LeeDixon

Blackburn have been on a great run of late and they've gone from virtual certainties for relegation to one of five or six teams who are in the mix to go down. I'm not sure anyone at Liverpool will be receiving a Christmas card from Steve Kean later on in the year, though. The Reds unexpectedly lost to both QPR and Wigan in consecutive matches, two of the teams Blackburn would least like to see pick up points at the moment.

As for Manchester United, if for a period they had to battle hard to stay in the title race, over the past few weeks it's been Manchester City doing the hard work for them by dropping points against teams you really wouldn't expect them to. Much was said about United's easier run-in but this is certainly one of the tougher matches they have from now till the end of the season.

Match Odds

With all due respect to Blackburn, Ewood Park isn't one of those venues that you travel to in the expectation that you'll end up being involved in a really beautiful, free-flowing game of football. Entertaining, yes. There have been plenty of goals scored at Blackburn's ground this season but it's credit to Steve Kean's side that no-one really likes having to play there.

There was clearly an element of fortune about the way Blackburn beat United at Old Trafford on New Year's Eve. Opta remind us that the visitors scored three goals from just three shots on target and two of those were penalties. But however that win came about, it will have given Kean's men plenty of confidence and they'll believe that they can rattle a United side who has once again peaked at just the right time. And so do I.

Having also beaten Arsenal this campaign, Blackburn seem to be able to raise their game against the big guns. I really believe they're good for a point here. At least. And it may be a point that United won't be viewing as disastrous either after City's draw at home to Sunderland. I wouldn't completely rule out a home win either so a lay of United is definitely the bet at a short price.

Under 2.5 Goals

It's three clean sheets in a now for Manchester United which suggests the central defensive pairing of Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans is really starting to gel. I don't necessarily think they'll keep a clean sheet here but I certainly don't think they'll concede more than one. And that 1-0 win at home to Fulham is an indication that they're playing things a little safer, a start contrast to their gung-ho approach at the start of the season. Over 2.5 goals is a strong favourite in this market but I'm not sure it should be.

Bookings Odds

This is a derby of sorts and I expect it to be a scrappy one. There's a lot at stake here and that normally means a couple of careless tackles or the odd cynical foul. Nine points and above looks a good bet at 2.1.

2 pts Lay Manchester United @ 1.4
1 pt Back under 2.5 goals @ 2.42
1 pt Back nine points and above in the bookings odds market @ 2.1

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