Carling Cup Preview: Manchester United - Blackburn Rovers

While Arsene Wenger's young guns have attracted the headlines due to their scintillating play at such a tender age, it is easy to forget that Manchester United adopt a similar League Cup ethos.

Sir Alex Ferguson supplements his fledglings though with experienced squad members.

Fergie's Fledglings

So expect Fergie to combine the highly-rated, strong in the challenge and aerially dominant 21-year old defender Jonny Evans with little utilitsed club captain Gary Neville.

It is also likely that Rafael, an energetic modern wing-back with a likeable style and who has already shown he can thrive under the spotlight (his goal at the Emirates is testament to that), will keep his place.

Rodrigo Possebon, who suffered an expected leg break in round 3, will return to the starting eleven, and players like Nani and Park will provide his width.

Argentinean international Carlos Tevez has found himself frozen out of first team affairs and may feel that a Carling Cup spot is a demotion. Equally though it can be used as a way back into Ferguson's line-up, especially as a certain Cristiano Ronaldo is now suspended.

A Team In Rapid Decline?

Blackburn Rovers... whatever happened to Blackburn Rovers? Under former gaffer Mark Hughes they were a brute force but are now a team on rapid decline. In the last five league games they have managed to pick up a terrible zero points.

They are the off-form team in the entire English league and rookie top-division manager Paul Ince has a task on his hand to turn things around, but he does have a solid team base to build around.

A result at Old Trafford, against a weakened United line up, could be just the tonic for Ince and his side to kick start their season.

FORM GUIDE

Manchester United

Nov 30  Manchester City 0-1 Manchester United (PL)
Nov 25  Villarreal 0-0 Manchester United (PL)
Nov 22  Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester United (PL)
Nov 15  Manchester United 5-0 Stoke City (PL)
Nov 11  Manchester United 1-0 QPR (CC)

Blackburn Rovers

Nov 30 Portsmouth 3-2 Blackburn Rovers (PL)
Nov 23  Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Blackburn Rovers (PL)
Nov 15  Blackburn Rovers 1-2 Sunderland (PL)
Nov 12  Sunderland 1-2 Blackburn Rovers (CC)
Nov 11  Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Chelsea (PL)


TEAM NEWS

Manchester United

Last XI: (vs. QPR) Kuszczak - Da Silva; Neville; Evans; O Shea - Park; Possebon; Gibson; Nani - Anderson - Tevez.


Blackburn Rovers

Last XI (vs. Portsmouth): Robinson - Ooijer; Samba; Nelson; Warnock - Emerton; Andrews; Tugay; Gamst - Santa Cruz; McCarthy.


PLAYERS TO WATCH

Manchester United

Rafael da Silva's flair going forward poses problems for the opposition rearguard, but his own defending may need work as his team-mates have had to cover for the Rio-born wing back and this could provide Rovers with an interesting route behind United's defence. Rafael's attacking prowess is without question though, and is capable of going on surging runs, making sweeping crosses, and has a forward's shot on goal.

Blackburn Rovers

Roque Santa Cruz has always been a threat for the Rovers. He proved to be a shrewd signing from former manager Mark Hughes and even had the Premier League's bigger guns sniffing around his services during the summer. The Paraguayan international is due a goal.

PREDICTION

Manchester United 2-0 Blackburn Rovers

--Goal.com