Kleberson helps United's title race

Man Utd 2 Blackburn 1

Brazilian World Cup winner Kleberson repaid Sir Alex Ferguson’s decision to offer him a surprise start by maintaining Manchester United’s title drive with his first Red Devils goal.

The midfielder had done little in three appearances before dislocating his shoulder against Southampton in August to suggest he was worthy of a place in the Red Devils’ side, but not for the first time, Ferguson’s faith was proved totally justified.

In front of a record Premiership crowd, an unconvincing United were leading thanks to Ruud van Nistelrooy’s first league goal in open play for almost two months when Kleberson swept home a first-time effort from Quinton Fortune’s lay-off which ultimately sent them back to the top of the table.

Victory was not achieved without a struggle as Brett Emerton made Gary Neville and Rio Ferdinand pay for miserable close range misses with a second-half effort for Rovers but it could not stop United maintaining the pressure on title rivals Arsenal and Chelsea.

Kleberson was not the only unfamiliar face in the home line-up. David Bellion was also given his first league start as Ferguson opted to leave Ryan Giggs and Diego Forlan on the bench after their international exertions in midweek.

Given the two-week break since their win over Liverpool and a strange formation which saw Van Nistelrooy largely isolated up front, it was little wonder they started so sluggishly.

Blackburn’s failure to impress was rather more worrying as it suggested their current position just above the relegation zone is not a false one.

Graeme Souness could point to the absence of suspended duo Andy Cole and Lucas Neill, plus the loss of Lorenzo Amoruso and David Thompson to injury but the failure to get hold of the game in midfield was alarming given the lack of fluency in the home ranks.

Aside from an early Dwight Yorke effort and a couple of Barry Ferguson free-kicks, Rovers offered no attacking threat during the opening period and United hardly broke sweat to establish their two-goal cushion.

Much has been made of Van Nistelrooy’s recent drought. After finding the net 80 times in his first two seasons, the Dutchman had scored just a single penalty in the league since his hat-trick at Leicester at the end of September.

However, having expressed the hope his star striker’s latest three-timer, which dumped his beloved Scotland out of the European Championships in midweek, would provide the impetus for another impressive domestic scoring burst, Ferguson would have been delighted at Van Nistelrooy’s 22nd-minute opener.

Having laid off the initial pass from Gary Neville’s throw, the Dutchman continued his run into the area, where he met Quinton Fortune’s return ball completely unmarked.

The offside appeals were fruitless and Van Nistelrooy wasted no time in belting his volley past Brad Friedel.

If the opening goal was brutal in its power, the second was magical in its skill.

In seven swift passes, United transferred the ball from one end of the field to the other, Van Nistelrooy racing onto Roy Keane’s lofted pass, cutting a cross back for Fortune, who showed impressive awareness to find Kleberson with a square pass which the Brazilian converted at the first attempt.

Keane would have added a third before the interval but for Friedel’s fine low stop from the Irishman’s fierce half-volley and though Souness made a couple of changes at the interval, it appeared United would stroll to victory as they continued to dominate after half-time.

However, their search for a match-sealing third floundered when Neville lashed a wild shot over after beating Barry Ferguson inside the visitors’ area before Keane had a plausible penalty appeal turned down when he was sent tumbling by Craig Short.

Rovers had already had a Yorke effort ruled out for offside by that point, so United had been warned, and it was not much of a surprise when Emerton evaded John O’Shea’s challenge and drove home a tidy effort after being released by Garry Flitcroft.

Ferdinand should have restored the Red Devils’ advantage almost immediately but somehow blazed over after more good work from Van Nistelrooy.

The late introduction of Cristiano Ronaldo at least gave United’s attack a bit more spark.

It might not have brought them any tangible reward but it ensured Blackburn spent so much time on the back foot that they never really threatened an equaliser.