Rooney rested for Blackburn tie

Wayne Rooney was not even named on the bench by birthday boy Alex Ferguson for Manchester United’s Premier League encounter with Blackburn at Old Trafford today.

Javier Hernandez and Dimitar Berbatov are partnered together in attack by Ferguson, who celebrates his 70th birthday today.

Rafael and Phil Jones are back in defence after injury and there was also a place on the bench for Anderson, who has not featured since the beginning of November, as United took on a Blackburn team lacking injured duo David Dunn and Junior Hoilett from the side that drew at Liverpool on Boxing Day.

Man Utd: De Gea, Rafael Da Silva, Jones, Carrick, Evra, Nani, Valencia, Park, Welbeck, Hernandez, Berbatov.

Subs: Lindegaard, Anderson, Diouf, Pogba, Will Keane, Fryers, Cole.

Blackburn: Bunn, Lowe, Samba, Hanley, Pedersen, Henley, Nzonzi, Petrovic, Rochina, Formica, Yakubu.

Subs: Kean, Slew, Blackman, Goodwillie, Vukcevic, Morris, Linganzi.

Referee: Mike Dean.