Manchester United 4 Blackburn Rovers 0 - Peter White's big match verdict

LONG after Old Trafford had emptied and Blackburn Rovers' travelling fans had been put out of their misery by the welcome sound of the final whistle, the burning question of the day still rankled.

Did Rovers ask for what they got, by changing tactics to a formation which seemed more intent on stopping Manchester United and left them almost incapable of threatening them?

Or would they have been beaten nine times out of 10 anyway by a team which simply looks head and shoulders above anything else in the Premiership?

In other words, was it Roy Hodgson's choice ...or Hobson's?

Just what can you do to stop the red juggernaut that clearly has no intention of retiring from its domination of the domestic scene, while looking for fresh fields to conquer abroad?

It seems to be a choice of either going down not so gloriously by trying to take them on at their own game or falling on your sword as Rovers did. Not, I hasten to add through a lack of effort, for the players never gave up fighting what was soon a lost cause, especially after Chris Sutton's 57th-minute departure for a second yellow card.

Either way, the outcome inevitably is the same - another victory for Manchester United.

Hodgson defended his tactics afterwards and you could see why he started with the team he did. But Alex Ferguson had an extra trick or two up his sleeve, going with three front runners to ensure that if the goal threat was stemmed in one quarter it would pop up in another. At 0-0 - for 17 short minutes - Rovers' five-man midfield was okay, though Sutton was expected to perform a superhuman role as he was rarely given enough support.

But it had handed the initiative to United and, after going a goal behind, it was reasonable to assume things would change at the latest by the interval. For there had been little evidence of Rovers producing the attacking threat to get back into it.

When Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored a second superbly-taken goal just minutes after the turnaround, the game was up for Rovers.

Yet still they didn't change and soon it was too late to matter.

With more than half an hour to go, Rovers trailing 3-0 and down to 10 men it was a nightmare scenario.

Yet, brightened by the introduction of Lars Bohinen and Kevin Gallacher, they actually looked capable of getting a goal back. Credit to them for the spirit they showed when the odds were long on a real hammering - though four was bad enough.

And Bohinen's contribution suggested that, if Rovers are to play a five-man midfield in future, then he should be part of it as arguably the best of their 'flair' players and capable of getting forward quickly and often enough to provide attacking support.

In some ways, it was a bizarre afternoon. Tim Flowers survived making a hash of a couple of punches and was beaten four times - twice by his own defenders!

Yet he made some outstanding saves and, but for him, the margin could easily have been greater.

Sutton, I am sure, was a victim of his own frustration, as he got little sympathy from the referee despite being fouled on several occasions and had to play an unenviable role.

He committed two fouls that would bring cautions from most referees in this card-happy age and so had to go. But, having said that, the victim of his second challenge Nicky Butt was fortunate himself to be still on the field after an awful foul on Tim Sherwood. Still, what would a Rovers-United game be without a bit of needle?

It actually all began rather quietly, which was to Rovers' advantage. But once United were ahead in the 17th minute, you suspected the worst.

There was a suggestion of handling in the build-up but nothing given and Solskjaer swapped passes with Teddy Sheringham to control the return superbly before clipping it past Flowers.

Great tackles at both ends, by the excellent Henning Berg on Sutton, and Tore Pedersen and Gary Croft for Rovers prevented further goals, while Andy Cole had a close-range effort ruled out for offside.

It was all a bit anti-climactic and, when Sheringham flicked on a long ball for Solskjaer to drive home a beauty seven minutes into the second half, no-one was in any doubt about the eventual winners.

Especially when Flowers had to be brilliant to keep out Solskjaer and Sheringham with a fabulous double save.

Sutton's dismissal emphasised that and, while Rovers were in the throes of planning to send on another attacker, United grabbed a third.

A sweeping crossfield ball found Phil Neville free and his low driven cross went in off Stephane Henchoz as the defender tried to keep Cole at bay. How bad was it going to be? Thankfully Rovers rallied and Kevin Gallacher had a great chance from Bohinen's prompting but Peter Schmeichel made a flying save.

Another substitute Damien Duff was also close with a back-post header but it was too little too late and, in any case, United were still making chances.

Flowers and Jeff Kenna in turn denied Cole, who also missed a sitter in stoppage time, but, in between, the home team's superiority was hammered home by another own goal.

Brian McClair played a through ball that was never going to reach its intended destination when Kenna stepped in to try to steer it back to Flowers only to wrongfoot his keeper.

That summed up Rovers in some respects - wrongfooted from the start. It was tough for the defenders who had few outlets when they won the ball and, in midfield, they conceded possession too easily and too often which doesn't help when you are playing against the best whatever your tactics.

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