Arsene Wenger (Arsenal manager): "Blackburn are capable of beating any Premiership team and it's good for us that they need to win to have a chance of staying up. If I had to predict a result at Blackburn, I would say it was 70 per cent in favour of United to win and 30 per cent in favour of Blackburn. I wouldn't bet all my money on Blackburn."

Mark Hughes (Southampton striker): "From a Southampton point of view we need United to beat Blackburn. Unfortunately, there are people at Blackburn I know personally and it would be a great shame for them if they were relegated. But at this stage of the season you have got to think about your own side."

Martin Keown (Arsenal defender): "I would imagine Manchester United will put in a professional performance at Blackburn and get what they need. We need Blackburn to do the business - it's going to have to be their night to be our night."

Paddy Crerand (Former United player and radio pundit): "Blackburn will be playing a team tonight that will bear no relation to the team Brian Kidd would like to play. It's bad enough for experienced players down there fighting for their lives but when you've got inexperienced players it's even worse." Steve Briscoe (Vice-chairman of the Independent Manchester United Supporters' Association): "I will personally laugh my head off if we send them down. I don't feel sorry for Brian Kidd. I think he wanted to know if he is capable of management but to be honest, he is like John Gregory - too emotional. I think he has lost the plot already, coming out and slating his players as he did on Saturday. Alex Ferguson would never have done that. Kidd was trying to score points with the press and the fans."

Lancashire Evening Telegraph: "While there's a chance, there's hope. The eyes of the nation are on Ewood Park tonight but, for Blackburn Rovers supporters, the title race is an irrelevance. What matters tonight is that the players show the pride and passion that Jack Walker and those fans deserve. It may well prove too late to prevent relegation, but dignity has no shelf-life. Good luck."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.