At a rain-sodden Ewood Park Manchester United dampened Blackburn's bright start to the season with a 2-0 win.
Guv'nor tastes defeat as Gaffer comes out smiling
At a rain-sodden Ewood Park Manchester United dampened Blackburn's bright start to the season with a 2-0 win and performance that signals an intent not to relinquish their Premier League title without a fight.
Wayne Rooney was expected to sit out the North West derby that reunited the Guv'nor with his old gaffer but on the contrary, the striker - in front of Fabio Capello - scored a stunning second and gave a virtuoso display that silenced fears over an ankle injury ahead of the Italian naming his England squad on Sunday.
Blackburn boss Paul Ince was left apoplectic on the touchline when Wes Brown, starting for the first time in the league since United's defeat at Liverpool, headed in Rooney's short corner at the far post in the 31st minute, convinced as he was that Nemanja Vidic had impeded his goalkeeper Jason Brown.
If United's first was contentious, Rooney's second was picture-book perfect. A lightning raid of the sort that has been missing this season, concluded with a jet-heeled Cristiano Ronaldo leaving Martin Olsson for dead down the right flank. A cut-back for Rooney left his team-mate with plenty to do but a sumptuous clipped effort into the opposite corner saw Brown clutching fresh air and cemented United's supremacy.
Thereafter and it was a case of Blackburn chasing shadows on a afternoon when the master showed his pupil there is still plenty for him to learn in the management game.
Bright start
With just one win from their previous six visits to Blackburn, United were not expecting an easy ride and, for the opening 25 minutes at least, they were not disappointed.
Roque Santa Cruz had a clear edge on Nemanja Vidic, while Matt Derbyshire and Brett Emerton appeared capable of finding space at will.
Had Matt Derbyshire been able to convert Andre Ooijer's superb through ball, with the massed ranks of United's defence converging on the rebound after Edwin van der Sar had made the initial block, Rovers might have maintained their offensive.
Instead it was United who prospered and although Darren Fletcher could not supply the finish to Dimitar Berbatov's sublime pass, the visitors gained in control as the game went on.
Berbatov was again the architect as Ryan Giggs' angled drive was tipped onto the bar by Brown. But it proved the briefest of reprieves for Paul Robinson's deputy.
It would be fair to suggest if the contact between Brown and Vidic had involved Van der Sar, at Old Trafford, the hosts would have been awarded a free-kick.
TV replays proved there had been a collision but also that the Serbian had never taken his eyes off the ball. There was further irony in that Rooney was a major doubt yesterday, only to come through a fitness test on the ankle he injured in Denmark on Tuesday and then supply the cross which, with namesake James on the deck, Brown steered home at the far post.
Rooney should have doubled United's lead before the break, only for Brown to save his close-range effort, although his best moment was still to come.
Missed chances
Santa Cruz had drifted out of the game and though he briefly lifted the home fans with a powerful drive Van der Sar was forced to push behind at the start of the second period, the Paraguayan was soon making his way to the dug-out for an injury-enforced change that hardly enhanced Blackburn's chances of getting something out of the game.
It looked like Ronaldo was going to provide Ferguson with an injury worry of his own when he gingerly held his right ankle after having a shot blocked by Christopher Samba.
However, the prospective world player of the year quickly recovered and, after failing to find the finish when the impressive Berbatov had done the creating, he surged past Martin Olsson after collecting Brown's short pass by the touchline.
And, having charged into open space, Ronaldo was able to take his time and pick out Rooney, who produced an unstoppable first-time finish that flashed into the Blackburn goal.
Cruise control
Rooney, dropping deep following Carlos Tevez's introduction for Giggs, steamed through the Blackburn defence and beat Brown with a deft chip that dropped onto the roof of the net.
Berbatov also found himself one-on-one with the Blackburn keeper but could not get round him before Anderson's angled drive brought an acrobatic save out of Brown.
Tevez splashed through the puddles to reach Ronaldo's cut-back, only for the Argentina forward to strike a post with United's last chance in what had turned out to be a one-sided romp.
| Blackburn Rovers |
Team Statistics |
Manchester United |
| 0 |
Goals |
2 |
| 0 |
1st Half Goals |
1 |
| 2 |
Shots on Target |
4 |
| 3 |
Shots off Target |
8 |
| 2 |
Blocked Shots |
6 |
| 3 |
Corners |
4 |
| 12 |
Fouls |
9 |
| 1 |
Offsides |
3 |
| 2 |
Yellow Cards |
1 |
| 0 |
Red Cards |
0 |
| 74.7 |
Passing Success |
83.9 |
| 25 |
Tackles |
16 |
| 68 |
Tackles Success |
87.5 |
| 37.9 |
Possession |
62.1 |
| 49.4 |
Territorial Advantage |
50.6 |
|
