Super Scholes on final roll
The England maestro extended the hottest scoring run of his professional career by slotting home the Ewood Park double which overturned Blackburn's early lead and prevented a Rovers return to Cardiff in March.
It took Scholes' personal haul to seven in six games and equalled his season's-best tally of 14, emphasising his position as one of the most valuable members of Alex Ferguson's side. It also booked United's first final
appearance since 1994.
Ferguson also extended his remarkable record of never having lost a domestic semi-final, his team strolling into a final few would have thought possible at the start of the season.
Ferguson said four years had been "too long" for United to have gone without a cup final appearance.
And he picked out Scholes for special praise after the win.
He said: "I thought we played exceptionally in the first half. They could not control Paul Scholes and he won the match for us.
"He's settled into the position we know he's good at. It's his maturity and he's just been fantastic, he's best at the role he's playing now.
"I think we're getting better away form, which has been questionable this season I have to say. We have to have really top performances away from home in league now."
The Scot said the format of the tournament had encouraged his side to take it more seriously this year.
"The teams in Europe gets a bye and that encourages you to have a go."
Looking towards the March 2 final, he added: "Liverpool-Manchester United games are fantastic it doesn't matter if you were playing tiddlywinks it will be fantastically competitive."
The Red Devils chief would certainly have been squirming at the thought of Andy Cole becoming the match-winner given his century of goals for the club, yet it was exactly what the former England forward looked like becoming when he latched onto Tugay's perfect chipped pass into the penalty area and lifted the ball delicately over Fabien Barthez.
Just as against Chelsea, however, the strike worked against the scorers as United visibly lifted their game. Giggs and van Nistelrooy both saw curling efforts saved by Brad Friedel but in Scholes, the Red Devils have a man who can do no wrong.
Having extended his scoring sequence to five against Claudio Ranieri's men, Ferguson called on his flame-haired maestro to double it. So, in a way, he did, bagging the first brace of his golden streak.
Rovers complained Scholes had handled in the build-up to the initial effort, although replays appeared to show it came off his chest. The second was just trademark United, piling
forward on the break, Neville exposing James McEveley's inexperience by charging into the box when the young defender expected a cross, then delivering the perfect cut-back to Scholes, who had checked his forward burst eight yards from Friedel's goal.
With the scent of victory in their nostrils, United emerged after the interval in rampant mood. A full-length stop prevented Keane's 20-yard drive fizzing into the corner, while Giggs was also denied.
The only Blackburn spark came from tenacious Thompson, who clashed angrily with David Beckham after the England skipper had a penalty appeal turned down; Souness and Ferguson also exchanging words as the air turned blue.
Amazingly, Souness and Ferguson were again exchanging differing opinions in the technical area about whether Friedel should have been sent off for hauling down van Nistelrooy as the Dutchman strode up to send United to Cardiff.
Ferguson quickly calmed down to give Nicky Butt his first competitive action since October, Scholes trotting to the touchline with a job well done and a Millennium Stadium clash with their fiercest rivals to look forward to. Who would have believed it?
In the end even Souness was move to praise United's quality: "I've no complaints about the result. We knew it would be a very difficult game and in many ways it's easier to play them at Old Trafford.
"Paul Scholes caused us all sorts of problems in the first half, but in saying that Andy (Cole) had a great chance at 2-1.
"They are a super team, and whoever United play they have got so many options going forward, they've got great technicians throughout the team."
Souness, who revealed that Damien Duff would be out for "weeks" with a hamstring problem that forced him off in the first half, added: "We gave it a go, and we're better than we were last year and as long as that keeps happening and we can say that in a year's time then we will be delighted.
"I think most of the players will have enjoyed tonight despite losing."
BLACKBURN: Friedel, Neill, Todd, Taylor, McEveley, Thompson, Flitcroft, Tugay, Duff (Gillespie 34), Cole, Yorke.
MAN UTD: Barthez, Gary Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, Silvestre, Beckham, Veron, Keane, Giggs, Scholes (Butt 79), van Nistelrooy (Forlan 84
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