Source: Telegraph
Blackburn Rovers 0 Manchester United 0: match report
Dimitar Berbatov once again failed to produce for Manchester United as the champions all but handed the title to Chelsea with a dismal draw at Blackburn Rovers. [LNB]Berbatov, playing as the lone striker for United in the absence of the injured Wayne Rooney, missed two clear chances as Sir Alex Ferguson's team continued their disastrous run of form. [LNB]With Chelsea now one point clear of United and with a game in hand, the Premier League title now appears destined for Stamford Bridge. [LNB]Having spoken of the need for freshness following Wednesday's Champions League elimination at the hands of Bayern Munich, Ferguson made six changes to his starting line-up for the trip. [LNB]Out went Darren Fletcher, Patrice Evra, Rafael da Silva, Darron Gibson and the injured Rooney. Michael Carrick, poor against the Germans, failed to even make the bench. [LNB]But despite the wholesale changes, United struggled to dominate a Blackburn team that had already taken points off Chelsea and Liverpool at Ewood Park this season. [LNB]So unimpressive were the champions in the first-half that they had to wait until the 24th minute before they even threatened Rovers goalkeeper Paul Robinson. [LNB]Prior to that, Blackburn defender Chris Samba had gone close to putting the home side ahead with a far post header from Vince Grella's seventh minute cross. [LNB]On a bobbly pitch, United laboured in midfield and their chances were half-chances at best until Berbatov released Antonio Valencia with a sublime pass on 43 minutes. [LNB]Berbatov had endured a hugely frustrating afternoon until that point, but his pass was top-class as he picked out the Ecuadorian winger inside the penalty box. [LNB]Yet with only Robinson to beat, Valencia shot straight at the goalkeeper, who used his legs to save the strike. [LNB]United knew that only a victory would keep their title hopes alive, so their dismal performance was all the more bewildering. [LNB]Former England goalkeeper Robinson was largely under-worked by a United team who were painfully lacking creativity without the sidelined Rooney. [LNB]Berbatov, who played as though shorn of any confidence, was handed a half-chance to put United ahead on 66 minutes when a loose ball dropped to his feet 12 yards from goal. [LNB]The Bulgarian had little time to ready himself, however, and his left foot shot was blocked by Blackburn defender Phil Jones. [LNB]At £30.75m, Berbatov has done little to justify his club record transfer fee. The effort is there, but the inspiration isn't. [LNB]And his awful day was rounded off on 79 minutes when, after being freed by Neville's header, he directed another volley into Robinson's arms.[LNB]
