Manchester United came from 2-0 down to beat Blackpool 3-2, stretching their lead at the top of the Premier League table to five points.
First-half goals from Craig Cathcart and DJ Campbell had Blackpool up 2-0, but Dimitar Berbatov and Javier Hernandez pulled United level with two goals in three minutes. Berbatov then hit the winner with three minutes remaining.
“We fight like a team,” the Bulgarian said. “In the second-half we showed spirit and we won. “You come here, it’s not a friendly ground. The pitch is not as ours back home at Old Trafford.
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“Blackpool played a very good game and scored goals, they could easily have scored more in the first-half.
“In the end it was the team spirit that won the game.” Cathcart, who joined Blackpool from United in the summer, got the opener after 15 minutes, meeting Adam’s corner with a powerful header, his first goal in the Premier League.
United were furious, with Patrice Evra off the field receiving treatment on a cut lip sustained in an aerial challenge with Adam.
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Blackpool perhaps saw justice given they conceded the first goal in Saturday’s defeat to Sunderland while Neal Eardley was off the pitch having a bleeding nose staunched. The goal maintained Blackpool’s record of having scored in every home game this season.
An Adam cross then almost produced a bizarre own goal from Nemanja Vidic, his stooping clearing header fortunately for him bouncing up onto Edwin van der Sar’s hand.
United were clearly rattled, and Luke Varney teed up a clear shooting chance for Elliot Grandin 12 yards out. The Frenchman, though, blazed over.
Sir Alex Ferguson had sent his side out in a 4-3-3, with Rooney to the left, but after half an hour they switched to 4-4-2 with Rooney tucked behind Dimitar Berbatov. It didn’t stop the Blackpool charge, though. David Vaughan had a shot tipped just over, and then the second arrived three minutes before half-time.
Adam’s corner clipped Nani’s head at the near post and Campbell headed in at the back post.
Ryan Giggs came on at half-time, but Blackpool remained in the ascendant, and should have had a penalty early in the second-half as Varney seemed to be barged over by Rafael.
United came more into the game as time went by, Darren Fletcher having a volley blocked from a near-post corner and Giggs sliding an effort just wide.
Javier Hernandez was denied by Richard Kingson in a one-on-one, but eventually, with 19 minutes to go, Berbatov turned in a Fletcher cross. Three minutes later, Hernandez, played in by Giggs, slotted in the equaliser.
“His pace and timing of the runs is fantastic,” Ferguson said. “He’s so good at that. He could have scored four goals. He’s made a tremendous impact.” After a lengthy stoppage for Rafael to receive treatment on a head injury, Berbatov hit his second, after latching on to a Paul Scholes pass.