MANCHESTER United's title hopes took another blow after Blackburn stunned the Reds at Old Trafford.
Morten Gamst Pedersen scored two goals either side of Ruud van Nistelrooy's effort as United slipped to their first league defeat of the season.
The result leaves United 10 points behind Premiership leaders Chelsea.
It was almost a travesty that such a thrill-a-minute encounter should be settled by a mistake, but that is what came to pass as Paul Scholes’ blunder 10 minutes from time allowed Pedersen to smash home his second and hand Rovers their first away win over United since 1962.
But if the home supporters trudged away dejected, at least they could applaud themselves on forcing their manager into a tactical change which finally brought some genuine entertainment to the Theatre of Dreams.
Disgruntlement with Sir Alex Ferguson’s continued refusal to stick with United’s historical commitment to a pair of wingers and twin strikers has been growing steadily since the middle of last season.
Frustration
By half-time, with their team losing and fortunate not to be even further adrift, the Red Devils supporters gave full vent to their frustration.
Since the very early days of his illustrious reign when he flirted with the sack, Ferguson has rarely had to endure such open criticism on so vast a scale.
The cry of ’4-4-2’ came cascading down from every side of the ground, more voluble and intense than the demands for Wayne Rooney’s introduction.
In fairness to Ferguson, this was hardly an occasion when United’s formation could be blamed for their failure in front of goal.
The trusty boots of Ruud van Nistelrooy and Scholes, normally so deadly, let them down time after time. Both men were guilty of firing gilt-edged chances over, Scholes also driving a Cristiano Ronaldo cross wide which he would generally have expected to bury.
Ronaldo gave the Blackburn defence nightmares with his direct running, turning Lucas Neill inside and out, yet gaining no reward.
Alan Smith, yet again deployed in the Roy Keane role, flicked a header wide and was unfortunate a couple of powerful drives did not come off.
But, as he was administering his half-time team talk, Ferguson would have accepted he was lucky his side still had a game to win.
On days like these, it is a wonder why anyone would risk falling out with Craig Bellamy.
The Wales striker was a menace to United’s defence throughout. The only pity for Blackburn was that he was the man providing the chances, rather than getting the opportunity to finish them off.
On three separate occasions, Bellamy’s strike partner Paul Dickov found himself in a one-on-one confrontation with Edwin van der Sar. Every time he came off second best.
Van der Sar has barely put a foot wrong since he arrived from Fulham. But the giant Dutchman sets exceptionally high standards, so he would probably have been disappointed when Pedersen’s free-kick fizzed into the far corner even though if he had committed himself by trying to cut it out, any touch would have resulted in a certain goal.
Demands
Although the baying demands of his own supporters failed to prompt Ferguson into immediate action during the break, Rooney’s arrival came within nine minutes, by which time Scholes had seen another shot saved by Brad Friedel and Ronaldo had seen his low free-kick dip inches wide.
Rooney did not have time to make an impact before Ferguson saw his injury-riddled defence hit by another shattering blow.
Already without Gary Neville, Gabriel Heinze, Wes Brown and Quinton Fortune, the United boss was aghast to see John O’Shea signal he had to come off. Twenty-year-old Phil Bardsley, a veteran of just three previous appearances, was the only option available to replace the Irishman.
With their rearguard shredded so badly, attack was the only option for the hosts, who poured forward in ever-increasing numbers and the fans responded in kind.
It was a surprise to no-one that Rooney should be so instrumental in the equaliser. Picking the ball up fully 45 yards out, the England striker dummied his way past Pedersen before unleashing a brutal effort which Freidel could not hold.
Ji-Sung Park looked certain to snaffle the rebound, Van Nistelrooy instinctively charged in, nipped past the keeper and tapped his sixth goal of the season into an empty net.
At that stage, if anyone looked like grabbing a winner, it was the hosts.
But they failed to bargain for an inexplicable blunder by Scholes, who tried to find Smith with a short pass on the edge of his own box, allowing Michael Gray to snap in.
The former Sunderland man quickly squared to Pedersen, whose blistering strike beat Van der Sar at his near post.
Rooney and Ryan Giggs wasted late chances to earn a draw United’s efforts deserved. But, even if entertainment comes and goes, football has never been a fair sport.
What is your verdict on the result? Have your say.
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The last straw!
Well, that's it for the title race..Maybe this time we will be 30 points behind Chelski.
