Man Utd opened an eight-point lead at the top of the table following a 2-1 victory over Blackburn.
But potential quintuple winners are made to sweat at Old Trafford
Manchester United stretched their winning run in the Premier League to 10 games as a 2-1 victory over Blackburn Rovers allowed Sir Alex Ferguson's side to open an eight-point lead at the top of the table.
Having won the Fifa World Club Cup in December, United have been touted as potential quintuple winners as they prepare for the Carling Cup final and remain in the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League but, despite Wayne Rooney's opener, they did not have it all their own way at Old Trafford on Saturday evening.
The England international scored for the fourth league game in a row to seemingly set United on course to live up to Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger's recent 'untouchables' tag when collecting Nani's pass and slotting past Paul Robinson in the 23rd minute.
However, Rovers were back on level terms nine minutes later as Andre Ooijer found Roque Santa Cruz and the Paraguayan rounded Tomasz Kuszczak, surprisingly selected as Edwin van der Sar was rested, to equalise.
Santa Cruz's goal ended United's 1,333-minute clean-sheet record in the league and provided perfect evidence of why Rovers - who remain in the relegation zone - rejected Manchester City's advances in the winter transfer window.
Ferguson's side almost found themselves behind minutes after the half-time interval when Ryan Nelsen hit a post, but United reclaimed the lead on the hour-mark through a trademark Cristiano Ronaldo free-kick.
World Player of the Year and Ballon d'Or recipient Ronaldo had been correctly booked for diving shortly after the break when attempting to win a penalty, but the Portuguese reinforced the positive side of his reputation when superbly dipping over the head of Robinson from the left corner of the 18-yard area.
The three points allowed United to pile the pressure on second-placed Liverpool as Rafa Benitez's title hopefuls prepare to host City on Sunday.
Buzzing
Having gone so long without conceding, it must have been pretty galling United should lose their record in such a self-inflicted manner.
First, Nani and Paul Scholes waited for each other to collect a loose ball on halfway, allowing Ooijer to step in and dart forward.
After beating Patrice Evra, Ooijer then slipped a pass to Santa Cruz. With Rio Ferdinand closing in on the South American, there was little need for Kuszczak to dart out.
The situation still seemed to be under control. But both United players then committed themselves to a tackle, allowing Santa Cruz to calmly continue his run and tap into an empty net.
It was a run that had to end at some point of course. And at least Ferguson had the consolation of knowing his side had previously gone in front through Wayne Rooney.
The striker had scored with his first touch following his return from a hamstring injury against Fulham on Wednesday.
Handed a start in order to prove his fitness ahead of the European meeting with Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan, Rooney was buzzing about in his usual manner.
And when Nelsen stretched to reach Nani's cross and succeeded only in prodding the ball slightly nearer his own goal, Rooney gleefully finished.
Expectation
Nelsen had already saved a certain goal when he hooked the ball away from Michael Carrick's head as the midfielder arrived at the far post in the expectation of finishing off Ronaldo's cross.
Still, the hosts thought they had regained the
