Fergie set his stall out with a simple 4-4-2 with Berbatov and an apparently fit enough Wayne Rooney leading the line. Giggs and Valencia were on either wing with Carrick and Scholes holding the middle. O’Shea continued at right back, with Evra on the left and the usual pairing of Vidic and Ferdinand making up a typical back four in front of Edwin van der Sar. It looked like we were there to attack.

But we didn’t. In fact, the lads didn’t do much of anything. The first half didn’t produce much either way and the ref was questionable to say the least in his decision making but as the teams left the field at half time, the atmosphere was hotting up and you expected something to happen after such a dull display.

Liverpool started the second half on the front foot and quickly the match began to play out just as the last one had ended. Nothing was changing. In seems unfair to single anyone out for criticism because everyone played so badly.

Carrick and Scholes were completely over run in the middle of the park and their passing was woeful. I don’t remember Carrick making a successful forward pass in the entire game and Scholes struggled to keep up with the pace at times.

John O’Shea was guilty of who knows how many dodgy passes, Vidic was sent off for the third time in as many games against the same opposition and Ferdinand was once again involved in poor defending which cost the team dear.

Up front, Rooney and Berbatov received little service and were both relatively quiet. Rooney was perhaps still feeling the effects of his recent injury but stayed on the pitch the full ninety minutes. I don’t know whether it’s his reputation going before him, but I was particularly disappointed with Berbatov. The Liverpool attackers were hardly ever standstill. In comparison, Berbatov seemed to be barely moving.

Liverpool took the lead when Yossi Benayoun sliced open the defence which was holding a very high line leaving Torres only Rio for company. As we saw in the City derby with Craig Bellamy, Rio just doesn’t have that turn of speed to keep up. After skipping away from Rio, Torres smashed the ball past helpless van der Sar.

Even at 1-0 there was little change in play and more concerning, no apparent changes from the bench either. Michael Owen was on the bench and was one man with a particular interest in doing well at his old stomping ground yet Fergie waited until the 74th minute before bringing him on for the anonymous Dimitar Berbatov.

The teams only other change also came with Owen as Nani took the field to replace Paul Scholes. Nani took over on the wing pushing Giggs inside, and created more opportunities in his fifteen minutes than Giggs had managed all game. Had the winger been given more time I wonder whether me may of taken one of those.

Owen almost had a chance but as he was through on goal, Jamie Carragher hauled him to the ground and escaped with a booking. Vidic got a red for something similar in a previous encounter but let’s not go into that.

Last man and already booked Vidic didn’t need much contact to bring down Dirk Kuyt which earned the Serbian his third red card in as many games against Liverpool and Mascherano, never one to beat, also got himself sent off deep into injury time for his second bookable offence as he arrived about 18 seconds late in a challenge on van der Sar.

With a central defender missing and the team desperate to score, it didn’t take long to get caught on the counter attack and when Torres’ replacement Ngog found himself one on one with the keeper, he clinically finished to round off a miserable day all round.

Andrew Cole gets my vote, closely followed by Paul Ince. Amazing goals!

“You still want to impress, but the coaches are always asking how you feel and whether you want to take a day off here or there.”

One area of his game Scholes is particularly keen to improve upon is his goal scoring record of late. Scholes has scored once already this season; the only goal in a Champions League clash with Besiktas. Last season he scored three, the season before 2 and the time before that he netted seven times.

In his heyday, Scholes was a 20 goal a season midfielder and whilst those days are never to return, he is looking to bag a few more goals this time around.

“My goals have dried up a bit in recent years and I’d like to get back scoring a few. When I was younger, I used to get forward a lot more than I do now.”

“I think the manager expects me to stay in the middle of the park nowadays and pass to the players who can go forward and score.

“I’d still like to get forward every now and then and chip in, but you just have to play however the manager wants you to play.”

It was almost 15 years ago to the day when a 20 year old Paul Scholes made his first team debut for Manchester United. A League Cup fixture in the 94/95 season away to Port Vale in which United won courtesy of their new boy on the block. Scholes scored both goals as United won the game 2-1 and a legend was born.

Scholes made 25 appearances that season and finished with seven goals. Sixteen seasons later and the now veteran midfielder is still a regular in the first team. In his time, Scholes has notched up 610 appearances for the club and scored 143 goals.

He has scored 98 Premier League goals in just over 400 appearances and will become United’s first player to score 100 in the competition should Ryan Giggs not beat him to it. Giggs has played in almost 100 games more and is poised at 99. The sensible money is on Giggs but you can’t rule Scholes out and as he showed on Tuesday against Besiktas; he still has an eye for goal.

Scholes was once a 20 goal a season midfielder but whilst Ferguson admits those days are long gone, he’s confident there’s plenty left in his tank.

“I don’t think this is Paul’s last season, not the way that he plays,” said Fergie. “He is not the type to burst in to the penalty box any more, is he?”

On how long Scholes has left in the tank he added “It’s difficult to say because it’s still only September, but I am seeing the fresh Scholesy and the best time to use him is when he is fresh.

“He will not be playing the whole season, but if I get 25 games out of him at the level we saw on Saturday, I will be delighted at that.

That has been speculation Scholes would finish his career at his hometown team, Oldham Athletic but Ferguson remains highly skeptical.

“”What else has he got? He’s a football man. He isn’t going to drop down through the leagues, I’m sure of that. Once you’ve played for United for as long as he has – almost 20 years, Christ – what else are you going to do?

“I have read that stuff about him playing for Oldham in his last year — no chance.”

