STEVEN Reid is backing Morten Gamst Pedersen to deliver another knockout blow at Old Trafford tonight after the Norwegian has been hailed as Blackburn's answer to Diego Maradona!

Pedersen has already scored three times against Manchester United this season, including a deadly double at the Theatre of Dreams' earlier in the season when Rovers triumphed 2-1.

Now Reid and his team-mates are hoping the 24-year-old can come up trumps again, fresh from his match-winning exploits at Newcastle on Saturday, when the Hand of Ped' rather than the Hand of God' earned Rovers another vital Premiership win.

Speaking about the reaction Pedersen got after his handball goal secured the points at St James', Reid said: "I don't know about stick - Morten's certainly come in for some praise for that!

"Seriously, though, it was handball but we are not going to apologise because we won.

"If that happens at Old Trafford again tonight, we are not going to take it back.

"I am sure it will happen against us one day and we are going to have to get on with it."

Tonight's tie is delicately balanced after the first leg ended in a 1-1 draw thanks to Pedersen's spectacular equaliser.

United hold a slight advantage, having bagged an away goal at Ewood, but Reid believes there's plenty of life in this semi-final yet, although he's praying it doesn't go all the way to a penalty shootout.

"Hopefully we can get a result before that," added the former Millwall midfielder, who has been involved in one penalty shoot-out before, albeit in the LDV Vans Trophy with the Lions seven years ago.

"If it goes that far then I am sure the lads will be ready, but as for me, we will have to see how the legs are by then.

"I did score one in an LDV game, but this will be on a much bigger scale."