Bellion handed first United start
David Bellion was handed his first Premiership start as Alex Ferguson sprung a couple of surprises in his Manchester United side to face Blackburn at Old Trafford.
With Ryan Giggs not fully recovered from the knee injury he picked up during Wales’ heartbreaking Euro 2004 play-off defeat to Russia in midweek and Diego Forlan not risked after returning from South America late yesterday afternoon, Ferguson turned to Bellion and Brazilian World Cup winner Kleberson as he looked to return to the Premiership summit.
With Giggs and Forlan on the bench, Bellion was expected to supply attacking support to Ruud van Nistelrooy, while Kleberson, starting for the first time in three months after dislocating his shoulder at Southampton in August, was named in a four-man midfield which also included Phil Neville, Quinton Fortune and skipper Roy Keane.
Blackburn were looking to record their break at Old Trafford league duck stretching back to 1962 but had to do without suspended duo Andy Cole and Lucas Neill, plus influential midfielder David Thompson, who is set to miss the remainder of the campaign with a knee problem.
Cole’s absence at least allowed another former Red Devil, Dwight Yorke, an opportunity to impress in a Rovers side which scrambled out of the bottom three with a 2-1 win over Everton in their last league outing a fortnight ago.
