Rovers were less of a threat in the second half but it was Van Der Sar who was the busier of the two keepers and Rovers fully deserved to win.

Ferdinand leaps in the area but his header is saved by Friedel and Giggs' follow-up is wide of the target.

Ferdinand is playing as a makeshift striker and United have resorted to the long ball game.

The referee has indicated that there will be four minutes of injury time.

Ryan Giggs whips over a great cross but Rooney flicks his header inches wide of the target.

The game looks up for United as Rovers are keeping their struggling attack at bay.

Friedel only punches a corner as far as Rooney on the edge of the box but his shot goes wide.

Michael Gray latches onto a poor Scholes pass and squares for Pedersen to buries his shot into the top corner from an acute angle.

Rio Ferdinand finds himself in the box and his attempted chip back into the danger area is miscued over the bar.

There has been a long stoppage in proceedings as Zurab Khizanishvili picked up a head injury following a corner, but he is OK to continue.

Blackburn boss Mark Hughes makes his final change of the game and replaces David Bentley with Brett Emerton.

Craig Bellamy earns the wrath of the referee and picks up a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.

Ruud van Nistelrooy tries to catch Brad Friedel off his line from fully 25 yards out but his shot drifts wide of the post.

Rooney surges forward and his 25-yard shot is parried by Friedel into the path of the lourking Van Nistelrooy who makes no mistake.

United have gone a bit flat and need to liven things up as they chase an equaliser.

Rovers make another change and take off Paul Dickov for Steven Reid.

Bellamy breaks down the left but his cross-cum-shot is turned away by Edwin Van Der Sar.

Wayne Rooney buries the ball past Friedel but the goal is disallowed for offside.

United break forward through Ronaldo and he goes down in the box under a challenge from Nelsen but the referee waves away his penalty appeal.

John O'Shea has picked up an injury and is replaced by Phillip Bardsley.

United look to change things and bring on Wayne Rooney for Darren Fletcher.

United come forward again but the finishing is letting them down as Paul Scholes drags a shot from the edge of the box wide of the post.

Rovers have looked a bit nervous so far in the second half and United have started to get on top.

Ronaldo whips over a vicious left foot cross that eludes everyone and narrowly misses the target.

David Bentley holds onto the ball as United try and take a quick free kick and picks up a booking.

United have begun brightly and Richardson plays in Paul Scholes but Brad Friedel pulls off a great save.

Rovers make a change at the break and replace Kerimoglu Tugay with Aaron Mokoena and Rovers get the game restarted.

United have had a lot of opportunities but failed to test Brad Friedel and Rovers have been good value for their lead with Van Der Sar making a number of key saves.

Savage fouls Rio Ferdinand and gets booked. The free kick breaks to Alan Smith but he blazes his 20 yard effort over the bar.

Cristiano Ronaldo clashes with Michael Gray and earns himself a yellow card.

Rovers come forward again but Paul Dickov drills his shot straight at Van Der Sar.

Richardson drives forward from left full-back but his 25 yard shot is easy for Friedel.

United are pressing for an equaliser but Rovers are standing firm and are holding onto their deserved lead.

The home side have looked shaky at the back, particularly against Bellamy's pace, and they have failed to really test Brad Friedel.

Rovers earn a free kick and Morten Gamst Pedersen whips in a vicious cross that eludes everyone and goes into the far corner.

Pedersen goes down in the box but the ball breaks to Bentley but his shot is saved well by Van Der Sar.

United come forward again and feed Paul Scholes but his shot from the edge of the box is way off target.

United attack through Ronaldo who jinks into the box but his shot is disappointingly off target.

Michael Gray latches onto a John O'Shea clearance but his shot from 25 yards is parried away by Edwin Van Der Sar.

It has been a very entertaining game so far and both sides should really have scored at least one goal.

Fletcher surges down the right and he crosses for Van Nistelrooy but his shot is dragged wide of the target from just inside the box.

Rovers break forward and Bellamy crosses for Dickov but Van Der Sar makes a great save.

Ronaldo and park combine well and free Van Nistelrooy but he sweeps his shot wide of the target.

Following Rovers' good start United are starting to get into their rhythm and have got on top in the last five minutes or so.

United force another corner and Scholes crosses from the right but Ronaldo's glancing header goes just wide.

Ronaldo whips over a corner from the left and again Smith gets there first but his header goes just over.

Ronaldo does well down the left but Scholes directs his cut-back wide of the target.

Smith tries his luck from distance but Friedel makes a wonderful save and gets up to cut out Ronaldo's cross.

Tugay clips the ball over the top for Bellamy but his half volley is straight at Edwin Van Der Sar.

Paul Scholes delivers a corner from the left but Alan Smith can't keep his header down.

Bellamy plays the ball forward for Pedersen but his cross is fired across the goal and Dickov can not get a touch.

Blackburn Rovers have started brightly and are certainly not in awe of the home side.

United break forward for the first time and feed Van Nistelrooy but Friedel watches his shot fizz wide of the post.

The referee blows his whistle and Manchester United get the game underway.