United 2 Blackburn 0

Second half strikes from Dimitar Berbatov and Wayne Rooney were enough to overcome the resistance of a stubborn Blackburn Rovers side, and take United back to within two points of league leaders Chelsea.

The visitors erected two banks of defensive bodies throughout the match, but Berbatov's swivelling volley early in the second half and Rooney's clinical half-volley negated a string of earlier missed chances.

Before the break, Berbatov had a goal chalked off for a narrow offside offside, twice fired off-target when well placed, and was also denied by a superb save from visiting goalkeeper Paul Robinson. He finally got his goal, however, when he controlled Patrice Evra's errant shot, turned and rifled a volley past the motionless Robinson. Rooney later met Anderson's cross with a superb left-footed half-volley to make the points safe.

The two goals were the outstanding moments of class in a subdued early evening encounter. Substitute Gabriel Obertan, making his Premier League debut, passed up two late chances to add gloss to the scoreline, but there were few nerves as United closed the game out in almost total comfort.

The game begin at a pedestrian pace, and 13 minutes had passed before the first chance of note arrived for either side. Antonio Valencia, who again caught the eye, latched onto Berbatov's pass through the centre, but could only fire wide as he swivelled to shoot.

Blackburn's limited ambition was apparent from the off, with Franco di Santo ploughing a lone furrow manfully, but without any success. El-Hadji Diouf had
the closest semblance of a chance for the visitors, but John O'Shea superbly slid in to deny the Senegalese wide-man a shooting chance.

As the half wore on, United increasingly found answers to the questions posed by the visitors' steadfast defence. Berbatov was denied a shot by Gael Givet's challenge, then Robinson tipped the Bulgarian's downward header over the crossbar.

The visiting goalkeeper then produced an impressive save to turn Berbatov's 25-yarder round the post, but only a linesman's flag could deny the Bulgarian an opening goal on 39 minutes. The assistant correctly deemed that Nani's pass had found Rooney just ahead of play, rendering Berbatov's subsequent tap-in irrelevant.

The second half began with United predictably on top, and Berbatov broke the deadlock just as a mood of frustration was gripping the home support. Evra was allowed space to advance and shoot and, although his effort was heading off-target, Berbatov needed only an expert left-footed touch to control it, then an even better touch with his right to arrow the volley inside Robinson's post.

Obertan was introduced at the expense of Nani, but the young French winger twice suffered from rushes of blood when he could have marked his league debut with a maiden goal. Firstly, he fired tamely at Robinson after latching onto Anderson's pass, then he dragged his shot wide with the goal gaping.

The Frenchman's blushes were spared with three minutes remaining, however, as Rooney darted to the near post to meet Anderson's cross and clipped a delightful finish across Robinson and inside the far post.

Blackburn's late rally amounted to little more than a harshly disallowed goal from substitute Nikola Kalinic, who was incorrectly deemed offside as he tapped in the rebound after Edwin van der Sar had saved superbly from Benni McCarthy.

Michael Owen then sidefooted just past the upright in the final minute of stoppage time as an increasingly open game reached its conclusion, and United comfortably returned to winning ways. Two moments of class were enough to seal three vital points, and keep the Reds firmly in the hunt for a fourth successive Premier League title.