SOUNESS REELS FROM SUKUR PUNCH

“I’m so sad for him – on Saturday night I didn’t even think about the game because I was so sad for him, especially to be injured in such a freak way.
“But he doesn’t need an operation and he will be wearing a Blackburn shirt in eight weeks – inshallah!”, he added, using the Moslem phrase for ‘God willing’.
At least Souness can be consoled by his current strikers looking so sharp.
Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke caused their old side numerous problems – though it was former Manchester City player Garry Flitcroft who fired in the goal in the 1-0 win.
Souness said: “It was a monster win for us against a top team. It was a great team performance and I thought our front two were particularly good.
“They worked their socks off hard, cleverly held up play and showed they were top players.
“They will have enjoyed today but we looked very solid throughout the whole team.
“We were apprehensive and started in a nervous fashion but we changed it, picked a lot more of the second-phase balls up and had some good chances and caused them some problems.”
Flitcroft scored in the 40th minute, hammering home after Martin Taylor had headed back Damien Duff’s free-kick. It was the first goal United had conceded in 498 minutes but Rovers wasted several chances to extend their lead.
United are now four points behind leaders Arsenal in the Premiership table but manager Sir Alex Ferguson insisted he was not unduly concerned.
He said: “The important thing about the championship is to be challenging on New Year’s Day. The second half of the season can be very interesting, so you want to be in the first three.
“We could have scored four or five goals in the first half but if you miss chances like we did, and conceded their only strike at goal, you think it’s not going to be your day.
“In the second half the final pass let us down at times but we still created some good chances – but we’ll regret the chances we missed in the first half.”
The normally-reliable Ruud van Nistelrooy squandered United’s best opening midway through the second half, rounding goalkeeper Brad Friedel but firing into the side-netting.
Ferguson said: “You expect Ruud to score in those situations but I think he rushed it and was anxious.”
Ferguson gave Roy Keane his first outing for almost four months when he introduced him as a second-half substitute – but taking off United’s most influential player Diego Forlan.
The United manager added: “I think that was plenty for Roy. He was well off his normal form but he’s so inspirational – it was a matter of getting him out there.”