SEALED WITH A KISS
Valencia and Young stretch United lead
SIR Alex Ferguson is closing in on yet another Barclays Premier League title after two stunning late goals broke Blackburn’s stubborn resistance.
Antonio Valencia struck with a ferocious 81stminute shot across goalkeeper Paul Robinson and the Manchester United juggernaut rolled on towards a record 20th league crown with another cracker from substitute Ashley Young.
It puts Ferguson’s men five points clear of title rivals Manchester City — a lead that could stretch to eight points on Sunday when United face QPR at home, before Roberto Mancini’s team run
ROBERTO MANCINI hasn’t got much right of late — not even his pre- match predictions regarding his main rivals. Manchester City’s manager said United would draw this game and, to be fair, he came within nine minutes of being correct, just as he had been when he declared there was no need to watch the defending champions play Tottenham recently because he already knew they would win.
Instead, brilliant late goals from Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young secured three points against a Blackburn side fighting for their Barclays Premier League lives, and there is now a sense that this most gripping of title races is all but over. United are five points clear, with the opportunity to extend their lead even further against Queens Park Rangers on Sunday. Few would have begrudged Blackburn the point for which they seemed on course when Valencia cut just inside the area and fired a swerving cross- shot with the outside of his right foot that fizzed across Paul Robinson and into the far corner of the net.
Five minutes later came the moment that may see the title remain at Old Trafford, Young turning and shooting from just outside the box with devastating effect.
Maybe we should have seen this coming, even if Mancini couldn’t. After all, recent history suggested last night could prove decisive. Last year Sir Alex Ferguson’s side won the championship here with a 1-1 draw. A year earlier a goalless draw handed the initiative to Chelsea, who then went on to complete a domestic Double under Carlo Ancelotti.
Now comes this victory, one which has brought a record 20th title that much closer.
For long stretches, United looked as though they might leave Ewood Park hugely frustrated by their failure to turn so much possession into goals as Blackburn were determined to stay clear of the bottom three and defended quite brilliantly.
In fairness to them they also created some decent chances. David de Gea might have been at fault for the defeat they suffered to Steve Kean’s side at Old Trafford earlier this season but the Spaniard was magnificent here, producing four saves that ensured a hard night’s work did not become a horrific one. Ewood Park even thought Blackburn had taken the lead in the 63rd minute when Morten Gamst Pedersen beat De Gea with a missile of a strike but the assistant referee had already spotted the ball drift out of play before Steven Nzonzi delivered his cross.
It was an interesting side Ferguson selected last night, with Wayne Rooney wide on the left and Phil Jones to the right of a midfield three that also included Michael Carrick and Paul Scholes. Then there was the deployment of the centre halves, with Rio Ferdinand to the left of Jonny Evans. The huge contingent of United fans — around 7,000 — did not seem unduly concerned, though. They were too busy suggesting a certain rival side were ‘cracking up’.
On the pitch United started brightly, a quite brilliant ball from Rooney inviting Javier Hernandez to score only for the striker to drag his effort wide. Not that they were having it all their own way. This game was every bit as important to Blackburn and they too showed some early promise, not least in the form of some darting runs from Yakubu and Junior Hoilett.
But Hernandez went desperately close to scoring in the 10th minute when Valencia delivered a perfect cross from the right flank. The Mexican’s shot hit the post and bounced against Robinson’s back before the Blackburn goalkeeper recovered in time to stop the ball crossing the line.
United threatened again when Carrick unleashed a right-foot shot that curled just over the bar. This was decent stuff from the champions, even if they needed to make more of the possession they were enjoying.
At the opposite end, Hoilett continued to shine, and a surging run ended with a terrific shot that forced a fine save from De Gea.
It was all the more impressive because Blackburn’s midfield were sitting so deep they were not offering their forwards a great deal of support. Instead, they were allowing Scholes and Carrick to dominate that area and so provide their front men with more ammunition.
A further opportunity fell to Evans thanks to another swiftly executed attack but the Ulsterman’s shot was weak and Robinson gathered comfortably.
In fairness to Blackburn, they were defending like a side desperate to avoid slipping back into the bottom three. They were determined and well organised. But they were also under an increasing amount of pressure, with Jones squandering an opportunity when he met a cross from Valencia with a header he really should have buried but instead sent well wide.
Another ball from Valencia brought another chance for United, with Scholes shaping up to unleash a trademark drive only for Nzonzi to make a timely interception. But by the time the interval arrived, though, De Gea had made two more truly outstanding saves, first to push a blistering effort from Marcus Olsson to safety and then a header from Grant Hanley from the resulting corner.
After the break United increased the pressure. Rooney sent an effort over the bar and then forced a superb save from Robinson with an excellent free-kick. But it would require more heroics from De Gea to deny Pedersen, as well as the sharp eyes of the officials moments later when the Norwegian’s rifled shot was ruled out.
After Valencia and Young had turned the game on it head, United’s jubilant fans asked that Ferguson give them a wave. He responded with a trademark shake of the fists, summing up the significance of this victory.