09/11/2007 13:37, Report by Ben Hibbs
Rovers can break big four
To quantify the threat posed by Blackburn Rovers at Old Trafford on Sunday, Sir Alex Ferguson believes Mark Hughes’ men could be the team to break the four-strong monopoly at the top of the Premier League.
Blackburn are among the top-flight’s form sides. Rovers are five points behind the Reds with a game in hand. Like United, they have lost just once so far this term, but they remain unbeaten away from home.
They have taken points off Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool already. Mark Hughes’ side are not to be taken lightly.
“Blackburn’s form makes it a really tough game for us on Sunday,” said Sir Alex. “They have been absolutely tremendous this season.
“I think they can challenge the top four,” he added. “What they are showing at the moment is that nobody turns them over. They’ve drawn with Liverpool and Arsenal at home, and going away they are a handful, too.”
Hughes is in his fourth season at Ewood Park, where he has gradually built a team based around his own fundamental principles as a player – physically powerful, determined, but with no shortage of talent.
“Good teams reflect their manager,” says Sir Alex. “You see a lot of Mark in his team at Blackburn. He continually makes the point that they have been badly treated by the media and other managers about how they play. I don’t have any great issue about it.
"Maybe three years ago there was one bad season. But you can’t paint them black all the time. Their disciplinary record
this season and last has been good.
“There is nothing wrong with being aggressive as long as it is the right type of aggression. I look for it myself in players and my team. It’s just the balance of doing it the right way.
“Mark was a determined player, and you see that in his team. He was a rottweiler on the pitch, and yet off it you couldn’t meet a quieter guy. It was like two personalities. When he went on that football field he became a warrior.”
Sir Alex this week celebrated his 21st anniversary as United manager, and he points to permanence and stability as a key factor in Blackburn’s success this season.
“The reason they are doing so well is because they have a combination good players and continuity within the club,” he points out. “There haven’t been many changes to the side, which has been together for three or four years now.
“For instance, it was a fantastic move to give Tugay a new contract at the age of the 37. I can understand why – he is still one of the best passers of the ball in the country. I watched their game against Liverpool last week and he came on for the last 20-25 minutes and never gave the ball away, not once.
“Their squad has the experience of playing together, good team spirit, and they’re difficult to play against. Blackburn, Manchester City and Everton are all in good form and you could see one of them breaking into the top four.”
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