SOCCER ENGLISH LEAGUE CUP QUARTER FINALS: Manchester UTD 5 Blackburn 3STRAP A polygraph to Alex Ferguson and he might just be forced to admit that he often finds the League Cup little more than a hindrance in a cluttered fixture list.
At this stage of the competition the good definitely outweighs the bad and Manchester United will take their place in the semi-finals as the favourites to reach, and win, another Wembley final.
Carlos Tevez was magnificent, scoring three and taking much of the credit for forcing Aaron Mokoena into an own goal. Nani completed United's scoring and Blackburn's goals, via Benni McCarthy and Matt Derbyshire, had little impact, coming with the score at 2-0 and then 4-1.
Ferguson watched this unfold from a seat high in the South Stand, having been banished from the dugout as penance for angrily confronting the referee Mike Dean after their recent game against Hull City. In truth, it was little more than a minor inconvenience.
The United manager had made 10 changes from the team that beat Manchester City on Sunday and it was clear that even if Ronaldo had not been suspended he would have been given the night off.
The opening goal came from a Ryan Giggs free-kick and was credited to Carlos Tevez. Replays, however, confirmed that Tevez' only role had been to apply pressure to Aaron Mokoena at the far post. With the striker coming from behind, Mokoena tried to head the ball clear but, losing balance, succeeded only in diverting it beyond Robinson for an own goal.
Five minutes from the interval the second goal came. Nani's one-two with Tevez was fast and incisive and Nani's right-foot shot was precise to made it 2-0.
Ferguson has lost only two of the 33 games at Old Trafford in which he has faced teams managed by his former players. Briefly, Blackburn threatened to dent that record when the half-time substitute McCarthy ran on to Robinson's long goal-kick and lashed a right-foot volley past Ben Foster.
Ince could reflect that his team made it a busy 90 minutes for United goalkeeper ben Foster but it was only a crumb of consolation given the way Blackburn's defence collapsed. Within three minutes Andre Ooijer had brought down Tevez, running on to Giggs's through ball and the Argentinian made it 3-1 from the penalty spot.
The outstanding moment of the night followed four minutes later. Anderson was involved three times, Giggs once and Tevez twice, as United's sharp, incisive passing and movement made traffic cones out of their opponents. It finished with Anderson running clear, with the chance to score his first-ever United goal. His unselfishness could only be admired as he squared the ball for Tevez to roll it into an empty net. It was a goal that deserved every superlative going. Tevez then scored an absolute stunner to wrap it up and strikes from Derbyshire, with five minutes to go, and Benni McCarthy, from Derbyshire's cross, made little difference overall.
• Guardian Service
MANCHESTER UTD:Foster, Rafael Da Silva, Neville, Evans, O'Shea (Evra 66), Nani, Gibson, Possebon (Scholes 66), Anderson, Giggs (Manucho 71), Tevez. Subs not used:Kuszczak, Park, Vidic, Welbeck.
BLACKBURN ROVERS:Robinson, Olsson, Nelsen, Ooijer, Warnock, Treacy, Kerimoglu (Pedersen 70), Mokoena, Emerton (McCarthy 46), Derbyshire, Roque Santa Cruz (Fowler 76). Subs not used:Brown, Villanueva, Judge, Roberts. Booked:Nelsen.
Referee:Alan Wiley (Staffordshire).
