One such delivery from a 33rd-minute free-kick by Lee Carsley created the opportunity for Cahill to

One such delivery, from a 33rd-minute free-kick by Lee Carsley, created the opportunity for Cahill to unleash an overhead kick, Wes Brown clearing off the line.Rooney had increasingly moved in-field, he and Cristiano Ronaldo playing closer to Ruud van Nistelrooy. He struck the first shot in anger, a venomous effort from 30 yards which Nigel Martyn did well to parry after eight minutes, and soon made the first heavy challenge, sparking a bout of “handbags” by cutting down Tim Cahill.When his former admirers on the Gwladys Street end launched into a chorus of choice insults, Rooney raised an arm to them as if to say “nice try, but you don’t bother me”.He did not retaliate when Mikel Arteta bowled him over, though it was as well that Tony Hibbert jumped out of the way when his erstwhile colleague made a fierce sliding tackle.Amid all the antipathy rolling down from the stands, United played the more measured football. The 19-year-old, who once sported a T-shirt bearing the legend “Once a Blue, Always a Blue”, was booed during the kick-about, jeered when his name was announced and vilified when he ran over to the bench, with only six minutes played, to have blood wiped from his nose after taking a clearance in the face.Rooney began in a deep-lying, left-sided role, yet managed to remain the centre of attention during a frenzied start to the match. Gary Neville and Paul Scholes did not, Neville being sent off with 17 minutes remaining and Scholes following in stoppage time after he kicked out at Kevin Kilbane.The fact that Rooney had already returned to Everton in the FA Cup did nothing to diminish the rancour of his reception.

Rooney’s reappearance at Everton prompted predictable hostility, yet at least he stayed on the pitch. Duncan Ferguson rolled back the years last night, securing Everton’s first Premiership victory over Manchester United in 21 attempts stretching back to 1995, when he also headed the game’s only goal from a set-piece at the Gwladys Street end of Goodison Park.
Now 33, Ferguson’s part in keeping his team four points clear of Liverpool prompted the kind of hero worship Wayne Rooney used to join in as a boy. Substitues not used: Speroni, Shipperley.Referee: P Walton (Northamptonshire). Without his drive from midfield, Blackburn struggled to rediscover the momentum from the first half but goalkeeper Brad Friedel was still rarely tested.Only after 55 minutes was Friedel forced to make a save of any note, diving to his right to keep out Andy Johnson’s shot from the edge of the penalty area.Blackburn (4-2-3-1): Friedel; Neill, Todd, Nelsen, Matteo; Mokoena, Emerton; Savage (Tugay, h-t), Reid, Pedersen (Thompson, 75); Stead. Jonathan Stead, met Morten Gamst Pedersen’s cross from the right with a smart header at the near post which Gabor Kiraly only just managed to keep out.Scoring goals has been Blackburn’s greatest problem this season and on the evidence of the first half it was easy to see why.

Stephen Kelly, the full-back, was next to threaten in the air, this time from Andy Reid’s corner, but his attempt flew over.Martin Jol had clearly got into his players at half-time, as not only did the Spurs head coach make two changes but the tempo and aggression were visibly lifted in a team that started the night in the last Uefa Cup position.One of those changes involved Mido, and the Egyptian striker posed an immediate threat through the middle. Mark Hughes’ team created plenty of openings, but their finishing generally lacked purpose and confidence.Their uncertainty in front of goal was typified when a sweeping move the length of the pitch involving Robbie Savage, Steven Reid and Pedersen ended with the tamest of shots by Stead.More chances went begging but on the stroke of half-time Rovers finally broke through when Savage, perhaps fortunate not to have been sent off for two bookable offences, was the provider with a free-kick that was turned home from close range by Pedersen.Andy Todd, at the centre of controversy over his clash with Robin van Persie during the semi-final, was generally on his best behaviour, while Savagewas replaced at the interval by Tugay. The Premiership’s exit door is starting to open even wider for Crystal Palace. A dismal run which has produced only one point from their last five games rarely looked like ending last night at Ewood Park. Norwich City (4-4-2): Green; Helveg, Fleming, Shackell, Drury; Bentley (Holt, 88), Francis, Safri, Huckerby (Jonson 46); Ashton, McKenzie (Svensson, 82) Substitutes not used: Ward (gk), Edworthy. Substitutes not used: Harper (gk), Ramage.Referee: A Marriner (W Midlands)..