Manchester United – Blackburn Rovers

1. Join us for live commentary from Old Trafford as Manchester United take on Blackburn Rovers as they seek to continue their march towards the Premier League title. All the action right here from 17.30 UK time.

2. Good evening all. Changes up front and at the back for United this evening - both possibly implemented by Fergie with one eye on the midweek trip to Milan.

3. Record-breaking Edwin Van der Sar is rested so Tomasz Kuszczak gets a rare start in goal for the home side with the more familiar figure of Wayne Rooney making his first start up front for five weeks. Carlos Tevez drops to the bench.

4. Blackburn were outclassed the last time the two sides met on a rain-soaked night at Ewood Park and they will not be relishing this trip to Old Trafford. Christopher Samba is suspended so Gael Givet starts at the back for Rovers with El-Hadji Diouf playing up front.

5. Rooney touches a ball in anger once again to get us underway. Rooney is straight in to the action, feeding a pass which Nani is just unable to take control of as he pressed down on the Rovers goal.

6. 1'

   Rooney again involved, receiving the ball wide on the right before hitting a high hopeful cross with Paul Robinson gets a fist to. Promising opening ninety seconds for the England man.

7. 2'

   United look up for this - Paul Scholes bares down on goal and flashes a menacing low shot just wide of the Rovers goal.

8. 3'

   Ferdinand shows the composure for which he is rightly renowned by calmly clearing in his own area.

9. 4'

   At the other end, Ronaldo dinks in a teasing cross which is slightly over-hit and sails out for a goal-kick.

10. 5'

    Sam Allardyce is laughing away to himself on the touchline at something or other. The expression of a man who realises the odds are stacked against his side perhaps.

11. 7'

    Ronaldo is brought down by David Dunn about thirty yards from the Rovers goal. 'Oh goody', says the Portuguese who has dusted himself off in anticipation of the free-kick.

12. 8'

    It's a poor one though - weakly struck and straight at the Rovers wall who stand firm.

13. 9'

    It's all United so far with Rovers simply gazing on as the home side start to flex their muscles. Ronaldo puts in another dangerous cross this time from the right which is cleared by Givet.

14. 11'

    Givet again is on hand for Rovers, this time sliding in to execute a perfectly timed tackle on Carrick who looked well placed to score. It's a corner to United and when it is played in, Paul Scholes gratefully seizes on the ball at the edge of the area. His shot is scuffed though and bounces harmlessly wide.

15. 14'

    Corner to Blackburn and it is met by Ryan Nelsen who is unable to get his flick on target at the near post.

16. 16'

    David Dunn plays a hopeful pass which would require a burst of pace from his team-mates that would please Usain Bolt.

17. 17'

    United go so close to scoring as Ronaldo's low cross travels invitingly across the Rovers six-yard line before Ryan Nelsen takes decisive action to hook it away at the far post. Patrice Evra then fires in a low cross which is just wide.

18. 19'

    El Hadji- Diouf, helping out at the back, earns a free-kick after too much close attention from Nani.

19. 21'

    Blackburn win another corner which is headed over the bar but they have ventured forward enough during the game to suggest they may cause United some problems.

20. 22'

    GOAL - They are going to have to if they want anything from the game now. Wayne Rooney pounces on a Nani cross, which Ryan Nelsen can only help on its way, and he makes no mistake from six yards out.

21. 24'

    Lovely one-two between Carrick and Ronaldo out on the right and the Portuguese then cuts inside with electric speed and delivers a dangerous low shot which Robinson has to look alert to.

22. 24'

    Pedersen wastes a free-kick with a poor delivery out on the right, failing to beat the first United man in his way.

23. 27'

    Berbatov stretches his legs with a galloping run through the middle but can't find a team-mate with his mis-hit pass.

24. 28'

    Enthusiastic defending from Rafael stops Pedersen from reaching a ball he should have controlled first.

25. 29'

    David Dunn now wastes a promising situation for the visitors when he smacks a free-kick out of play whilst a scrum of Rovers men wait expectantly in the United penalty area.

26. 31'

    GOAL - By jingo Rovers have scored! Roque Santa Cruz becomes the first player in about ten million years to breach the United defence. The Rovers striker takes it round Kuszczak before slotting home after Scholes lost possession.

27. 35'

    The rare sound of visiting fans celebrating a goal echoes around a stunned Old Trafford. What must Edwin Van der Sar be thinking?

28. 37'

    United seem a little taken aback by that goal and their flow seems to have been interrupted somewhat. Surely though they will find their stride again soon?

29. 39'

    Groans from the home crowd as Berbatov allows a simple pass from Rafael to escape his attention and go out of play.

30. 41'

    Ronaldo and Carrick pair up and try to thread a way through the Rovers defence but they have to make do with a corner which Nani takes. Rovers get it away though.

31. 42'

    Nani this time fires in a free-kick from the right but the head of Stephen Warnock blocks its path.

32. 43'

    Nice feet from Berbatov who finds a way back to Ronaldo when he looked to be running out of room.

33. 44'

    Oooh, Johnny Evans has to check his wheel of delight as he looks to celebrate a flashing header which beats Paul Robinson from a corner. There has been a push though so the 'goal' will not stand.

34. 46'

    Dunn breaks from the middle of the park and tries his luck from thirty yards out with a shot. His luck is not in though and the half-time whistle follows his off-target effort shortly afterwards...

