After the 2-0 loss to Liverpool in the Premier League last weekend, Man United really needed a win against Blackburn Rovers. United were without the injured trio of Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs and Nemanja Vidic.
The Man United starting XI was- Edwin Van Der Sar, John O’Shea, Wes Brown, Jonny Evans, Patrice Evra, Luis Nani, Anderson, Michael Carrick, Antonio Valencia, Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov.
For large parts of the game, United were unable to break down a defensive Blackburn side but after 55 minutes, a stunning goal from Berbatov broke the deadlock. Rooney, who scored for the first time in four games, put the game to bed 87 minutes in.
Unsurprisingly it was Nani who had the first shot of the game, he cut inside and shot from 25-yards out- the ball flew just wide. Blackburn fans were screaming for a penalty after O’Shea poorly lost the ball from a United corner. David Dunn ran into United’s half and went down in the United area, no penalty and was never going to be a penalty.
With 12 minutes on the clock, Berbatov crossed the ball into Valencia but his volley was never going to go into the back of the net. 22 minutes in and thanks to a challenge by O’Shea, El-Hadji Diouf wasn’t able to have a shot at goal.
During the first half there was some great play by United players, especially between Rooney and Valencia. The only problem was that United weren’t carving out enough clear-cut chances.
Half an hour into the game, Berbatov should have scored. Valencia sent the ball into the box and Berbatov headed the ball into the ground from 6-yards out. Paul Robinson did get a hand on the ball but Berbatov should have done better. United did have the ball in the back of the net 39 minutes in but Rooney was flagged offside. Nani ran down the middle of the pitch, he then passed the ball to Rooney (who was offside), Rooney slid the ball to Berbatov who tapped the ball past Robinson.
The teams went into half time with the score line at 0-0. No real chances for Blackburn and United needed to improve. A lot of possession but not creating enough goal mouth action.
United scored from the first chance of the second half. 54 minutes in, Berbatov collected the ball with his back to goal, he turned, flicked the ball up and struck the ball into the back of the net. Fantastic goal by Berbatov!
62 minutes in and Gabriel Obertan was brought on to replace Nani. Throughout the second half United looked comfortable, Rooney was trying his best to get the second goal and Blackburn were camped in their half most of the time.
81 minutes in and Obertan should have got his first goal for United. He scuffed the ball from six-yards out when he should have scored.
84 minutes in and Blackburn had a free-kick from 40-yards out. The ball was launched into the United penalty area but it was an easy catch for Van Der Sar.
87 minutes in and Rooney did bag himself a goal. Anderson crossed the ball into the area and Rooney finished the ball superbly and United had a second goal.
90 minutes in and after not doing much attacking throughout the game, Blackburn did have the ball into the back of the net. The goal was ruled out for offside, wrongly, because Evra was playing the Rovers player Kalinic onside.
After four minutes of injury time it finished 2-0 to United. Next up in the Premier League is Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. If we want to get anything out of that game we have to improve and start creating more chances.
