Manchester, Nov 23: Manchester United beat Blackburn Rovers 2-1 in the English premier league.
Champions Manchester United took provisional top slot in the premier league on Saturday (November 22) after beating Blackburn Rovers 2-1 in an early kickoff. Ruud van Nistelrooy, who scored a hat-trick in the Netherlands' 6-0 midweek demolition of Scotland in a Euro 2004 playoff, gave United a 24th-minute lead and Brazilian midfielder Kleberson notched his first for the club minutes later.
United's lead, built on two assists by South African midfielder Quinton Fortune, was narrowed by Australian Brett Emerton in a swift 62nd minute counter-attack as Rovers showed a marked improvement in the second half. Blackburn should have pulled one back 10 minutes earlier, but Dwight Yorke's goal was unfairly disallowed for offside.


But United dug in for a win that gave them 31 points, one more than Arsenal, who were playing later at Birmingham City, and two clear of Chelsea, who were away to Southampton.


Bureau Report