Source: SKY_Sports
Man Utd v Blackburn live!
// A bit of a hack but it works// The article snippet is wrapped onto a second line, even when #article-sub is emptyif( $("div#article-sub").children().length == 0 ) {$("div#article-sub").remove();} 72 Rooney delivers the corner and it sails past the Blackburn goal where Nelsen gets a touch and concedes a second corner. From that United win another, this time Anderson delivers.[LNB]71 Valencia, Berbatov and O'Shea combine down the right to bring the ball out of their own half and United win a corner.[LNB]70 Rovers enjoy a decent spell of possession and Emerton picks out Di Santo in the penalty area but he can't control his header and concedes a goal kick.[LNB]68 The pace has gone out of the game a bit with the Blackburn players looking dead on their feet after chasing the game for almost 70 minutes.[LNB]65 Anderson sends Obertan clear through. He gets into the penalty area, cuts inside and then sends a weak shot straight at Robinson.[LNB]64 Obertan shows his pace as he races clear down the left. He's quick but his technique lets him down and he runs the ball out of play for a Blackburn throw.[LNB]63 Nani makes way for Gabriel Obertan, who makes his Premier League debut for Manchester United.[LNB]62 Anderson sends a dipping cross in from the left an Nelsen does incredibly well to head it clear ahead of Berbatov.[LNB]61 Valencia chips the ball over Samba for Berbatov to chase but Robinson gets there first and the danger is averted.[LNB]60 Evra races up the field with the ball at his feet and picks out Rooney who tries to backheel it into the path of Anderson but sends it straight to Samba who clears.[LNB]58 Blackburn will have to attack now and are likely to leave space at the back when they do. I expect more goals from United.[LNB]56 Morten Gamst Pedersen comes on to replace Keith Andrews.[LNB]56 Rooney plays a delightful diagonal ball to Valencia who crosses into the area. The cross is cleared but only as far as Anderson whose shot is off target.[LNB]55 GOAL BERBATOV: Nani drives a low ball into the area where Berbatov shows his class as he flicks it up and hits an unstoppable shot past Robinson on the turn.[LNB]53 Rooney slides the ball into the box, looking to pick out Berbatov but Samba makes a telling interception and hoofs the ball clear. Blackburn have ten men in their own half at all times and look uninterested in attacking.[LNB]51 Givet gives the ball away cheaply and Valencia races at goal. He has Berbatov to one side and Rooney to the other but sends a poor pass too deep, allowing Blackburn to regroup.[LNB]50 Evra sends in a cross from the left but the delivery is too deep and goes straight to Robinson in goal.[LNB]49 Anderson runs the ball out of his own half and picks out Rooney but he's a bit isolated and has to play the ball back to Carrick.[LNB]48 Rooney shoots from outside the penalty area but Dunn blocks the shot.[LNB]47 United take up where trhey left off and attack the Rovers goal. Nani crosses from the left and Berbatov looks to knock it down into the path of Rooney but commits a foul in the process.[LNB]46 The second half gets under way.[LNB] Cathal Donnelly writes in: "Blackburn have been resiliant thus far but I fully expect United to come out of this with a 1-0 win, with Rooney the scorer."[LNB] With the score locked at 0-0 there's been very little change in the odds but United look certain tio score at some point. Berbatov must have used upo his quota of misses an for me he's a good bet to open the scoring at 16/5. Make your way to www.skybet.com for all the markets.[LNB]47 The whistle goes to end the first period. United have dominated territory and possession but have nothing to show for it. Rovers have been resolute in defence and have offered nothing going forward.[LNB]45 Nani is clutching his back after Chimbonda knees him in the back. The Rovers defender is lucky to stay on the pitch as he's already been booked and there looked to be plenty of intent in his actions.[LNB]44 Rooney lays a perfect backheel pass into the path of Berbatov who shoots high and wide. He should have done much better but was off balance when he struck it.[LNB]42 Nani takes the ball upfield from his own half as United hit on the counter but his eventual cross is poor. Seconds later Rooney breaks into the penalty area but sees his shot blocked by Gael Givet.[LNB]40 United pass the ball at will on the edge of the Blackburn penalty area but can't find a way through and Rooney eventually gives it away with a poor touch.[LNB]39 Berbatov puts the ball in the back of the net but it won't stand. Nani slides the ball through the defence for Rooney on the left. He squares the ball to Berbatov who has the easiest of tap-ins only for Rooney to be flagged offside.[LNB]38 Rooney steps up to take the free-kick and clears the wall, the goal and the first ten rows of seats.[LNB]37 Chimbonda is rather harshly booked after Nani appears to run into him.[LNB]36 Blackburn have shown very little attacking intent but their defence has been resolute and, for all their dominance, United haven't fashioned too many clear chances on goal.[LNB]35 Brett Emerton is shown a yellow for fouling Carrick.[LNB]34 Robinson makes a superb save to deny Berbatov. The united striker's low drive looked destined for goal but the former Spurs keeper palms it away from goal at a stretch.[LNB]33 Rovers fan Rob Long writes: "In response to my fellow Rover Paul, we've been humped at Arsenal and Chelsea so what do you expect from Sam?! We look a lot stronger than we did at Chelsea.....on paper anyway! Utd are there for the taking tonight with so many injuries. Can we sneak a point?! I hope so!"[LNB]32 Berbatov tries a ball over the top meant for Rooney but overhits the pass and it goes out for a goal-kick.[LNB]31 Nani shoots from just outside the Blackburn penalty area but balloons it horribly high and wide of goal. He claims a corner but there was no deflection and the referee rightly awards a goal kick.