Rafael: Clean Sheets Key

Rafael was delighted to help United keep a fourth consecutive clean sheet after the champions moved five points clear of title rivals Manchester City with a 2-0 win over Blackburn on Monday.

The young Brazilian, starting his third consecutive league match behind Antonio Valencia, also praised his goal scoring team-mate after the Ecuadorian’s late strike broke the deadlock against the well-drilled Rovers.

“It was very important to keep a clean sheet because if we don’t let them score, it is a lot easier for our strikers to play,” Rafa told MUTV. “But if they would have gone a goal up, it is a lot harder for our strikers to play.

“Antonio is just superb. He plays very naturally and keeps going and going. He is getting better and better with each game. They had 11 players behind the ball so it was hard for us, but thankfully their goalkeeper didn’t see Antonio’s shot for the first goal and it went in to give us the lead.”

In the end, victory at Ewood Park was well-deserved and United’s dominance of possession rarely slipped. Though Steve Kean's did have two excellent chances in first-half stoppage time and were it not for the efforts of David De Gea, the result might have been a whole lot different.

It was a fact not lost on Rafael, who was full of praise for the Reds' blossoming goalkeeper: “He is just top-class. He is young and keeps improving. I think he can improve even more in the future.”