Fergie-inspired United continue to thrive in their comfort zone

That was a quintessential Manchester United performance at Ewood Park.

Not a classic Manchester United performance, mind you, and still less the kind of swaggering, glory, glory stuff that once made them Kings of Europe.

But, still, this was classic Man United of the type with which we have become familiar in the much less challenging environs of the Premier League. In their own comfort zone, United are still able to visit discomfort on all and sundry.

For the guts of 80 minutes against Blackburn they huffed and puffed, dominating possession but scarcely laying siege to Paul Robinson’s goal. But just when it seemed the game would end in a draw, United produced another of those late, late shows for which they are justly famed.

It happens far too often to be attributed to happy fate, and Alex Ferguson probably put his finger on the truth of it afterwards when he hailed his players for refusing to panic, for continuing to probe and probe in the belief that they would finally be able to land a punch.

But, as ever, Fergie deserves the plaudits too, his replacement of Paul Scholes with Ashley Young as timely as it was effective. Just two minutes later, the impressive Antonio Valencia broke the deadlock and then Young put the matter beyond all doubt with a precision finish.

At the time of Scholes’ return, I was hardly alone in thinking that it was a risky gamble but, all credit to both manager and player, the move has paid off handsomely for United. The best English midfielder of his generation, Scholes hasn’t lost any of his footballing intelligence, and his calming influence in the heat of battle has been a significant factor in United claiming their current five-point lead at the top.

But Ferguson also knows when fresher legs are required, as exemplified by Young’s impact when he replaced Scholes for the final decisive phase on Monday might.

The real twelfth man continues to be Ferguson himself, however.

Late in the game, Danny Welbeck, on as a sub, tried a fancy flicked pass and gave the ball away. Immediately, Fergie was on the touchline, angrily waving his arms and berating the young man, the player looking suitably chastened.

The will to win, the refusal to indulge complacency, the proven ability to produce something extraordinary out of the ordinary — these are qualities which Ferguson has imprinted on his team.

The contrast with rivals City could hardly be more acute. Roberto Mancini never seems to know whether to stick or twist where headache players like Mario Balotelli and Carlos Tevez are concerned. And, as exemplified by his prediction of a draw at Ewood Park, the manager seems increasingly to be ruled more by hunch than strategy at this critical point in the season.

Yet, he still has a duty to try and breed renewed belief into a team which has seen its five-point lead of just one month ago turned upside down. But, staggeringly, the Italian has been reported as being prepared to virtual concede the title should United open up an eight-point gap by beating QPR on Sunday. This despite the fact that City could reduce it to five again if they beat Arsenal, with a Manchester derby still to come at the end of the month and, two games after that, a final day which will see City hosting struggling QPR while United have to travel to born-again Sunderland. All you can say is that, if it really is all over bar the shouting by then, it won’t be the first time United’s opponents have made it easier for them than it should ever be. Not like those pesky Europeans.