HENNING Berg helped Manchester United steamroller Blackburn Rovers to a crushing defeat at Old Trafford yesterday - then promptly tipped his old team-mates to snatch a UEFA Cup spot.

Rovers' unbeaten away record disappeared under a red tide of goals as Alex Ferguson won the tactical battle over Roy Hodgson and the gulf that still separates United from the rest of the Premiership was clearly evident.

To crown an awful day, Chris Sutton was sent off for two yellow cards and now faces a one-match ban, missing the home game against West Ham.

But Berg, who joined United for £5 million at the start of the season, is adamant his former club can achieve their European aim. "They have had a bad result and we will see how they bounce back," he said. "They didn't look at themselves as title contenders before the season started but maybe they have in the last couple of weeks as they have done superbly.

"I think they have the quality in their side to bounce back and I still think they will be a top-four or top-six side.

"Blackburn felt they could get a draw against us and maybe had a bit too much respect for us.

"But we have so much quality in the team, any side coming here will struggle.

"I thought Blackburn showed a lot of spirit when they went down to 10 men and they played better as the game went on, though maybe we took our foot off the pedal a little.

"But they shouldn't take this result too much to heart. We played with the same intensity in midfield that we showed against Juventus." Berg was given a tremendous reception by the Rovers supporters before the game and he added: "That was just fantastic." Hodgson had to take a heavy defeat on the chin but he pledged Rovers would return stronger from the experience.

"The only thing that saddens me is that Chris Sutton will miss a game and I don't think that was deserved on his performance and what he did," said the Rovers boss.

"I'm very sad we have lost 4-0 but I don't know if I would have been an awful lot happier if we had got beaten by 1-0. It wasn't our day but one thing I am certain about is that my faith in the team and my faith in the club has not been diminished one iota by this result.

"It just strengthens my resolve to work harder in the weeks to come and to try to make sure that the next time we go to Old Trafford next year we will be a stronger side than we were able to show on this occasion.

"The second goal, which I thought was a poor piece of defending on our part, really gave us an uphill task and at 2-0 we knew it was going to be very difficult game to turn around. "Sutton being sent off didn't help us to achieve our objective."

Hodgson also had a rap for the high Nicky Butt challenge which could have caused Tim Sherwood a real problem.

"I feel lucky that he's only badly injured through a very serious kick. It was fortunate because it was a challenge which could have caused considerably more damage," added Hodgson.

"I was very happy to see the player get up after that."

Rovers B won 6-1 away to Chester A, with Paddy Connolly scoring twice. Peter Murphy, Paul Forsyth, Craig Woodfield and an own goal completed the rout.

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