ALL that was missing was Carlos Queiroz leaping onto the pitch in a victory jig and sliding on the Old Trafford turf on his knees and this could have been Easter 1993.

There's a defining match in most title-winning campaigns and this was probably it for United.

Fourteen years ago when the Reds were trying to rid themselves of that 26-year championship millstone a famous injury-time Steve Bruce double sent the United crowd bananas.

Sir Alex Ferguson's No.2 Brian Kidd careered onto the pitch with uncontained relief and ecstasy as the Reds overcame a 1-0 deficit to beat Sheffield Wednesday.

Mark Hughes was among those who chased and mobbed hero Brucey on that famous occasion in '93 knowing a title medal was on its way. He thinks history will be repeated.

"I think the Premiership title will be theirs without a doubt," said Red legend Sparky. "I think United viewed this game as a really crucial one for them. But they were able to overcome us. They have desire in their play and they are not to be denied at the moment."

Limit

You felt the Bolton match a fortnight ago had tested United's resolve to the limit when they lost captain Gary Neville to a serious injury against the notorious spoilers.

Again on Saturday all the ingredients were there to potentially wreck United's ambitions.

For a start it was after the Euro 2008 qualifiers and all the fatigue and mental scars they have brought.

Secondly there was Blackburn's keeper Brad Friedel to whom you might as well deliver the Rovers' man-of-the-match champagne before a game against the Reds such is his astonishing form when United provide the opposition.

True to form he was in breathtaking form and nobody suffered more than Wayne Rooney.

His battle was summed up in the 45th minute when, after being flagged offside, he tried a bit of finishing practise but had two efforts blocked by the keeper.

Before Rooney's frustration, the Reds had defender Nemanja Vidic stretchered off with a broken collarbone in the 25th minute.

Against Bolton, when Neville had limped away, the Reds hit back immediately to go ahead but with Vidic barely inside the dressing room, Blackburn took the lead.

Changes

With United's defence still getting their heads round the changes, Pedersen sent in a cross that Michael Carrick could only deflect goalwards and Edwin Van der Sar and the post combined to bundle it out a few feet. No Reds defenders could react quicker than Matt Derbyshire.

Rovers with a lead is a potentially lethal combination, both for entertainment and securing victory.

With referee Chris Foy adding to the frustration United could well have lost their way and their heads as Blackburn's tactics brought them to the boil.

In '93, Wednesday's time-wasting tactics angered Hughes and Co and incensed Old Trafford, then a substitute ref came on and awarded a penalty immediately to help put the Owls ahead after an hour.

The player personnel may have changed but the bloody-mindedness mixed with quality that has seen so many United sides overturn adversity came to the fore again.

Once Paul Scholes magnificently took the roof off Old Trafford in the 61st minute with his combination of feints, quick feet and cool execution you sensed Blackburn's game was up.

Any time-wasting from then on from Rovers was going to be purely to keep the score down as Carrick's brilliant pass into the net after 73 minutes, Ji-sung Park's poach after 82 and Ole Solskjaer's customary clinical drive produced an immense final half hour.

Now to conquer Rome.

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