MU 4 : 1 Blackburn Rovers

Manchester United took their lead over Chelsea to nine points after scoring a come-from behind 4-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers in a Premiership match at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The Red Devils got goals from Paul Scholes, Michael Carrick, Park Ji-Sung and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer after Matt Derbyshire had put the Rovers ahead in the first half. But Sir Alex Ferguson’s side raised their game several notches in the second half and Mark Hughes’ side had no answers to their rival’s antics.

Rovers started brightly with a threatening move seeing David Dunn’s powerful shot flying over United’s cross bar in the 2nd minute. Following an even passage of play, Red Devils’ in-form winger Cristiano Ronaldo darted into the rival territory and unleashed a right-footed shot from 25 yards, but goalkeeper Brad Friedel put his body behind the ball.

Derbyshire was quick to react and blasted the ball into the back of the net. United then saw Scholes missing another chance. The veteran midfielder, who returned after serving a three-match ban, could not control the flight of the ball in an effort from the top of the box after being set up by Gabriel Heinze from left flank in the injury time.

United began the second half in electric fashion with a desperate Rooney and Ronaldo in the thick of the action. Following a few chances going begging, Scholes came to United’s aid scoring a wonderful goal and levelling the scores in the 61st minute. He took on three Rovers defenders in the penalty area and came into a good position to drill the right-foot shot past Friedel’s reach.

Friedel was however brilliant minutes later when he blocked Ronaldo’s placing shot after getting past a few defenders.

United had the measure of Rovers and Ronaldo got in another key ball for Rooney, who was however thwarted by Friedel yet again. But Giggs should have scored from a handshaking distance but rather surprisingly went ballistic at that chance and banged the ball into the cross bar in the 69th minute.

United got their second goal in the 73rd minute through Carrick, who found the back of the net with fantastic placing shot getting past quite a lot of bodies in Rovers box after brilliant skills of Ronaldo set him up.

In the 83rd minute, Park Ji-Sung scored the third goal following a rebound off Substitute Solskjaer, who returned after a month out with knee surgery, scored to make it 4-1 with two minutes left for full time whistle.

Read more...