Giggs helps Fergie’s men survive the rollercoaster

IT WAS so Manchester United, it was so Blackpool. It was almost one of football’s greatest fairytales, it was one of the great comebacks. But nobody will forget the first game between these sides in 35 years.

For 70 minutes Blackpool, the team who still wash their own training kit, whose squad cost just £3.5m to assemble and whose top earner picks up just £10,000 a week – one tenth of Wayne Rooney’s salary – were on the verge of a victory that would have ripped the heart out of United’s title challenge but warmed the hearts of the rest.

Instead, United’s legendary powers of recovery shone through from 2-0 down as Javier Hernandez, on for the under-performing Rooney, and two-goal hero Dimitar Berbatov saved them from the brink of disaster, rescued their unbeaten record and earned an improbable victory that puts them five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

For Blackpool it was heartbreaking, but perhaps on reflection they will still see this performance as an incredible achievement to go alongside their two victories over Liverpool that have already marked Ian Holloway’s men out as something different.

It was United’s greater strength in depth, and their never-say-die spirit, that was the difference in the end because after Craig Cathcart and DJ Campbell scored in the first half for Blackpool, subs Giggs and Hernandez changed the game in 16 dramatic minutes.

Berbatov got the first after 72 minutes, Hernandez the second two minutes later from a Giggs pass and then Paul Scholes set up Berbatov again for a remarkable 88th minute winner that at one stage had never looked possible. And that’s why United are still title favourites.

“We are a team who believe no matter how bad the game, even if it’s 2-0 down, that if we can score one we can score more,” insisted Berbatov afterwards.

“The first half was not too good. You come here and it’s not such a friendly ground, the pitch is not like Old Trafford, the ball is jumping around and Blackpool played a very good game and could have scored more. But we told ourselves at half time we could do it and we did. It was the team spirit that won the game.”

United, who lost Rafael late on to a worrying head injury that saw him sent to hospital with concussion, have now gone 28 Premier League matches without defeat, which is why manager Ferguson was concentrating on his team’s powers of recovery rather than their miserable start.

“I have to say that it’s down to the history of the club, we never give up,” he said.

“We changed at half time and Giggs made a tremendous difference, we started playing our way and were deserved winners in the end.”

Blackpool went ahead after 15 minutes when Charlie Adam’s excellent, fast-paced corner was headed in unmarked at the far post by former Manchester United player Craig Cathcart.

Blackpool were full value for their 2-0 lead at half-time, secured in the 43rd minute when another Adam corner was headed home at the far post by striker Campbell

There was always a chance that United, legendary in the art of dramatic comebacks, could spoil the party, however, and that’s exactly what happened, although Blackpool will say they should have had a penalty when Rafael barged down Varney, only for referee Peter Walton to err on the side of caution just after half-time.

“If that’s not a penalty then deary, deary me,” said a bleary-eyed Holloway. “Rafael makes no effort to play the ball at all, he wipes the player out, and it’s a stonewaller. Though maybe I’m just biased! If we go 3-0 up, who knows? Saying that, what a team United are. !

It was the arrival of Hernandez, on for the woeful Rooney, that really upped the tempo for United and the breakthrough came after 72 minutes when Nani fed Fletcher and the Scotsman crossed low for Berbatov to finish from close range.

It was 2-2 just 120 seconds after that as Giggs’ excellent ball from the left broke the offside trap and Hernandez controlled and fires past Richard Kingson.

And then came the inevitable, another stunning long pass from Scholes, superb control from Berbatov and a brilliant left-foot finish to make it five goals in two games for the Bulgarian and leave United as title favourites, even if after this experience they must keep their feet firmly on the floor.

“Let’s not underestimate the other teams because they are very good teams,” cautioned Berbatov.

“We are in a good position but that means nothing if you don’t win the next game.

Too true, Berba, but let’s at least savour last night’s game a little first.

Blackpool subs: Phillips for Varney 68, Harewood for Taylor-Fletcher 74.

United subs: Giggs for Gibson 46, Hernandez for Rooney 66, Anderson for Da Silva 80.