BY Brian Glanville ( The Times )

WHEN Tim Sherwood was sent off just three minutes into the second half after swinging an arm at David Beckham, who would have given a chance to Blackburn Rovers of saving the game? Already two goals down, they had largely been dominated until then, and it seemed simply a question of how many Manchester United would score.

Not a bit of it, even though they went a further goal behind 10 minutes later. Far from being demoralised, Blackburn kept plugging away, got a goal back after 65 minutes from their new Italian midfielder, Dario Marcolin, and clearly began to believe, taking the game boldly and incisively to United. They even had the temerity to score again. United held on to the points, but how significant it was that their fans should give a huge roar of relief when Roy Keane belatedly got off the bench to take the field. This kind of slovenly defending will hardly do in Barcelona on Wednesday week.

Keane, like Denis Irwin, began on the bench as a generous gesture to the Irish, who have a hard European Championship game to come against Yugoslavia in Belgrade on Wednesday. Blackburn were not as indulgent, fielding both their Republic of Ireland internationals, Jeff Kenna and Damien Duff.

United took some 20 minutes to get into their stride, but when they did, Blackburn definitely seemed second best. They had a very awkward moment when the Swiss international, Stephane Henchoz, attempting to head back to his goalkeeper John Filan, standing in for Tim Flowers, got the trajectory wrong. Andy Cole whipped the ball away from the goalkeeper, but, such is his luck at times, his shot at the open goal merely rebounded off a post.

United maintained the pressure. When the lively Swede Jesper Blomqvist crossed from the left, Cole got in another shot, which screwed off Henchoz, to be caught by Filan. Three minutes later came United's first goal.

Christian Dailly, in his own half, should not really have allowed Dwight Yorke to rob him. Out the ball went to Paul Scholes, on the left, and he danced in to beat Filan with a shot into the right-hand corner. Blackburn now were reduced to no more than sporadic raids, though Kevin Davies did, under pressure, send one right-footed shot whistling over the crossbar.

A few minutes later, just before half-time, United had their second goal. Beckham, though he spent much of his time isolated on the right wing, hit some searching passes. One found Blomqvist on the left, and this time Cole's header was saved by Filan.

Blackburn's goal, however, had only a minute's grace. Nicky Butt put Yorke through, and that was number two.

So, with Beckham sprawled on the ground, Sherwood got his red card, and it all seemed over and done with. Thirteen minutes into the second half, Scholes scored again, his exquisite footwork in the box giving him the opportunity to beat Filan with another right-foot cross-shot, this time into the left-hand corner. How many more goals would follow?

The answer was two - both by Blackburn. Whether United's defence became over-confident and inattentive, who can say, but mistakes were made, far too many of them. Chances were now being made by the visitors, and eventually they were converted.

Marcolin should really have scored when Gary Neville missed a left-wing cross, but blazed over the bar, before scoring after 65 minutes. United's defence began to totter alarmingly. Twice, it escaped. On the third occasion it did not. Kevin Davies and Dailly threatened dangerously, but the ball was blocked. Nathan Blake had a header turned over the top by Peter Schmeichel at full stretch. But soon afterwards there was nothing the big Dane could do with a header by Blake from Kenna's centre. Later, Schmeichel completely missed Blake's low cross from the left flank, but that time United survived.

Alex Ferguson, their manager, described the display as "foot off the pedal time". This, to some extent, he believed, was thanks to the state of the pitch, which is due to be relaid today.

"It was a good result in a way. I thought ours was a simple, steady performance with no subtlety at all, apart from the goals. Most people would recognise the difficulties of the pitch. It's not a pitch you can run on with the ball."

And, Ferguson added, it is the pitch that has been responsible for a spate of injuries, one of which, a hamstring strain suffered by Paul Scholes, seems likely to put him out of England's game against the Czech Republic this week.

Roy Hodgson, Blackburn's manager, said that he took "no satisfaction" even from Blackburn's remarkable recovery. It was their own mistakes, he insisted, that cost them the three goals.

Man Utd: Schmeichel, G Neville, Stam, Beckham, Butt, Cole, P Neville, Curtis, Blomqvist (Solskjaer 66), Scholes (Cruyff 61), Yorke, Cruyff (Keane 80).
Booked: Scholes, Stam.
Goals: Scholes 32, Yorke 44, Scholes 58.

Blackburn: Filan, Kenna, Davidson (Croft 55), Sherwood, Peacock, Henchoz, Davies (Gallacher 77), Duff (Marcolin 51), Blake, Johnson, Dailly.
Sent Off: Sherwood (48).
Booked: Davies, Johnson, Henchoz.
Goals: Marcolin 65, Blake 74.

Att: 55,198

Ref: M Reed (Birmingham).