JASON Roberts said he has rarely felt more deflated than he did on Saturday evening following Carlos Tevez's last-gasp equaliser.

Roberts and his Blackburn team-mates were two minutes away from recording a famous victory over Manchester United at a packed Ewood Park, when Tevez then pounced to break Rovers' hearts.

"I haven't felt this disappointed after a football match for a long time," said the former Wigan striker.

"I've never beaten Manchester United in the whole time I've played football and this was a great opportunity for us.

"It was a bit quiet in the dressing room afterwards because we knew we had a great opportunity to win, and maybe that's a measure of how far we've come.

"But right now, everyone is very disappointed.

"The way the whole team was performing defensively it looked like we might be able to keep them out, so to lose a goal that late in the game is really disappointing."

Rovers deservedly took a 21st minute lead, courtesy of Roque Santa Cruz's 20th goal of the season, and appeared on course to secure all three points, until a lapse of concentration at a set-piece in the 88th minute allowed Tevez to get United out of jail.

"United are a top side and that's why they are where they are," said Roberts.

"You always know they are going to keep going, and keep coming with quality at you, with wave after wave of attacks.

"But we battled really well with them so to then concede from a set-piece is really disappointing.

"We know we should have seen the game out, but we didn't, so we're going away very disappointed."

Earlier, when the game was still goalless, Roberts might have had a penalty when he appeared to get caught by United's stand-in keeper Tomasz Kuszczak, but referee Rob Styles waved away Rovers' appeals.

"I don't know whether it was or not," said the striker.

"The way it dropped to me, I didn't think I could get a shot away, so I tried to take it round him and took a touch.

"I don't know whether he got a touch on the ball, but he certainly took me out.

"I guess the replays will tell you if he got a touch on the ball or not.

"To be fair though, there were a few incidents where you had your hands on your head hoping he wasn't going to give something, so maybe they even themselves out over the course of the game."

United are now clear favourites to retain the Premier League title after Tevez's goal extended their lead to three points over Chelsea, and Roberts is tipping the Red Devils to see the job through.

He added: "I think they've got a really good chance to win this league now.

"They are the best team and they probably deserve it."