Ferguson's praise for 'fantastic' Scholes

Sir Alex Ferguson hailed the “fantastic” performance of Paul Scholes as Manchester United stormed into the Worthington Cup Final.

They now meet their greatest rivals Liverpool in Cardiff’s Millennium Stadium on March 2 in a game Fergie claimed “would be massive even if we played them at tiddlywinks”.

The last time United featured in the League Cup final was in 1994 and the last time they won it was 11 years ago against Nottingham Forest when only Roy Keane - then with Forest – of the current squad was on the pitch that day at Wembley.

Now United have the chance to win the first of what they confidently believe can be a four-trophy haul this season.

Scholes grabbed two after Andy Cole had put the holders ahead, with Ruud van Nistelrooy adding the third from the spot.

Scholes, now with seven in six matches and a career-best-equalling 14 now for the season, was named man of the match.

Ferguson said: “They just couldn’t control Paul Scholes, particularly in the first half.

“Paul has settled into the positions we know he is good at, he’s always been given the licence to be that extra player to get into the box and he’s matured, he’s been fantastic this season.

“Maturity brings a lot of things – understanding and a realisation of what he is good at.”

It will be United’s first final in four years, and Ferguson added: “That is too long for us, and we are delighted.

“We have always looked at the League Cup as an extra to blood young players, but the format now has encouraged teams to have a go.

“Teams in Europe get a bye to the third round, then we got two home draws and that encouraged us to go for it.

“We’ve played Liverpool once in Cardiff – in the Charity Shield – and lost so I hope this time it will be a different result.

“But Liverpool-Manchester United games are always fantastic. You can’t dismiss the magnitude of games like that, it doesn’t matter if we were playing them at tiddlywinks it would still be a great competition. It will be a great final.”

Blackburn boss Graeme Souness questioned the legality of Scholes’ first goal that had a suggestion of handball, but was magnanimous in defeat.

He said: “Scholes may have controlled it with his arm or shoulder, but we can’t really complain.

“There’s no disgrace in losing to a team of that quality. They are a great side.

“I always felt we needed to score more than one against them to go through, and that proved correct.

“We didn’t deal with Paul Scholes. He’s a very, very special player particularly playing in that position behind the frontmen.”

Rovers have also lost the highly influential Damian Duff with another hamstring injury, the Irishman limping off in the first half.

Souness said: “That’s a double whammy for us. Damian has got another hamstring and losing him is frankly worse than losing a semi-final.

“He has been bothered by it all season. We’ve been watching him in training this week and he’s been on fire, now we have lost him again.”

The Scot could even see the funny side of his second-half touchline rant when van Nistelrooy ran clear for the second.

He said: “I was ranting and raving, I thought he was offside. Then when I came off I find out he was okay, thankfully nobody would have understood what I was saying anyway!

“I always felt we had a chance, if Andy Cole had scored with that late header anything could have happened.

“But we were playing against very, very top players, as good as there are around.

“It was a test for some of our kids out there, and it was no disgrace to lose to them.”