have been under the cosh a little for the last five minutes or so.

Neill carelessly puts the ball out for a corner as he attempts to nod Fletcher's cross back to Friedel at the back post.

HALF-TIME: The game is delicately poised after Van Nistelrooy spurned the opportunity to put United in front from the penalty spot. It could be a tense second-half.

There was something of a scuffle as the players depared down the tunnel after the half-time whistle. It remains to be seen what action the referee or the FA might take in regards to that.

Blackburn kick off the second half. No changes at the break,.

Rooney almost picks out Fletcher's run in to the penalty area, but Neill intercepts.

United win a soft free-kick decision when Tugay is adjudged to have pushed Smith as the two challenged for a ball in the air.

SHOT! Rooney fires in the free-kick from 30 yards, though it is straight at Friedel, who catches on his goal-line.

SAVE! Saha sends over a superb cross from the right, Van Nilstelrooy heads goalwards, but Friedel makes a superb diving dave to turn the ball behind for a corner.

Friedel kept his side in the match with that save; it really looked as though Van Nistelrooy had put United back in front, but the American reacted superbly to palm it around the post.

GOAL! Rooney beats two challenges on the edge of the area, and instead of shooting, choses to chip a lofted pass over to the penalty spot. Saha gets just enough of the ball to slice a volley just inside the post.

Saha did well to keep his shot under control, but he didn't catch his strike at all well and the spin and curl just took it past Friedel.

So, Blackburn have really got to thrown caution to the wind now - a second equaliser will see them progress instead of the home side.

Rovers make a good start to their bid to push for a second leveller as Kuqi barges his way through two challenges down the right channel.

Savage is being booed at every touch by the United fans; they feel that he was at the heart of whatever happened in the tunnel at half-time.

Blackburn have a couple of attacking options on the bench, should boss Mark Hughes decide to use them - young striker Sergio Peter has been touted as a very exciting prospect.

Reid wins a corner when his shot from the corner of the penalty area is deflected behind.

Pedersen curls the corner in to the middle, but Van Der Sar gets a punch on the ball and clears the danger. Good pressure from Blackburn, however.

The visitors win a free-kick, 35 yards out, when Richardson rather clumsily brings down Reid. Savage whips it in to the far post, but a United man heads clear.

A second foul by Richardson, this time on Tugay, brings him a yellow card. Again, Savage sends the ball to the far post, but Kuqi and Nelsen get in a bit of a tangle and United clear.

One of Blackburn's problems here is that United are superb on the break, and have real pace and skill up front with Rooney and Saha.

Reid's goal is really the only meaningful shot on goal that Blackburn have had; they seem to be relying on mistakes at the back from United rather than doing too much creating of their own.

Rooney is such a dedicated and committed footballer; he loses possession deep in the Blackburn half, but then hounds and pressurises Reid until United win the ball back. Great determination from the youngster.

Another sloppy pass in the Blackburn midfield gifts possession back to United. They really look out of sorts this evening; a shadow of the high-octane, bustling, hard-working team that is doing so well in the Premiership.

United are now content to knock the ball about, trying to tire out the Blackburn players and frustrate them in to a mistake.

Reid picks up a pass down the right channel. He has a couple of team-mates free in the middle, but elects to shoot - unfortunately for the Irish international, his effort is blocked by Brown.

Blackburn seem to be getting a bit frustrated that some refereeing decisions aren't going their way. Kuqi is spoken to by the referee for something he has said.

WHAT A SAVE! Rooney brilliantly plays Van Nistelrooy through but Friedel makes a great save as the Dutchman tries to side-foot a shot past him.

Pedersen, the scourge of United in the past, has a shot from the edge of the box blocked by Ferdinand.

If Blackburn do manage to somehow get back in to this tie and get through to the final, they will owe a huge debt of thanks to Friedel, who has been excellent tonight.

Rooney shows great skill and control to bring down a high ball down near the corner flag, though Neill does well to retain his composure and win a goal-kick.

Blackburn have just twenty minutes to get the second away goal that will see them through to the final against Wigan.

Mark Hughes has won the League Cup with three different clubs: can you name them? (Answer in the 80th minute)

Still no sign of a change from either manager; Ferguson must be tempted to bring on another midfielder, just to shore things up?

Blackburn are just beginning to pass the ball a bit better in midfield, though they are still struggling to find that killer final ball in the last third.

GOOD EFFORT! Van Nistelrooy and Rooney link up well, with the Dutchman finding the youngster on the edge of the area, Rooney turning and firing a snap-shot on goal that Friedel does well to save at his near post.

United win their sixth corner of the match. Rooney ambles over to take it, though Kuqi deals with the cross at the back post.

BLACKBURN SUB: Kuqi off, Emerton on. A strange change from Hughes, replacing his only natural striker with a midfielder.

It seems that Pedersen has been asked to go through the middle to support Bentley up-front, with Reid and Emerton supporting from the wings.

Blackburn do well down the right-hand side, with Neill breaking in to the penalty area and forcing Ferdinand to put the ball behind for a corner.

Emerton and Savage combine well down the left, but the low cross in to the area is cut out by Brown.

UNITED SUB: Evra is replaced by Silvestre. United new signing has had a good game tonight, but seems to be limping a little as he departs.

Silvestre has slotted in to the left-back spot vacated by his fellow Frenchman Evra. PS: Mark Hughes has won the League Cup with Manchester United, Chelsea and Blackburn.

Neill is getting forward down the right a lot more often than he has down throughout this evening, doing his best to provide an extra man down that side.

Blackburn should take heart from the performance of Wigan, last evening; the Latics were seconds from going out of the competition at Highbury before snatching a last-minute away goal to steal the tie from under Arsenal's noses.

Neill has the chance to fire in a shot from 25 yards, but he instead tries to turn inside and find a colleague with a through-ball - Brown intercepts and clears.

TACKLE! Richardson tracks Reid's break down the right-hand side and produces a good sliding tacke to halt the attack and put the ball out of play.

BLACKBURN SUB: Tugay off, Peter on. The young German striker comes on to give Rovers an extra edge up front.

UNITED SUB: Van Nistelrooy off, Vidic on. It's a United debut for the big Serbian centre-back, and he is welcomed by a loud cheer from the Old Trafford faithful.

Blackburn are trying desperately to mount some meaningful pressure on the United goal, but they just lack the invention to do so.

Neill lofts a cross in to the middle, but Van Der Sar collects easily. Without Kuqi, Blackburn really have no aerial threat.

Rovers win a corner when a cross in to the middle is flicked behind by Neville. Saha clears the set-piece at the near post.

There will be four minutes of added time for Blackburn to snatch something.

Rooney mounts a counter attack as he runs at the heart of the Blackburn defence, though the Rovers players flood back to snuff out the danger.

Silvestre makes a crucial tackle as he slides Savage's through-ball, aimed at Neill rampaging down the right, out for a corner.

Goalkeeper Friedel comes up for the corner, but United cope easily with the threat.

FULL-TIME: Saha's second-half goal sees United through to a Cardiff final against north-west neighbours Wigan.