IF Blackburn fans needed convincing about the progress made under Graeme Souness this season then it came from the most unlikely source at the weekend.

Sir Alex Ferguson is not usually known for his gracious appreciation of opposition teams or their managers but the Manchester United boss was positively glowing in his praise of Rovers and Souness on Saturday following a spirited display at Old Trafford.

Of course, it's easy to dish out the plaudits after your team has just won 3-1 but I genuinely believe Fergie was sincere.

And when he makes a profound statement like that, the rest of the football world sits up and takes notice.

"I think Blackburn will have a real go next season, I really do," predicted the United chief.

"Just look at their results away from home. They've drawn at Liverpool, they've beaten Chelsea away, and they've done the double over Arsenal, so we've got to take great satisfaction from beating them today."

That's a huge compliment from a man who normally looks on the world through red-tinted spectacles.

But Rovers have won themselves an army of admirers for the way they have flourished under Souness's tutelage.

Speak to the average man on the street and they'll talk of a side who can set the pulses racing going forward, but they're somewhat suspect at the back.

That's a popular misconception. The reality is rather different.

Monday's shut-out against Bolton was Rovers' 14th clean sheet of the season -- a record no-one else in the Premiership can better.

And it's that new defensive resilience which has formed the backbone of the club's late charge for the top six.

Several ingredients have come together at once to make that possible.

Vratislav Gresko's form at left-back has brought stability and, more importantly, balance to the back four.

But the reuniting of the Henning Berg-Craig Short partnership has been the decisive factor for me.

Berg might be approaching veteran status these days but he's currently playing as well as ever.

And his hint that he could be prepared to postpone his retirement plans for another season may yet prompt Souness into offering him a new deal.

The Rovers boss is keeping his options open. Rangers' Italian defender Lorenzo Amoruso has been earmarked as a possible replacement.

It will be a sad day for Rovers when Berg finally pulls on the famous blue and white halves for the very last time.