Source: Daily_Mail
Man United 2 Blackburn 1: Ronaldo's rocket sees off Rovers after run ends
MANCHESTER UNITED NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Manchester United v Blackburn: How the game unfolded[LNB]BLACKBURN NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 1[LNB]Arsenal 0 Sunderland 0[LNB]Bolton 2 West Ham 1[LNB]Middlesbrough 0 Wigan 0[LNB]Stoke 2 Portsmouth 2[LNB] Cristiano Ronaldo's stunning second-half free-kick was enough to give Manchester United victory after Blackburn had ended their record 1,334-minute run without conceding a Premier League goal.Roque Santa Cruz was the man who did the damage, rounding Tomasz Kuszczak after Edwin van der Sar had been rested to tap home and level Wayne Rooney's opener.[LNB]But Ronaldo had saved something special for the occasion too, whipping home a brilliant free-kick which had too much pace for Paul Robinson to put United eight points clear and keep Rovers in the bottom three.[LNB]Lethal finish: Cristiano Ronaldo makes it 2-1 at Old Trafford[LNB][LNB] Edwin van der Sar was denied the chance to complete a European record 15th clean sheet as he was left out of Manchester United's side to face Blackburn at Old Trafford.[LNB]Tomasz Kuszczak featured instead, with Ben Foster on the bench for a Red Devils line-up looking to go eight points clear at the Premier League summit.Wayne Rooney returned to the starting line-up after scoring as a substitute in the 3-0 win over Fulham in midweek.[LNB]As expected, Rafael and Jonny Evans returned to tackle a relegation-threatened Blackburn outfit lacking suspended centre-half Christopher Samba.[LNB]Dimitar Berbatov's delicate pass set Paul Scholes on a charge but the former England midfielder could only slice his shot, which bounced wide.[LNB]Cristiano Ronaldo's cross-shot curled just wide of Paul Robinson's far post before Kuszczak was forced to rush out and clear when Michael Carrick's underhit back pass threatened to let in Roque Santa Cruz.[LNB]David Dunn chopped down Ronaldo just as the world player of the year was running out of options close to the penalty area. However, he could only blast his free-kick straight into the Blackburn wall.[LNB]Stephen Warnock got his angles all wrong as he tried to cut out a Scholes pass to Ronaldo. The Blackburn full-back was let off the hook through as Ronaldo failed to find Wayne Rooney with his cross.[LNB] Level best: Scorer Roque Santa Cruz celebrates his equaliser with El-Hadji Diouf[LNB] Gael Givet stretched out to nick Rooney's through ball away from Carrick, then Scholes fired wide again as Santa Cruz's poor clearance contributed to the corner ending up at his feet.[LNB]Although Van der Sar was not solely responsible any more - nor for that matter Nemanja Vidic - United were extending a run of 1302 minutes without conceding a Premier League goal and Ryan Nelsen never looked like ending it as he headed El-Hadji Diouf's corner wide.[LNB]Nelsen did however save what looked a certain goal at the other end when he hooked Ronaldo's cross away from Carrick at the far post. Nani then set up Patrice Evra but the Frenchman's shot flashed wide.Rovers boss Sam Allardyce flew out of his dugout to complain at a free-kick given against Diouf for impeding Kuszczak at a Rovers corner, although TV replays suggested referee Howard Webb got it right. There was no doubt a minute later when United took the lead.Nani created the chance with a teasing cross into the area. Nelsen tried to cut it out but at full stretch could only prod the ball forward into Rooney's path, allowing the Red Devils striker to push it beyond Paul Robinson.Ronaldo skipped inside Givet after collecting Carrick's pass but this time Robinson was able to make a low save.[LNB] Rising high: Cristiano Ronaldo goes up for a header with team-mate Jonny Evans [LNB] MANCHESTER UNITED NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Manchester United v Blackburn: How the game unfolded[LNB]BLACKBURN NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 1[LNB]Arsenal 0 Sunderland 0[LNB]Bolton 2 West Ham 1[LNB]Middlesbrough 0 Wigan 0[LNB]Stoke 2 Portsmouth 2[LNB][LNB] Dunn wasted a chance for the visitors when he curled a free-kick into the Stretford End rather than a packed penalty box.However, on precisely 1,333 minutes, Blackburn broke United's amazing sequence without conceding a goal.Irritatingly for the hosts, it was all of their own making too. First Nani and Scholes hesitated on halfway, allowing Andre Ooijer to step in and collect a loose ball, which he quickly played upfield to Santa Cruz.Ferdinand and Kuszczak closed in on the South American but committed themselves too early, allowing Santa Cruz to continue his run and tap into an empty net.United were controversially denied a penalty in the final minute when Jonny Evans powered home Nani's corner.It did not appear the Northern Ireland international had done much wrong, although Webb could have been penalising Ronaldo half a yard further forward.[LNB] High and mighty: Jonny Evans wins a header for United[LNB]Ronaldo flashed a shot wide at the start of the second period as United looked to regain the initiative.[LNB]However, they needed a last-ditch Evra tackle on Santa Cruz to prevent them falling behind after Morten Gamst Pedersen had supplied the cross.[LNB]The French defender appeared to pick up a knock shortly afterwards, although he spurned the offer of treatment.[LNB]Santa Cruz flicked the ball on after winning an aerial duel with Ferdinand, although Evans was alive to the danger. Kuszczak was also on hand to make the save as Keith Andrews steered a header goalwards as suddenly United did not appear quite so secure.[LNB]Diouf was annoyed at the concession of another free-kick, this time for a touchline foul on Evra. But United gave the ball away immediately.[LNB] In the wars: Blackburn's Stephen Warnock and Ronaldo[LNB] [LNB]Ronaldo might have been penalised for his reaction to a hefty Dunn challenge. And he was when he went down under Givet's challenge, Webb ruling the winger had dived.[LNB] Blackburn took it as a cue to push forward and they came agonisingly close to going in front when Nelsen saw his shot come back off the post, with Diouf firing the rebound straight at Kuszczak.[LNB] Allardyce must have feared his side might pay - and so it proved as Andrews sent Evra flying.[LNB] The angle suggested Ronaldo would cross. Instead he went for goal, his shot beating Robinson for pace as it flashed into the roof of the net.[LNB] Ferguson instantly made a double substitution, introducing Carlos Tevez for Nani and, more worryingly, Vidic for a limping Evans, who headed straight for the dressing room.[LNB] How's that for starters?: Wayne Rooney breaks the deadlock at old Trafford[LNB] Rafael Da Silva was incredibly lucky to escape when he put his hands on Morten Gamst Pedersen's shoulders in an attempt to get into a tackling position as the Norwegian burst into the box.[LNB]Pedersen went down. Webb said no. On the touchline, Allardyce erupted in a rage and got involved in a heated exchange with Ferguson, with whom he had shared a convivial post-match drink at the same ground on Wednesday.[LNB]Ronaldo and Rooney both tried their luck from distance, as did Pedersen at the other end, although none of the trio met with any success.[LNB] MANCHESTER UNITED NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Manchester United v Blackburn: How the game unfolded[LNB]BLACKBURN NEWS FROM ACROSS THE WEB[LNB]Aston Villa 0 Chelsea 1[LNB]Arsenal 0 Sunderland 0[LNB]Bolton 2 West Ham 1[LNB]Middlesbrough 0 Wigan 0[LNB]Stoke 2 Portsmouth 2[LNB][LNB] [LNB]