35. 46'

    HALF-TIME: Hmmm, an interesting first period which has thrown up a question or two of United. A lovely finish from Santa Cruz has provided them with an unwelcome reminder of a feeling they have not experienced in three months of football. How will they respond to this setback in the second half?

36. 45'

    We're off again and can United shake off the effects of that numbing equaliser?

37. 46'

    Ronalodo lays down an immediate marker when he comes inside and flashes a fierce effort just wide from distance.

38. 47'

    Rovers though almost steal a second but Santa Cruz looked a bit slack as he received the ball on the United six-yard line. United fortunate there.

39. 48'

    Nice interception from Vincenzo Grella who hooked the ball back to David Dunn as well as prevent United advancing.

40. 51'

    Pedersen and Rafael lock horns on the left and the Rovers winger wins a thrown which is played long into the United penalty area. It finds Keith Andrews whose header is saved comfortably by Kuszczak.

41. 53'

    Almost a great cross from Pedersen out on the left but his effort is fractionally over-hit.

42. 54'

    United knock it around, probing and looking for a way through but Rovers stand their ground and the move eventually breaks down. Rovers are providing a stiff resistance this evening.

43. 55'

    Disgraceful dive from Ronalo right on the edge of the penalty area earns the winger a deserved yellow card and the opprobrium of right-thinking people the world over.

44. 57'

    Corner to Rovers now and when it breaks to Grella he troubles Kuszczak with a shot but the United man can do nothing about Ryan Nelsen's shot which flies past him but rebounds off the post. Then El-Hadji Diouf pounces and fires a shot at Kuszczak who is grateful to have the ball in his grasp this time. So close for Rovers.

45. 59'

    GOAL - Ronaldo exhibits the skills which make him adored by right-thinking people the world over when he hits a quite magnificent free-kick past the helpless figure of Paul Robinson. A majestic strike.

46. 62'

    Dimitar Berbatov is booked for a high tackle.

47. 64'

    Diouf wins a corner for Rovers and Dunn plays it across to Nelsen who is unable to direct his header on target. He was quite far out to be fair.

48. 66'

    Oooh Pedersen goes down in the United penalty area, under pressure from Rafael who did have his hands on the Blackburn winger, but Howard Webb waves away the Rovers appeals. Big Sam is not a happy chappie on the touchline.

49. 69'

    Rooney spreads the play wide to Ronaldo after showing his steel to win the ball initially.

50. 71'

    Berbatov plays a neat pass to Scholes on the edge of the Rovers box and the United veteran almost pulls off a lovely lifted dink. Grella is on hand though to read the intent and put in a good tackle.

51. 73'

    David Dunn makes way for the 38-year old Tugay.

52. 74'

    A long ball from the back by Grella finds Diouf but he is unable to bring Santa Cruz in to the play as he overhits his pass.

53. 77'

    It's all gone a bit quiet here with United somewhat aimlessly knocking it about, apparantly in no great rush. Ronaldo ups the tempo a bit though with a well-hit shot that goes behind off a Rovers defender for a corner.

54. 78'

    Grella is removed to make way for Benni McCarthy. Pedersen then hits a dangerous ball in from the left which Evra does well to hook to safety.

55. 80'

    Ryan Nelsen throws himself in a clumsily acrobatic way at a high ball played in to the United penalty area but is unable to make a connection.

56. 80'

    El-Hadji Diouf and Paul Scholes both exit the theatre of dreams - to quite starkly contrasting receptions. Ryan Giggs and Keith Treacey will now tread the boards in their place.

57. 83'

    United look to finish the game with Ronaldo and Rooney linking but the England man is unable to get a firm grip of the ball and Rovers breathe again. Can they yet spring a shock leveller?

58. 84'

    Ronaldo feeds Rooney and his shot from twenty yards is hit with firm intent but lacks accuracy as it flies over Paul Robinson's crossbar.

59. 85'

    Rooney again finds himself in a promising position - this time just to the left of the Blackburn goal - but hits his shot off the legs of Andre Ooijer.

60. 86'

    Great turn out wide from that man Rooney once again and he plays a sublime pass on to the head of Berbatov who should have buried his header from seven yards instead of knocking it over.

61. 87'

    Givet stands firm at the back under pressure from both Dimitar Berbatov and a high ball from Kuszczak and the Rovers man deals with both well.

62. 89'

    Good covering at the back from Warnock to put the ball out for a United throw. Four minutes of extra time to be played.

63. 90'

    Rooney almost scores a wonderful goal. Showing no signs of fatigue at this late stage, he marches towards goal and lets fly. It looks to be heading goalwards but arcs just wide. Rooney is growing even more in to the game the later it goes on which should demonstrate to Sir Alex how sharp his fitness is.

64. 93'

    Pedersen plays a corner in but, with even Robinson up from the Rovers goal, he is unable to locate a Blackburn head. There follows a few nervous exchanges for the home side as Rovers fire in a couple of high balls before Kuszczak gets his hands to it and that is that...

65. 94'

    FULL-TIME: A tough test for United and perhaps Ferguson will be relieved in some way that their tremendous defensive record has gone in a run-of-the-mill Premier League match at home rather than losing it in a more psychologically devastating arena (the San Siro or Wembley for example).

66. 94'

    Rovers were admirable opponents and will feel aggrieved no doubt at Howard Webb's failure to award them a penalty. They return home with their pride intact though.

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