MANCHESTER, England -- Paul Scholes inspired a Manchester United second-half recovery which transformed a 1-0 half-time deficit into a rousing 4-1 defeat of Blackburn Rovers and brought the English Premiership title closer to Old Trafford.
Scholes provided the missing spark United had so sorely lacked in the first period as he took over the game after the interval, launching the comeback with a superb 61st minute equalizer.
The win sent United nine points clear of Chelsea, who just managed to claw it back to six with Salomon Kalou's stoppage time winner in the late game at bottom club Watford.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports: "The great thing we showed was the composure to not lose our heads, keep our nerve and keep on playing and by doing that we kept on making chances in the second half.
"The intensity of our game was absolutely fantastic but so was the support - that probably put us over the line today.
"They were absolutely fantastic and the players were all talking about it in the dressing room - they couldn't believe the volume of noise coming out today."
Scholes' driving play from deep had already helped to create two chances for Wayne Rooney, a difficult header which flew just wide and a low shot which was well saved by Brad Friedel, before the former England midfielder punished a rare Blackburn mistake.
Defender Christopher Samba dallied on the ball on the edge of the Rovers area and was robbed by Scholes, who skipped past Ryan Nelsen and Stephen Warnock before beating Friedel with a superbly-driven shot.
It was a cruel way for Blackburn to surrender the lead given the discipline and organisation they had shown in stifling United and taking a 29th minute lead through Matt Derbyshire.
But worse was to follow for the visitors as United, clearly sensing victory, pressed on. In the 66th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo might have edged United in front as David Dunn gifted him a chance only for Friedel to make a superb save as the Portuguese winger bore down on goal.
Ryan Giggs fired against the crossbar when faced with an open goal but United were in full cry now and another marauding tricky run down the left hand by-line by Ronaldo led to the 73rd minute goal which sent them ahead.
His cross somehow evaded the players in a packed area but flew to the back of the box where the lurking Michael Carrick was able to steady himself and choose his spot, scoring with a precise finish.
In the 82nd minute Friedel saved magnificently from Ronaldo's vicious free-kick only for Park Ji-Sung to net the rebound.
Unmarked
In the final minute of normal time unmarked substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer met Park's cross and rammed the ball home.
It was a rousing comeback from United who must have been concerned that Derbyshire's strike would do serious damage to their bid to hold off Chelsea in the title race.
The visitors' goal came from a Morten Gamst Pedersen cross which Carrick, sliding in to steer the ball behind, only succeeded in directing on his own goal. After Edwin van der Sar had saved well at the foot of his post, Derbyshire reacted quickly to force the ball over the line.
Rooney should have equalised after Friedel fumbled a Ronaldo shot into his path but the American goalkeeper recovered to pull off a superb block.
If that was a poor miss by the England centre-forward, worse was to follow in the 24th minute when he appeared on the end of Ryan Giggs's superb far post ball with conversion appearing a formality.
However, Rooney first miskicked entirely, a delay that allowed Friedel to recover and make another desperation block from the forward's follow-up attempt.
Seconds later, United's problems mounted as Nemanja Vidic went up for a header with Dunn and Nelsen, falling awkwardly and suffered a suspected fractured collar bone.
With the regulation 90 goalless minutes played at Vicarage Road, the title looked destined for Old Trafford but Chelsea, winners of the last two titles, kept themselves in the hunt for a hat-trick when Ivorian substitute Kalou struck in the second minute of stoppage time.
He met a right wing cross from Andriy Shevchenko and headed past Ben Foster.
Scholes provided the missing spark United had so sorely lacked in the first period as he took over the game after the interval, launching the comeback with a superb 61st minute equalizer.
The win sent United nine points clear of Chelsea, who just managed to claw it back to six with Salomon Kalou's stoppage time winner in the late game at bottom club Watford.
United manager Sir Alex Ferguson told Sky Sports: "The great thing we showed was the composure to not lose our heads, keep our nerve and keep on playing and by doing that we kept on making chances in the second half.
"The intensity of our game was absolutely fantastic but so was the support - that probably put us over the line today.
"They were absolutely fantastic and the players were all talking about it in the dressing room - they couldn't believe the volume of noise coming out today."
Scholes' driving play from deep had already helped to create two chances for Wayne Rooney, a difficult header which flew just wide and a low shot which was well saved by Brad Friedel, before the former England midfielder punished a rare Blackburn mistake.
Defender Christopher Samba dallied on the ball on the edge of the Rovers area and was robbed by Scholes, who skipped past Ryan Nelsen and Stephen Warnock before beating Friedel with a superbly-driven shot.
It was a cruel way for Blackburn to surrender the lead given the discipline and organisation they had shown in stifling United and taking a 29th minute lead through Matt Derbyshire.
But worse was to follow for the visitors as United, clearly sensing victory, pressed on. In the 66th minute, Cristiano Ronaldo might have edged United in front as David Dunn gifted him a chance only for Friedel to make a superb save as the Portuguese winger bore down on goal.
Ryan Giggs fired against the crossbar when faced with an open goal but United were in full cry now and another marauding tricky run down the left hand by-line by Ronaldo led to the 73rd minute goal which sent them ahead.
His cross somehow evaded the players in a packed area but flew to the back of the box where the lurking Michael Carrick was able to steady himself and choose his spot, scoring with a precise finish.
In the 82nd minute Friedel saved magnificently from Ronaldo's vicious free-kick only for Park Ji-Sung to net the rebound.
Unmarked
In the final minute of normal time unmarked substitute Ole Gunnar Solskjaer met Park's cross and rammed the ball home.
It was a rousing comeback from United who must have been concerned that Derbyshire's strike would do serious damage to their bid to hold off Chelsea in the title race.
The visitors' goal came from a Morten Gamst Pedersen cross which Carrick, sliding in to steer the ball behind, only succeeded in directing on his own goal. After Edwin van der Sar had saved well at the foot of his post, Derbyshire reacted quickly to force the ball over the line.
Rooney should have equalised after Friedel fumbled a Ronaldo shot into his path but the American goalkeeper recovered to pull off a superb block.
If that was a poor miss by the England centre-forward, worse was to follow in the 24th minute when he appeared on the end of Ryan Giggs's superb far post ball with conversion appearing a formality.
However, Rooney first miskicked entirely, a delay that allowed Friedel to recover and make another desperation block from the forward's follow-up attempt.
Seconds later, United's problems mounted as Nemanja Vidic went up for a header with Dunn and Nelsen, falling awkwardly and suffered a suspected fractured collar bone.
With the regulation 90 goalless minutes played at Vicarage Road, the title looked destined for Old Trafford but Chelsea, winners of the last two titles, kept themselves in the hunt for a hat-trick when Ivorian substitute Kalou struck in the second minute of stoppage time.
He met a right wing cross from Andriy Shevchenko and headed past Ben Foster.