Thats it its over united are going down hill like fergie sed we got a FANTASTIC squad in his little screwd up world wit the glazers
We are fed up of players talking to the media.They should show us their hunger and their will to win only on the pitch.As Fergie always said football is not about sentiment so OUT NOW he should walk together with Maestro Scholes,Giggs,Ruud,Fletcher and Neville.Not in my wildest dream I can imagine us beating the sort of Barcellona,Milan and Real Madrid with this bunch of players.Bring on Hughes and show him the MONEY !!
Mr Glazer - Please do everyone a very big favour - SACK SAF
speechless?
i no we should not underestimate teams but if we want our title back then why are we losing to teams like blackburn
no we are 10 points behind chelsea and if we carry on we might aswell give them the title!
Pathetic, how can a bunch of journeymen turn up and win? Easy because Utd are full of lazy, arrogant, big headed dross. Scholes needs to learn to watch from the stands and let someone with some passion for the club play. When will SAF see that Ruud needs support up front? The whole system needs a shake up and some of the sacred cows let go. However much Smith runs around he is not a controlling midfield player and he can't make up for stupid play by Scholes. Fletcher sits in midfield, works up a swaet running around in space and then passes square or back. Ronaldo looks out of place in this team, but the same formation for Portugal is a world beater, what does that say?
Time for SAF to pull his finger out or move out. End of September and the title is gone. Almost criminal...
oh no looks like the title is over for us again.1 point against city and blackburn.ithink its time for fergie and keano to go now and give the job to gary neville
Two names:Owen,Vieira.
Why didn`t SAF buy these quality players when he had the chance.
Amazing. Truly amazing. If SAF doesn't drop Scoles for the next game, then it really is a United in decay we're seeing.
It was a shameful performance honestly from the strikers and defenders. Really shameful! Ferguson should volunteer to resign if they fail to win their next match. A shakeup is needed and those that need to go ASAP are Ruud, Scholes, Giggs, Keane and Rio Ferdinand. These few players are paid too much and not delivering. Last but not least, its time for Fergie too!
TIME'S TIME'S
AND YOUR'E TIME IS ABOUT UP FERGIE GET THE HELL OUT FERGIE OUT,FERGIE OUT,FERGIE OUT OUT OUT GO NOW SO THE SEASON CAN BE SAVED
Pathetic!
We3 are 10 point behind after 7 games - I hope SAF resigns. United really need some fresh blood and new thinking.
Pathetic. Ferguson has certainly lost the plot. Surely the Glazers will not put up with this nonsense much longer. Smith and Scholes are getting worse by the week.
Goodbye championship.Goodbye entertainment and hopefully goodbye Ferguson.
embarrasing result! they will never win the league with this team
It's amazing just how stretched our defence was. Can't blame VD Sar. He had more saves to make than Friedel. Paul Scholes is getting worse. Bardsley has plenty to learn.
It is sad to say, but realistically we do not have the class to challenge for titles anymore. It is very much like the 80'ies. A couple of class players, the odd moment of brilliance - but as I remember those years, there were more commitment, passion and excitement about the matches. So let's be glad that we at least created some chances today, and even scored a goal. And perhaps we can go all the way in one of the domestic cup competitions. But, please, spare us of any talk of "we must win the next match to catch Chelsea". It is becoming embarrassing.
By SAF's very own pre-season wisdom we can already kiss goodbye to the Premiership title after just six games as we have already forfeited 7 points. United are playing (and being managed) like a mid-table team and I can see no light down the dark tunnel. If anything this game proved once again that Paul Scholes should be rested and replaced asap, RVN (despite scoring a goal) should be sold and Giggs's place is on the bench. My MOTM was Alan Smith - the only player who tried to get things going.
I'm sick of Ruud missing chances after 1 another. STUPID! Scholes, I thot u said if Mu didn't won this game, we'll never win the title - and YOU GIFTED the 2nd goal? And Fletcher, did you noticed that the crowd cheer for Rooney to come on and you to leave? In the 1st half the defence is opened wide, whose supposed to back them up - Scholes, Smith or Fletcher? Coz NONE of them did so. Van Der Sar man of the match.
this is just sad. I think maybe mr. glazer needs to open up his wallet pretty soon. injuries have damaged our hope of winning back our trophy. I will go and get drunk now.
Sir Alex, please resign and take your not very sophisticated assistant Querioz with you.
The club needs new leadership which will not pick players out of mis-placed loyalty as you are continually doing.
The club is on the decline and I will be surprised if the Glazer family allow this debacle to continue past Christmas.
does us alla favour alex-get lost
it's going to be a long season,fergie should have left when he said he would-he is past it.