Giggs and Scholes keep home fires alight

Manchester United 3 Blackburn Rovers 1

Sir Alex Ferguson's programme notes yesterday began with the proud declaration: "It never pays to write off Manchester United." Unfortunately for him the same applies to Arsenal. After an honourable draw at Highbury, United completed an excellent week's work by subduing Blackburn Rovers' spirited challenge, only to discover that the London side had also won by two goals in probably their hardest remaining match, maintaining their superior goal difference.

The other disappointment for Ferguson was that he may have lost the services of his goalkeeper Fabien Barthez for Real Madrid's visit on Wednesday. Culpable, and injured, as Henning Berg equalised against his old club in the first half, the Frenchman had to be replaced at the interval by Ricardo, who conceded and then saved a penalty within two minutes of his Premiership debut.

A hard-line referee might even have sent him off, but there appeared to be a defender or two lurking, and so the Spaniard was spared, to the annoyance of Blackburn's manager Graeme Souness. Barthez took a bang on the thigh and will not know until later in the week whether he can play a part in overcoming the 3-1 deficit against the Euro-pean champions.

Ferguson admitted later that it may take goal difference or even the number of goals scored to separate Arsenal and United come teatime on 11 May. From that perspective, there was gratitude for Ricardo's save from David Dunn, but minor irritation that dominant periods at the end of each half did not bring a more decisive victory. "We should have scored more," Ferguson said. "But it's a good result from a good, attacking game of football."

Blackburn can be formid-able opponents and should challenge Everton for the one Uefa Cup position on offer. What they needed was greater effort and application from their two former United strikers. Souness went with Dwight Yorke and Andy Cole ahead of Hakan Sukur, but neither seemed bothered about making a point to either the manager who sold them or the one who backed them.

All that either achieved was Cole's dart at goal that brought the penalty, leading to a Souness rant about the referee, Andy D'Urso. "It was a monster decision," he said, given that a red card would have left United with 10 men and no regular goalkeeper. "If it had happened at the other end, Brad Friedel wouldn't have stayed on the pitch. But of course you don't get those decisions when you're playing the big clubs." That is presumably something he learned as a Liverpool player.

With Real's visit in mind, Ferguson used Roy Keane and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer only as substitutes, allowing David Beckham to start for the first time in five matches. Equally unexpectedly, Gary Neville, who is suspended for Wednesday, stayed in the dug-out, Wes Brown remaining at right-back, where Damien Duff gave him an uncomfortable time.

The captain's armband went to Ryan Giggs, booed earlier in the season but now in "fantastic" form according to his manager, which he maintained with some exciting dashes. Sir Alex was certainly psyched up for the challenge to Arsenal, instructing the crowd to return the ball to the ball-boys as quickly as possible in order not to waste any time.

Beckham looked keen to be in the thick of things, frequently drifting inside to seek greater involvement, before taking up his more usual position in the build-up to the opening goal. Quinton Fortune, Keane's understudy, fed him on the touchline, then went on the overlap, making space for Beckham to move inside again and measure a perfect chip on to the head of Ruud van Nistelrooy, peeling away at the far post to place a precise header across and beyond Friedel.

Beckham was also involved in the visitors' riposte five minutes later. His clattering foul on Vratislav Gresko brought a free-kick out wide that Dunn swung beyond the six-yard area; Barthez went a long way, collecting an injury rather than the ball as Berg looped a header past him and into the empty net.

The latter part of the first half was equally lively and by no means one-sided. But after surviving three times against Van Nistelrooy – one save and two jabs just past a post – Blackburn went behind again. Four minutes from the interval, Phil Neville burst down the left flank and although Paul Scholes could not reach the cross, he was able to drive back past Friedel as the goalkeeper half-cleared.

Barthez did not look fit and on the resumption Ricardo, who has only previously appeared in European games, was introduced for what was to prove a memorable domestic debut. After little more than a minute, he was left in the lurch by the failure of Silvestre and Rio Ferdinand to clear, and dragged down Cole for a blatant penalty. There was no card of either colour and Souness was given additional reason to fume when the goalkeeper pushed away Dunn's kick.

Ferguson was concerned enough to send on Keane to stiffen the midfield after 55 minutes, and five minutes later a third goal materialised. Giggs was the inspiration, driving through the centre and passing inside the full-back to Van Nistelrooy, who cut the ball back for Scholes to bang in his 100th United goal.

The hosts should have improved their goal difference, but Dunn cleared off the line from the outstanding Giggs, Friedel denied Van Nistelrooy and Solskjaer drove wide. The struggle continues.

Manchester United 3 Blackburn Rovers 1
Van Nistelrooy 20, Scholes 42, 61; Berg 24

Half-time: 2-1 Attendance: 67,626