Blackburn v Manchester United – Monday 2nd April – Ewood Park (21:45)
Blackburn v Manchester United
All eyes from around the world will again be fixed on arguably the most competitive league in the world in the form of the Barclays Premiership this weekend where the Manchester clubs continue to hammer away at each other. The reigning champion’s nervously held off a Fulham challenge on Monday night to pull three points ahead of their arch-rivals who were held at Stoke last weekend. More significantly though, it was the Old Trafford outfit’s sixth consecutive win.
The Red Devils have a potential banana skin up next in the form of relegation-threatened Blackburn Rovers and the pair face-off at Ewood Park on Monday night for what should be an absolute thriller. Rovers will be looking to achieve a rare double over the champions after upsetting them 3-2 at Old Trafford on New Year’s Eve. The home team is in sixteenth position on the log standings with a mere 28 points and have a disastrous home record of nine losses in 15 matches. They were comfortably beaten by an improved Bolton side at the Reebok in their last match. However, they have proven something of a voodoo team for United in the past having held them to draws in each of their last two home matches.
Still, United have been rampant on their travels this season and racked up three points in fine style with an emphatic 5-0 thumping of Wolves in their last away match. The Red Devils have won 11 of their 15 away matches this season and lost just once whilst conceding the fewest away goals. Wayne Rooney has heeded his manager’s call to reach the 40 goal mark in all competitions and Monday night’s match-winner against Fulham took his premiership tally to 22, four short of current man of the season, Robin Van Persie of Arsenal. That coupled with the form of both the pensioners, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes as well as Antonio Valencia have made United a real force on the road this season. Their defence has improved significantly and Jonny Evans has been instrumental at the back whilst previously under fire goalkeeper David de Gea has come to the party over the past few months.
Rovers, despite having that shocking home record, rise to the occasion against the champions and have their own potential match-winners in the form of Canadian Junior Hoilett and Nigerian Aiyegbeni Yakubu. The pair have proven a stiff test for most premiership defences this season and Evans and company will have to concentrate hard to shut them out.
The hosts have conceded 27 goals in the league at home this season and have only managed 22. Those stats aren’t enough to scare away the visitors who themselves have scored 34 goals on their travels. Although I expect a spirited performance from Rovers due to their plight, they do come up against a prolific United side on the road and The Red Devils should claim all three points in their march for an unprecedented 20th English Premiership title.