Scholes was sent off for two bookable offences; first taking down Defoe before a clumsy challenge on Huddlestone. Scholes clearly tried to pull out of the challenge with Huddlestone and Ferguson believes the referee made a rash decision.

“It was a bad decision,” he said. “The atmosphere and the reaction of the Tottenham players did not help. But the referee made a quick decision. If he had waited a few seconds he may have made a different decision.”

“It is because it is Paul Scholes,” he said. “Unfortunately, he has that reputation. He does have clumsy tackles at times. But that wasn’t one.

“He didn’t make contact with the player at all. He lifted his leg above the player. If anything it was his finger that caught him in the face.

“Overall, it is pretty disappointing.”

Scholes will now miss the Manchester derby this Sunday.

Scholes will join Bobby Charlton, Bill Foulkes and Ryan Giggs on the exclusive list of United legends who have reached the landmark which will guarantee his place in United folklore for eternity.

Sir Alex Ferguson said: “It’s fantastic that he is on the verge of 600 games. Considering he has had three or four long injuries in his career, it’s a great achievement.

“He has had two knee operations and his eye problem a couple of years ago, so he has probably missed over a year of football during his career. But for that, he would have been nearer 700 than 600.”

Scholes is closing in on retirement stating last summer he has at most two seasons left in him. With his career coming to an end, what other milestones could the midfield magician aim for?

Scholes has scored 142 goals in his time at United, putting him twelfth in the club’s record books. Bobby Charlton is top with 249 so first is out of the question. Another eight goals and Scholes would be one of only eight players to reach 150 for the club. Pretty impressive for a midfielder.

No one at United has ever scored 100 Premier League goals. Two players are currently closing in; Ryan Giggs with 97 and Paul Scholes with 98. With both of these players approaching retirement, I bet they’ve both got their eye on that record!

“I have Paul Scholes in mind,” said Sir Alex Ferguson. “He is on the verge of playing again following his operation. He is training well and chomping at the bit to get started. A place on the bench with perhaps a few minutes’ pitch time could be good for him. We will see how things go.”

Despite having Scholes back in action, Ferguson has revealed that he intends to continue with his youth policy and give some of the up and coming squad members a run out.

“Although we are now into the quarter-finals, I intend to stay with the young ones who have got us this far, players like Jonny Evans, Rafael, Darron Gibson, Rodrigo Possebon and Danny Welbeck will all be involved.”

United go into tonight’s game as firm favourites with Blackburn suffering a poor run of form of late. Blackburn have taken just 1 point from their last 6 Premier League games shipping 13 goals in the process. Manchester United’s Danny Simpson is unavailable for Rovers due to the loan agreement between the clubs.

“I was gutted when we were drawn against United because it means I can’t play,” he told United Review. “It will be good to go back to Old Trafford and see a few mates, though.”

Fergie confirmed Scholes had returned to first team training but denied speculation that he would be ready to return later this month in the derby away to City. Speaking at a press conference, Ferguson said:

“There’s no chance of him being back for City, absolutely no chance. We’ve pencilled him in for the week before the Japan trip. The week before, possibly. Paul’s doing very well, he’s kicking a ball, he’s doing a lot of straight running but that’s it.”

Ferguson is referring to the FIFA Club World Cup which will be played from 11th to 21st December 2008 in Japan.

Edwin van der Sar is nominated for the best goalkeeper award alongside Manuel Almunia of Arsenal, Petr Cech of Chelsea, Manuel Neuer of FC Shalke and Pepe Reina of Liverpool. There is no way Van der Sar is not going to win this one; he was instrumental in our domestic success and it was his penalty save in the Champions League final which won us the trophy. One down.

Wrong: Petr Cech won it again.

Both Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand have been shortlisted for the club defender of the year award alongside Jamie Carragher of Liverpool, Carles Puyol of Barcelona and John Terry of Chelsea. Vidic has had an outstanding season but Rio is sure to take this one. His displays last season were nothing short of immense and he has silenced any critics who thought he was overrated with dominant displays at the back. It used to be said that Rio was a great player on his day. After last season’s performances, I think it’s safe to say every day is his day. 2 out of 2.

Wrong: 0 for 2. John Terry won. Did they miss that penalty? Robbed.

The only United player to be nominated in midfield is Paul Scholes and I just don’t see him winning this one. His goal against Barcelona was a truly memorable moment but will it be enough to secure him the title of UEFA’s best midfielder of the year? Scholes is up against Cesc Fabregas of Arsenal, Michael Essien and Frank Lampard of Chelsea and Steven Gerrard of Liverpool. I think Fabregas’ performance against AC Milan in the competition may be enough to win him this one.

Wrong: Frank Lampard won this and that’s 0 for 3 in my predictions.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney will do battle for the best forward of the year along with Lionel Messi of Barcelona, Didier Drogba of Chelsea and Fernando Torres of Liverpool. It is surely not even worth considering anyone for this award other than the Portuguese trickster Ronaldo. He finished the competition’s top scorer with 8 goals, more than both Torres and Drogba who came in a close second with 6 each and double the 4 goals Rooney managed. Drogba finished the season’s top fouler with 37 offences and his red card against United in the final will surely rule him out of the award. Torres also clocked up a fair number of fouls committing an average of one foul every 35 minutes. Torres did have a good debut season but Ronaldo was out of this world. Another award for the forwards cabinet.

Correct: Well done Cristiano Ronaldo. This was a no brainer….

You can see more information on last season’s Champions League in our top performers list comiled at the end of the 07/08 campaign.