In the second half, he jogged up and down the touchline, with the North Bank calling his name. After a soporific lunchtime encounter, which was nil-nil in terms of shots on target as well as result, Wenger conceded: “You could see that something had gone [after last week's celebrations] but there was still something in the team not to lose the game.”His team’s secondary purpose is to finish the domestic season untroubled by injury ahead of Euro 2004, at least for those of England and France, and in the case of Martin Keown (who is rewarded with his testimonial here tomorrow fortnight) to conclude the season with 10 appearances, the minimum required to claim a championship medal.The central defender, named as substitute, needs to perform in all of Arsenal’s remaining three fixtures to accumulate the necessary games. But it will not be long now for Arsenal, unconvincing though they were yesterday. As homecomings go, this was of the contented, full-bellied, feet up before the fireside job – the title having already been secured in rather more hostile surroundings at White Hart Lane last week – with the complicity of visitors whose ambition was limited to containment. The “Invincibles” of Preston North End can still rest in their graves, secure in the knowledge that the record is still theirs. Gallacher slipped the ball to him and he lifted it over Tim Howard with a composure beyond his years.Stead was effectively on another planet describing the moment. it’s just fantastic.”Blackburn Rovers 1 Manchester United 0 Stead 85Half-time: 0-0 Attendance: 29,616.

“To be playing against Manchester United is a dream,” he said “To score the winner against them… Four defenders flocked around Paul Gallacher, just on as a substitute, but none picked up Stead coming in from the blind side on the left. By then, however, Blackburn had been close to going ahead through Tugay’s diagonal shot.Ferguson sent on David Bellion, Diego Forlan and Darren Fletcher in the hope of stealing a late victory However, it was Blackburn who had the last say. “We’ve had four great wins to pull ourselves away from trouble and to achieve safety by beating Manchester United makes it a great day for the club.”But it was not a great match. The opening 45 minutes were flat and while Blackburn’s caginess was understandable as they sought the point that would guarantee their safety, United’s was less so.Souness had feared for his side with his best defender, Lorenzo Amoruso, again on the treatment table, but in the event, moments of anxiety were few. Even in the second half, after Ferguson had his chance to bring the weight of his wisdom to bear, United’s performance lacked motivation.Some 75 minutes had elapsed before Brad Friedel was required to make a proper save as Gary Neville’s low cross was met almost on the volley by Giggs from little more than six yards out.

“After the season we have had I’m absolutely delighted,” he said. “But we made only two or three chances, which tells a tale of the part goalscorers play. Saha, Van Nistelrooy and Scholes are all proven goalscorers and they were a big loss to us.”If Ferguson wore his look of studied resignation, the Blackburn manager, Graeme Souness, appeared liable to break into a jig as he expressed his relief. What was left was a makeshift line-up in which Ryan Giggs and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer formed a front two with Kleberson tucked in behind them.

Nicky Butt, Eric Djemba-Djemba and Phil Neville lined up in midfield but, despite a generous share of possession, there was little evidence of creative harmony.”With the possession we had we should have done better,” Ferguson said. With two games to go, to be four points behind makes it very difficult, almost impossible for us to get second place.”In United’s mitigation, they were missing both their first-choice strikers, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Louis Saha, through injury. After Friday’s unprecedented appearance by the former to denounce rumours he was leaving Old Trafford, anyone hoping to see the Dutchman on the field would have been disappointed as he remained sidelined by a thigh injury.Saha was nursing an Achilles injury picked up in last weekend’s home defeat by Liverpool while Cristiano Ronaldo had been hurt playing a friendly for Portugal. A hamstring strain ruled out Roy Keane and Paul Scholes was absent through suspension. Nine defeats makes this season equal with United’s worst in the Premiership and manager Sir Alex Ferguson must now address the possibility of finishing outside the top two for only the second time.”Chelsea are in a great position,” he said afterwards “They really only need to draw at Old Trafford.