United miss top-spot chance with Rovers draw

FT: Blackburn Rovers 0 Manchester United 0

Manchester United’s title challenge is hanging by the slenderest of threads after they failed to beat Blackburn at Ewood Park.

Alex Ferguson’s men are now a point behind Chelsea having played a game more, with only four matches to do something about it.

Although they dominated the game, the Red Devils were less than convincing and Antonio Valencia had their best two chances before the break, but was twice denied by Paul Robinson.

Neville clattered into Olsson and got himself a yellow card, the Blackburn man quickly replaced by El-Hadji Diouf.

Valencia, who galloped down the wing, looked a far more obvious goal threat than Nani, who failed to beat the first man with the corner that followed.

O’Shea was replaced by Evra, then Neville nodded Scholes’ long pass into Berbatov’s path 10 minutes from time but the striker failed to test Robinson.

The Bulgarian drove another effort wide shortly afterwards, then Gibson was booked for a foul on Kalinic as United tempers began to fray and Ferdinand, worryingly, gave the impression all was not well with his groin.

Neville threw himself in the way of a goalbound shot from Nzonzi and it was the United skipper who had his side’s last chance at the other end, but his shot rolled wide.