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Televised Premier League Preview: Blackburn Rovers v Manchester United

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Remember this man, Sir Alex? They say he answers to the title of The Guvnor...

Sir Alex Ferguson always seems that extra bit cold-hearted with his approach to games when it comes to one of his former charges - after all, the sorcerer was never meant to lose to the apprentice, was he?

So lay Rovers all day here at [7.2]. Yes I know that's some liability but, despite United not being at their all-conquering best right now, they're not about to lose at Ewood Park this weekend for my money.

The ex-Fergie managerial brood now numbers four in the Premier League and it's the newest of those, Paul Ince (Bruce, Keane and Hughes the others), against whom the wily Scot must pit his wits for this Saturday Setanta tea-time clash.

But it's not as if the former 'Guvnor' of the Man United midfield will be doing so with a full squad to choose from. England international keeper Paul Robinson last week joined midfielders David Dunn (achilles - four months) and Australian £4m signing Vince Grella (calf - six weeks) on the sidelines.

The champions have cares of their own, mind you. Wayne Rooney's midweek exit with ankle trouble makes him a doubt and Paul Scholes is set for two-three months off with knee ligament damage. Cristiano Ronaldo, meanwhile, still reports not being 100 per cent fit just yet.

However, what makes my mind up is the two goals £30m hitman Dimitar Berbatov struck in Denmark. His first for the club, I reckon that'll see him go on and really open up for United now. Back him to notch first in this north-west derby at around the [6.5] mark when the market matures.

United are around [1.63] to back with The Draw a [4.0] chance. That's actually quite appealing, for those who swerve laying - and I could understand having a go on that and also covering the [7.0] against the seemingly unlikeliest of all scenarios: a home win.

As for the ever-popular Over/Under 2.5 goals options, I'm going to weigh in on the side of Overs, with odds of reward around [2.0] for backers. Unders isn't far off that at roughly [1.95]. The score that keeps appearing in my mind's eye is 2-1 to the Red Devils. Don't know why really, but if you care to follow that finger-in-the-air selection it'll reward backers to the tune of about [9.8].

One last thought. I have this suspicion that Ince will be winding his players up into a frenzy. Always known to be a physically imposing side under Hughes, that trait hasn't been to the fore under the new manager but he might reckon it's the only way to unsettle United. Therefore, include a Sending-Off among your selections, around a [4.1] chance to back. It might just cut up rough, this one.