Manchester United 2-0 Blackburn match report: The Daily Mirror verdict

Having faced Manchester United and Chelsea back-to-back in the Premier League, Ryan Nelsen is ideally placed to assess which side is best equipped to land the title.

A self-confessed United fan, Blackburn skipper Nelsen admitted he would love to see Sir Alex Ferguson's team clinch a 12th Premier League crown this season and record their 19th title in all.

But after another prosaic United win, while up the road Chelsea were demolishing Bolton 4-0 a week after thumping Blackburn 5-0, Nelsen tipped Carlo Ancelotti's side to be champions.

"It's between United and Chelsea for me," said Nelsen. "I think they've both got the experience and the players.

"But I'm going to throw it out there and pick Chelsea - and I'm sorry to say that because I'm a big fan of United and what they do.

"I just think Chelsea have got a lot of game-winners and a lot of players who have the ability to change games in the blink of an eye.

"Having said that, I'd love to see United do it because I like what they do. But United and Chelsea are very different teams with different strengths and weaknesses."

United take on Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Sunday in what has prematurely been dubbed a title decider, but Ancelottis's side would appear to have the edge going into the encounter.

With injury doubts over first-choice central defensive pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic, and midfield enforcer Darren Fletcher not fully fit, United have major concerns.

United have won just once at Stamford Bridge in 11 Premier League games, and in their current state would happily settle for a draw next Sunday, to keep the gap at two points.

Nelsen's assertion that Chelsea are armed with more match-winners than United looks to be a valid claim and could ultimately prove the difference in the title race this season.

Having lost Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez lsat summer and not replaced them sufficiently, United's options in terms of match-winners suddenly look inadequate.

"It's logical that when you lose the world's best player in Ronaldo, it's going to affect your team," said Nelsen.

"He's an irreplaceable player. But over the years we've said that about so many players who have left United.

"Then the next season someone has stepped up to the plate or the manager has produced a gem from somewhere."

With Blackburn showing no ambition, content to pack men behind the ball and absorb United's relentless attacks, there was only ever going to be one outcome at Old Trafford.

That it took United so long to make the breakthrough was testimony to Blackburn's stubborn resistance, but the home side once more failed to dazzle at home this season.

"You've got to give credit to us," said Nelsen. "It was how we wanted to play it.

"Any team, no matter how good, can get frustrated if things don't go their way, especially at a place like Old Trafford where the fans expect fluent and entertaining football.

"Sometimes the crowd can be a negative factor in that way because they demand that type of football, and we wanted to keep it that way as long as possible."

It took United until the 55th minute to go ahead, Bernatov showing sumblime skill to control the ball with his left foot before turning and dispatching a low volley with his right.

Rooney gave United the breathing space they needed with an impudent first-time finish from Anderson's cross three minutes from time, sending the ball spinning past Paul Robinson.

United spurned a host of chances to make the scoreline more emphatic, substitutes Michael Owen and Gabriel Obertan both missing from close-range late on.

Blackburn were denied a legitimate goal in the 90th minute when one of the assistant referees incorrectly judged Nikola Kalinic to be offside.

Replays showed Kalinic was a yard onside and had the goal stood, United would have been in for another nervy finish which has become a feature of their unconvincing title defence.

Man Utd: Van der Sar 6; O'Shea 6, Brown 7, Evans 7, Evra 7; Valencia 7, Carrick 6, Anderson 6, Nani 4 (Obertan 64, 5); Rooney 7, Berbatov 8 (Owen 79, 5)

Blackburn: Robinson 7; Chimbonda 4, Nelsen 5, Samba 5, Givet 5: N'Zonzi 5; Emerton 5, Andrews 54 (Pedersen 58, 4), Dunn 5 (McCarthy 83), Diouf 4; Di Santo 5 (Kalinic 76, 5)