Team news

Manchester United preview
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is facing a defensive headache ahead of the Barclays Premier League match against Blackburn at Old Trafford.

Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand are both doubtful with calf problems and Gary Neville is suspended.

Ryan Giggs also has a knock and Danny Welbeck, who scored in the Carling Cup victory against Barnsley in midweek, is sidelined with a knee injury.

Darren Fletcher and Ji-Sung Park remain absent with groin and knee injuries respectively.

Blackburn, whose squad have been struck by swine flu, have lost all four games on the road in the league this season.

Rovers were thrashed 5-0 by Chelsea at the weekend although, like United, they progressed in the cup at the expense of Peterborough, managed by Ferguson's son Darren.

Ferguson said: "I spoke to Sam (Allardyce) before the Chelsea game and he had concerns about the flu.

"He had players missing but David Dunn was back during the week and maybe others will be fit. Flu does happen but so far we are okay.

"I am not sure what kind of team Sam will be able to pick but it will be a hard game as it is a local derby.

"While I am told they have a poor away record, I think Sam has had to build a different team."

Blackburn preview
Jason Roberts is the latest Blackburn player to come down with suspected swine flu ahead of the clash.

The striker did not report to training this morning and is almost certain to miss the encounter.

One player also thought to have suffered with the virus is David Dunn, but the midfielder looked to be in good health when he came off the bench against Peterborough in the Carling Cup on Tuesday night, and is set to play again.

Another is Chris Samba, who is back in training but unlikely to feature as he is still feeling weak.

Pascal Chimbonda returns having recovered from his calf injury and Vince Grella is back in training after his thigh problem, but is unlikely to appear for the first team until next week.

Blackburn go into Saturday's match having failed to pick up a point in their last nine away league games and Allardyce has called for a greater mental strength from his team.

"It's about the mentality of the players and we have to have the same desire to compete against the opposition away from home as we do at home," he said.

"We just seem to stand off the opposition, whereas at home we are all over them like a rash.

Man Utd vs Blackburn

Last modified 12:04 02/11/09

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The most relieved man inside Old Trafford was sat in the directors' box as Dimitar Berbatov served notice that he can become Manchester United's new talisman.

United co-chairman Avram Glazer was in the house as Berbatov conjured up the kind of magical strike that prompted Sir Alex Ferguson to go all the way to £30m to prise the Bulgarian striker away from Spurs 16 months ago.

But until that 55th-minute opener it had been an evening of toil for the champions.

Wayne Rooney finished Blackburn off with a finish of equal class three minutes from time.

But even an American raised on gridiron would have been able to relate to the concern United's fans have been harbouring all season - that without Cristiano Ronaldo the Reds are a shadow of their former selves.

Malcolm Glazer's eldest son would have been grateful for Berbatov to spare him the prospect of telling the family back in Florida that the £80m raised from the sale of Ronaldo must be spent on reinforcements rather than debt reduction.

This was the kind of game that cried out for the individual brilliance of Ronaldo.

Sam Allardyce's side had lost nine successive games away from Ewood Park going back to March and had conceded 30 goals in the process.

They had been hit for six at Arsenal and five at Chelsea, so the Rovers boss packed his team deep inside their own half and challenged United to find a way through.

It was Berbatov who looked United's most likely saviour from early in the game.

Only a last-ditch tackle by Pascal Chimbonda thwarted him from making the most of a rare yard of space in the visitors' penalty area.

And 30 seconds later Berbatov met Antonio Valencia's cross with a forceful downward header that leapt up off the turf and was turned over by Paul Robinson.

Blackburn's keeper denied Berbatov again when he marched onto Rooney's short pass to unleash a 25-yard drive that was tipped behind.

 The Bulgarian's misfortune continued when he walked the ball into the net only to discover that Rooney had strayed offside before crossing.

And when Berbatov read Rooney's clever flick only to blaze his shot high and wide it looked like the breakthrough would never come.

But Berbatov was rewarded for his patience after the break.

There was a touch of desperation about Patrice Evra's sliced shot, but Berbatov flicked up the misdirected effort and swivelled to send a volley past Robinson from 12 yards.

"It was a great finish and I thought that goal would settle the game for us because I knew we would create more chances," said Ferguson.

"We were getting concerned but we didn't panic. We know from experience that you need patience in these games.

Gabriel Obertan wasted two glorious chances after being sent on for his debut.

But Rooney made no mistake when Anderson picked out his near-post run and he beat Robinson with a half-volley that reeked of class.

Last week Blackburn were floored by swine flu. This time they had another reason for feeling pig sick.

Rovers should have been rewarded for their persistence in the 90th minute, but substitute Nikola Kalinicís effort was ruled out by a dire offside decision.

Allardyce said: "It was the right result, but once again an incorrect decision has gone against us.

"Niko wasn't even level. He was behind United's last defender, who was lying on the floor, so there is no excuse.

"Iím not saying it would have changed the result, but it could have changed the course of the game completely for the four minutes of injury time."