THERE are certain things you would risk your mortgage on in the world of sport.

Michael Schumacher winning the formula one drivers' championship, Rangers and Celtic finishing first and second in the Scottish Premier League, or the Aussies humiliating England at cricket.

But here at Old Trafford the laws of nature were crucially reversed, not once but twice, in the space of sixty seconds as the fickle finger of fate played a decisive part in the eventual outcome of this thoroughly absorbing melo-drama.

Normally speaking, visiting teams are not awarded penalties at the Theatre of the Dreams -- a sporting tradition which also extends to other leading Premiership arenas such as Highbury and Anfield.

Two minutes into the second half, however, and with the game delicately poised at 2-1, referee Andy D'Urso chose to buck that trend by pointing to the spot when Andy Cole was manhandled by Spanish goalkeeper Ricardo, a half-time replacement for the injured Fabien Barthez.

Enter David Dunn, stage left, Blackburn's answer to 'The Man With The Golden Gun' -- the man who normally never misses!

Such is Dunn's unerring accuracy from 12 yards that Rovers fans have long since taken it for granted that a penalty award equates to a goal.

It's one of those instances where you would happily bet your house, and probably all its contents as well, on a successful outcome.

So the visiting fans huddled away in a distant corner of this awe-inspiring ampitheatre were already rejoicing long before Dunn pulled the trigger, only to see those celebrations cruelly cut short by Ricardo's penalty save.

That was the defining moment in a game which had beautifully ebbed and flowed until that point, but whether the United stand-in should have been on the pitch to repel Dunn's effort in the first place remains a bone of contention.

Graeme Souness struggled to contain his fury afterwards in the post-match conference, fervently insisting Ricardo should have been red-carded for denying Cole a clear goal-scoring opportunity -- a view I happen to share.

D'Urso later attempted to justify his actions by insisting the Rovers striker was travelling away from goal, hence the penalty award was sufficient punishment.

But would Brad Friedel have been quite so fortunate had the same incident occurred at the opposite end?

One thing is for certain, whenever these two sides meet an extra-large helping of controversy is guaranteed.

A United down to 10-men and with no sub-keeper to come on in place of Ricardo would have been an altogether different proposition from the one which threatened to run riot in the last half hour as Rovers desperately chased a lifeline.

"The penalty changed the game dramatically," said a rueful Souness.

"If we'd got it back to 2-2 at that point, it could have been a very different game.

"But as Dunny ran up to take it I said to one of their supporters 'He'll miss this' because he was due to miss one. Before that, I don't think he'd miss one in all the time I've been at the club.

"I was a player myself so I know how it affects you as a team when something like that happens.

"Missing the penalty gave them an enormous lift because they knew they were in a game of football up until that point.

"They then kicked on from that point and maybe one or two of our heads dropped.

"But I'm not too disappointed overall because there's no disgrace in losing to that lot."

In fairness to United, they played some breathtaking football going forward at times.

Ruud Van Nistelrooy was at his menacing best up front, while the electrifying pace of Ryan Giggs and the clever movement of Paul Scholes caused Henning Berg and Co all sorts of problems.

But for an hour or so, Rovers gave as good as they got.

Damien Duff -- reputedly a target for Sir Alex Ferguson -- bristled with energy and invention on the length.

And Tugay's efficient use of the ball in midfield ensured the visitors zipped the ball about with confidence against a side who had ripped Newcastle United apart so ruthlessly just seven days earlier.

Rovers started brightly and should have drawn first blood when Vratislav Gresko put a chance on a plate for Cole but the former England striker planted his header wide of the upright.

That proved costly as United then struck with a carbon-copy move in the 20th minute.

Gresko was slow to close down David Beckham on the right and the England skipper had all the time in the world to size up a cross to the far post where Van Nistelrooy showed Cole how it's done with a textbook header inside the far post.

United's lead lasted all of four minutes, however.

Barthez flapped at a Dunn free-kick and Berg was perfectly placed to embarrass the Frenchman with a looping header which crept in at the far post. Suddenly, it was game on.

Van Nistelrooy missed three golden chances to add to his tally then a well-timed block from the over-worked Craig Short thwarted another dangerous raid.

But the home side's persistence finally paid off in the shape of a second four minutes before the break.

Phil Neville, not normally renowned for his deftness of touch, did brilliantly to wriggle to the by-line and though Friedel got a touch on his cross he only succeeded in pushing it into the path of Scholes who took great delight in lashing it into the net from 10 yards.

Some sides would have rolled over and died at that point, but not Rovers.

Two minutes into the second half, Ricardo sent Cole sprawling in the box.

Penalty! It had to be. But Dunn's spot-kick was clawed to safety by the Reds' stand-in and with it the momentum swung back in United's favour.

Giggs had a shot saved by Friedel, then came the killer third.

Cole was dispossessed by Giggs who strode forward with purpose before ferrying the ball out to Van Nistelrooy and the Dutchman's clever cut-back was greedily devoured by Scholes at the near post -- his 100th goal for United.

From then on it became an exercise in damage limitation for Rovers.

Van Nistelrooy (twice) and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer both had late opportunities to boost United's goal-difference but failed to take them.

By then, though, the points were firmly in the bag and Dunn and Rovers were left to wonder about what might have been.

MANCHESTER UNITED 3

Van Nistelrooy 20, Scholes 41, 60

ROVERS 1

Berg 24