Saturday, 31st October 2009 – KO: 17:30

No room for error in this one. Despite the fact that Chelsea are playing away to Bolton today we now have to work on the assumption that they will win. As we are two points behind them, any further dropped points could well see them open the type of gap that puts the title at the point where it is theirs to lose.

The good news for Manchester United is that our home record is very good and Blackburn have been poor away from home (they have lost all four of their away games so far this season).

The bad news is that we seem to have a bit of a defensive problem going into this game with Vidic and (you don’t say) Ferdinand both doubts.

Up front, there is a bit of a problem too, I would say.

Rooney has been well known for his fits and starts throughout his career. He scores for five consecutive games and then doesn’t come close for five.

Berbatov does everything well except score.

Michael Owen is supposedly the man who can’t be expected to play for 90 minutes without requiring some kind of knee-surgery at half-time.

As much as I love both Berby and Rooney, I think this is the game to drop one of them and give Michael Owen a starting berth. He is 29 years old (one year older than Berby). He is not some old fogey we have scouted from the local retirement homes. He has a good 3-4 top level years ahead of him.

The obvious choice is Berby but I think leaving Rooney out would be the better option. There’s something about Berby and Owen up-front that strikes a chord for me.

Blackburn’s record against us has not been particularly great in recent years although they have caused the occasional upset. Their main problem at the moment seems to be with the swine flu that has affected several of their players recently.

We should win this one and the odds (around 1.20 at best) suggest that it will be a convincing win.

It’s tricky to know what to do with this one because we are capable of winning this by a good couple of goals but with the defensive problems, you would not put it past Blackburn grabbing at least one goal of their own.

The price on United in the -1.5 Asian Handicap looks a bit skinny to me (around 1.70 at best) so I am going to have a small bet on Blackburn in a similar market.

The bet is 3 points Blackburn +2.0 @ 1.83 with Stan James.

A fairly comfortable win for United in the end which, with a bit more luck in front of goal could have been more convincing.

Fergie decided to go with Berbatov and Rooney up front and a quick glance at the scorers shows that it was justified although Owen did come on late on, had a glorious chance but pulled it about a foot wide of the post.

Although my bet was declared “Void” as Blackburn effectively drew on the Asian Handicap, I still wouldn’t have liked to have taken United in the -1.5 goal handicap here as again we huffed and puffed to get that second and Blackburn themselves had a perfectly legitimate goal ruled offside in the closing minutes which would have also made such a bet a loser.

Overall, a solid performance from United and both goals were terrific in their own way. Only a few people in the world could have scored the goal Berbatov scored and Rooney showed terrific technique to steer the ball into the net as it came across him at speed.

So, we still cling to Chelsea’s coat-tails and next Sunday’s clash against them at Stamford Bridge is set up nicely.