Blackburn v Man Utd

Barclays Premier League
Venue: Ewood Park Date: Saturday, 14 May Kick-off: 1245 BST
Coverage: Watch live on Sky Sports 2 and highlights on Match of the Day; listen on BBC Radio 5 live and local radio; text commentary on BBC Sport website and mobiles

TEAM NEWS

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says he may rest Edwin van der Sar in goal, so Tomasz Kuszczak or Anders Lindegaard will deputise.

United have fitness concerns over Patrice Evra (thigh) and John O’Shea, who limped off against Chelsea.

Blackburn defender Phil Jones has recovered from a back problem, while Michel Salgado (knee) and David Dunn (calf) are also fit again.

On loan striker Mame Biram Diouf is ineligible to face his parent club.

Blackburn

Injured/unavailable: Diouf (ineligible under loan rules), Grella (Achilles), Nelsen (knee), Rochina (shoulder)

Man Utd

Doubtful: Evra (thigh), O’Shea (unspecified)

Injured: Hargreaves (shoulder)

MATCH PREVIEW

What a difference 13 months can make in football. In April 2010 Manchester United lost at home to Chelsea and, after crashing out of Europe against Bayern Munich, then blew the Premier League title at Blackburn in a run of three disastrous games.

This month, back-to-back wins against Schalke and Chelsea followed by just a point at Ewood Park will give them their record-breaking 19th title ahead of the Champions League final. It’s been a remarkable achievement for a team that many critics considered to be washed up a year ago.

Just 17 points from 18 games since Christmas for Rovers is relegation form

Sometimes it hasn’t been vintage United. If they fail to beat Rovers but still win the league title, they will do so with the fewest number of away wins (five) since Liverpool in 1976/77.

But Van der Sar has been the best keeper in the league. Vidic has been outstanding. Carrick has improved as the season has gone on. Berbatov has had his best season at the club and with 14 goals in his last 12 league starts has done little wrong. But for me they’ve won the title because of Javier Hernandez – the smiling Mexican assassin.

His partnership with Rooney or the presence of Berbatov, who hit five in the 7-1 November romp against Blackburn, should spell doom for Rovers who are still in desperate peril despite four points from their last two games.

On paper it has to be an away win and joyous celebrations for United – crowned champions for the 12th time in 19 years (only Olympiacos, Porto, Rosenborg and Dinamo Kiev have bettered that run in the same period in the major global leagues.)

But it’s been a weird season and if Rovers perform above their best, they may just nick a point. It might be enough for both clubs.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Manchester United have not lost any of their last 10 games (nine league, one cup) against Rovers, winning eight of them.

• It is five years since Rovers’ last win over United – a 4-3 victory at Ewood Park in February 2006, when David Bentley scored a hat-trick and Rio Ferdinand was sent off.

• The most recent meeting between the sides ended 7-1 in United’s favour, when Dimitar Berbatov became only the fourth player to score five goals in a Premier League match (Andy Cole, Alan Shearer and Jermain Defoe are the others).

• The Red Devils scored seven goals from just nine shots on target in that match.

Blackburn

• Blackburn have only managed one win in their last 12 league games.

• They have won just one of their last six games at Ewood Park.

• Rovers are the only Premier League side yet to come from behind to win this season.

• Blackburn have scored fewer goals in 2011 than any other Premier League team (16).

Man Utd

• If United fail to beat Blackburn and win the league title, they will do so with the fewest number of away wins (five) since Liverpool in 1976/77.

• Regardless of the result in this game, United will have collected fewer points away from home than in any previous Premier League season (currently 24, previous low is 33).

• Javier Hernandez has scored with 13 of his 23 shots on target for Man Utd in the Premier League, according to Opta Stats.

• Ryan Giggs will equal Steve Perryman’s record of most appearances (613) for one club in the top flight if he makes it on to the Ewood Park pitch.

• If selected, Rio Ferdinand will be making his 600th club career appearance, while Michael Carrick could make his 150th league appearance for United.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Blackburn

Kalinic: 6 goals (5 league); Mame Diouf: 6 goals (3 league)

Man Utd

Berbatov: 22 goals (21 league);
Hernandez: 20 goals (13 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Phil Dowd

Assistant referees: Andy Halliday & Scott Ledger

Fourth official: Kevin Friend

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Blackburn (D1-1 v West Ham, a): Robinson; Emerton, Samba, Givet, Olsson, Nzonzi, J Jones, Diouf (Rochina 90), Pedersen, Hoilett (Andrews 69), Roberts (Santa Cruz 69). Subs not used: Bunn, Formica, Mwaruwari, Hanley.

Man Utd (W2-1 v Chelsea, h): Van der Sar; Fabio (Smalling 88), Ferdinand, Vidic, O’Shea (Evans 46), Valencia, Carrick, Giggs, Park, Rooney, Hernandez. Subs not used: Kuszczak, Anderson, Berbatov, Nani, Scholes.