Manchester United 2-3 Blackburn Rovers | Statistics & Post-Match Quotes

TEAM STATISTICS

* David de Gea (goalkeeper): 19/21 passing (90%), 3 goals conceded, 0 saves

* Michael Carrick (right-center-back): 36/40 passing (90%), 1 key pass, 6/9 long balls, 6 tackles, 3 interceptions, 4 clearances, 1 shot blocked, 1 foul, 3/3 aerial duels (100%)

* Phil Jones (left-center-back): 42/50 passing (84%), 0 key passes, 6/9 long balls, 2 tackles, 2 interceptions, 7 clearances, 1 shot blocked, 1 foul, 9/11 aerial duels (82%)

* Antonio Valencia (right-back/right-winger): 59/81 passing (73%), 2 key passes, 4/18 crosses, 2/4 long balls, 0/1 through balls, 3 tackles, 3 interceptions, 0 clearances, 0 shots blocked, 0 fouls, 0/1 aerial duels (0%), 1 shot (0 on target), 1 assist

* Patrice Evra (left-back): 66/79 passing (84%), 3 key passes, 1/6 crosses, 1/2 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 1 tackle, 1 interception, 0 clearances, 1 shot blocked, 1 foul, 3/3 aerial duels (100%), 0 shots

* Rafael (central-midfield/right-back): 52/58 passing (90%), 1 key pass, 3/4 crosses, 6/6 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 6 tackles, 1 clearance, 0 shots blocked, 0 fouls, 1/1 aerial duels (100%), 1 successful dribble, 2 fouls won, 3 shots (on target), 1 assist

* Park Ji-sung (central-midfield): 66/76 passing (87%), 2 key passes, 0/3 crosses, 4/5 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 8 tackles, 1 interception, 0 successful dribbles, 1 foul won, 1 shot (0 on target)

* Nani (right-winger/left-winger): 40/66 passing (61%), 3 key passes, 6/28 crosses, 0/0 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 3 tackles, 1 interception, 5 successful dribbles, 2 fouls won, 6 shots (1 on target)

* Danny Welbeck (left-winger/striker): 29/31 passing (94%), 2 key passes, 1/1 crosses, 0/0 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 tackles, 1 interception, 3 successful dribbles, 0 fouls won, 3 shots (on target)

* Javier Hernandez (striker): 15/17 passing (88%), 1 key pass, 1/2 crosses, 1/1 long balls, 0/1 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 0 fouls won, 3 shots (1 on target)

* Dimitar Berbatov (striker): 23/30 passing (77%), 2 key passes, 0/4 crosses, 0/0 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 0 fouls won, 3 shots (2 on target), 2 goals

* Anderson (central-midfield | substitute 45'): 36/38 passing (95%), 0 key passes, 0/1 crosses, 5/6 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 1 tackle, 0 interceptions, 0 successful dribbles, 0 fouls won, 1 shot (0 on target)

* Will Keane (striker | substitute 86'): 3/3 passing (100%), 0 key passes, 0/0 crosses, 0/0 long balls, 0/0 through balls, 0 successful dribbles, 1 foul won, 1 shot (0 on target)

MUFC POST-MATCH QUOTES

Sir Alex Ferguson | MUFC manager (courtesy of ESPN)

(Overall thoughts on the match...) "It's a disappointment. We never expected that. We've lost two terrible goals and you can't do that in games like this. You can expect Blackburn to put up that sort of fight, though. They were resilient, they defended well, blocked shots on the line. They did that all day. But if you lose goals like that it gives them a big opportunity to hang on."

(On the pitch at Old Trafford...) "We found the speed of the pitch difficult. We've had really heavy rain the whole week and it's made the pitch very boggy. It was difficult to get the speed of our passing up."

(On United leveling the match after being down two goals...) "But in the second half we rallied and got back to 2-2. I thought at that point we were a certainty to win it."

(On bringing on Anderson after half-time...) "We have a lot of injuries at the moment and I had to take a gamble on Anderson's fitness. He's been training very well for 10 days but it was his first game back and it wasn't easy for him. But he didn't let us down. He did his best."

(On the title race...) "We know we can improve on today's performance. We won't get many like that. I'm confident we'll give it [the title] a real go."

(On Wayne Rooney's absence...) "Wayne hasn't trained well this week, he's missed a few days and we're hoping that he trains today, tomorrow and, by Wednesday, he should be okay. It's little strains here and there. "

(On if any new injuries arose from this match...) "It's too early to say. There'll be little bumps and bruises but nothing more than that. This is the crucial time of the season. We have Newcastle away on Wednesday and obviously we want to make sure we come back with a proper result."

Phil Jones | MUFC defender/midfielder (courtesy of MUTV)

(Overall thoughts on the match...) "Gutted pretty much sums that day up. And on his [Sir Alex's] birthday too. We weren't at the races today and we punished ourselves in the first half. We were too slow, too laboured and not quick enough. We're just generally disappointed."

(On why United were so sluggish and poor in their performance...) "I don't know. You'll have to ask everyone how they thought they felt but, from my point of view, probably everybody's point of view, we should have kicked on from there but we'll pick ourselves up and go again on Wednesday night. The injuries don't help but it's no excuse. We weren't good enough, nowhere near good enough. We've just got to kick on from here and get back to winning ways."

(On United leveling the match so quickly after being down by two goals...) "I think that was our downfall. Coming back too soon. I think we thought we'd won it. We got one back, got two back and probably thought we'd won it. We eased off and they punished us. I knew it'd be a tough game - they came here and full credit to them. They thoroughly deserved the win as we weren't at the races today."

(On his disappointment...) "I feel worse now than I did last season when Blackburn were smashed 7-1 by United. That puts into perspective how disappointed I am. So we've got to pick ourselves up. It won't be easy but the Manchester United way is to pick ourselves up and go again on Wednesday night, looking for those three points."