[LNB]29 Valencia crosses from the right and Berbatov rises unmarked right in front of goal. He heads the ball into the ground, leaving Robinson with an easy save as the pace is taken off the header. A poor effort from the Bulgarian.[LNB]28 Blackburn are seeing very little of the ball at the moment. Nani picks out Evra who sets up Berbatov but a good challenge prevents him from shooting.[LNB]27 United are on the attack again as Berbatov makes a tackle in midfield before sending Carrick on his way. He picks out Nani who runs out of space an sends a weak cross along the ground and straight to Robinson.[LNB]25 Evra runs into the box and onto the end of Nani's pass but scuffs his attempted shot wide of goal.[LNB]24 Chimbonda fouls Nani on the left and United win a threatening free-kick. Valencia takes it but bangs it straight into Diouf before it goes out for a corner. The delivery comes to Rooney at the near post and he tries a backheel flick at goal that fails to trouble Robinson.[LNB]22 Nani tries to chip the ball over the defence and into the path of Valencia but Robinson reads his intentions and comes off his line to thump the ball clear.[LNB]20 Pascal Chimbonda shows a good turn of pace as catches Nani and puts in a good sliding tackle. At the other end John O'Shea puts in a superb tackle on Diouf after the Rovers man left Brown standing.[LNB]19 Robinson takes his time over a goal-kick then picks out Brown. He heads the ball to Berbatov who is brought down in the middle of the park. The free-kick leads to nothing.[LNB]17 Rooney puts the ball into touch as he tries to send Valencia clear on the right. United are dominating despite not really hitting their stride yet.[LNB]16 Blackburn are living dangerously and they try and pass the ball out of defence. Brown intercepts and picks out Rooney on the edge of the penalty area but the striker's first touch lets him down and the chance is wasted.[LNB]15 Nani takes the free-kick himself but Diouf is on hand to head the ball clear.[LNB]13 Di Santo is penalised for fouling Michael Carrick as they contest a header in the United half. United attack through Anderson and Nani on the left with the latter winning a decent free-kick on the touchline.[LNB]12 Dimitar Berbatov flicks the ball into the penalty area and it falls to Valencia who tries to shoot on the turn but screws the ball wide of goal.[LNB]11 United enjoy a good spell of possession before Nani tries to pick out Wayne Rooney with an optimistic pass and Samba intercepts the ball.[LNB]9 Patrice Evra crosses to the far post from the left, looking to pick out Antonio Valencia but the pass is heavy and the ball goes out of play before the former Wigan man can get to it.[LNB]8 Steven N'Zonzi is receiving treatment after a clash of heads and leaves the pitch temporarily.[LNB]7 Nani sends in a free-kick from the left but Paul Robinson comes off his line to claim the ball with ease.[LNB]6 El Hadji Diouf lobs the ball forward from inside his own half, looking to pick out Franco di Santo but the pass is overthit and United regain possession.[LNB]4 David Dunn picks up a sloppy pass by Evans and drives into the United penalty area. He's sandwiched between Evans and Wes Brown and goes down in the box but the referee deems it a fair challenge.[LNB]3 Nani takes on the Rovers defence on the left, cuts inside and let's fly from distance but his shot goes wide of goal.[LNB]2 Blackburn win a free-kick in the United half. The ball is lobbed into the penalty area and Johnny Evans stays down in the aftermath, having clashed with Christoper Samba.[LNB]1 The game gets underway at Old Trafford with United needing a win to close the gap on Chelsea to two points.[LNB] Make your way to www.skybet.com to get all the odds on the game. United are 7/1 to win 3-0, not a bad shout as they'll be looking to make amends for the loss at the hands of Liverpool last weekend. But with a depleted defence Blackburn might sneak a result so a 1-1 draw at 12/1 also looks a tasty bet.[LNB] Blackburn fan Paul White questions Sam Allardyce: "Im a Blackburn fan and cant believe once again Allardyce's tactics, Bizarre is the nicest word for it... Why 1 up front again and why Keith Andrews is playing??? He is hopeless not Premier League class and offers nothing to the team. Afraid were in for another 90 minutes of hell with this line-up nice one again Sam."[LNB] Jason Wathey also predicts a United win: "Be careful of the wounded lion. Man United will bounce back today im going for 2-0. Rooney and Carrick."[LNB]Pre-match info: Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson names a new central defensive partnership of Wes Brown and Jonny Evans.[LNB]Ferguson was forced to make changes with both Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand suffering from calf injuries.[LNB]Nani and Anderson return to the side following the defeat by Liverpool with Paul Scholes and Ryan Giggs standing down.[LNB]Blackburn are looking to turn around a dreadful away run of nine straight defeats stretching back to last March.[LNB]Manager Sam Allardyce also makes four changes, recalling Pascal Chimbonda, Chris Samba, David Dunn and Franco Di Santo.[LNB] The first mail of the day comes from Oliver Perkins: "I believe that United will bounce back from their defeat and win 4-0, with Rooney scoring 2, Berbatov with 1 and Anderson hopefully with one! That'd do good for my fantasy team![LNB]Today's teams:[LNB]Man Utd: Van der Sar, O'Shea, Brown, Jonathan Evans, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Anderson, Nani, Berbatov, Rooney Subs: Kuszczak, Owen, Scholes, Fabio Da Silva, Fletcher, Obertan, De Laet[LNB]Blackburn: Robinson, Chimbonda, Samba, Nelsen, Givet, Nzonzi, Emerton, Dunn, Andrews, Diouf, Di Santo Subs: Brown, McCarthy, Grella, Pedersen, Kalinic, Hoilett, Salgado[LNB] Welcome to the clockwatch for Manchester United v Blackburn. I'll have team news for you as soon as it becomes available but in the meantime you can send your predictions for the game to justin.zehmke@teamtalkmedia.co.za and I'll post the best ones as we go along.[LNB] Kick off is at 1730 GMT.[LNB]
