Substitute not used: Warner (gk).Middlesbrough (4-5-1): Miller; Cox, Vickers, Pearson, Whyte; Pollock, Stamp, Juninho, Barmby, Branco; Campbell (Fjortoft, 68). Substitutes not used: Whelan, Hignett.Referee: R Dilkes (Mossley).Bookings: Liverpool: Ruddock, Fowler.Man of the match: Redknapp.Attendance: 40,782.. By most obvious criteria it has been a disappointing season for Blackburn, but around Ewood Park the mood remains irrepressibly upbeat. Jack Walker went on to the pitch before the kick-off, to tumultuous applause, performing, one sensed, a little reprise of those cherished moments of a year ago. There was even some silverware to show off, and although the player of the year cup handed to Colin Hendry does not quite compare with the Premiership trophy, it did not seem to matter. There was more of the same at half-time, when the sound system belted out “We are the champions” in honour of the A team in the Lancashire League.
But Blackburn are no longer the real champions and after the failed defence of their title it is hard to substantiate Ray Harford’s assertion that the season has been one from which “we have gained a lot”.The champions of 1994-95 have never been higher than sixth in 1995-96, where they stood at three o’clock on Saturday, which is a poor show even set apart from the unspeakable embarrassment of their Champions’ League campaign.And yet they might still finish with something. The third Uefa Cup place rests between four clubs and although Arsenal, with two games at home to come, are now favourites, they can still be pipped by Blackburn, Tottenham or Everton.Had Blackburn won they would have been in pole position and they probably felt they deserved to, having controlled substantial phases.

Inevitably, they blamed the referee, Keith Cooper, for what seemed a harsh penalty against Hendry, for throwing Arsenal a lifeline.But Rovers would be wrong to let it obscure proper assessment. Billy McKinlay and Tim Sherwood (and, later, the returning Lars Bohinen) were impressive in midfield and Jason Wilcox frequently embarrassed Lee Dixon on the left wing.Goals: Gallacher (12) 1-0; Wright pen (75) 1-1.Blackburn Rovers (4-4-2): Flowers; Berg, Marker, Hendry, Kenna; Ripley (Bohinen, 63), Sherwood, McKinlay, Wilcox; Fenton (Warhurst, 88), Gallacher. Substitute not used: Croft.Arsenal (5-1-2-2): Seaman; Dixon, Keown, Linighan (Shaw, 63), Morrow (Rose, 45), Winterburn; Platt; Parlour, Bergkamp; Merson, Wright (Hartson, 76).Referee: K Cooper (Pontypridd).Bookings: Blackburn McKinlay, Flowers Arsenal Keown. Sending-off: McKinlay.Attendance: 29,834.Man of the match: Sherwood.. Tottenham Hotspur’s chances of earning a place in next season’s Uefa Cup may have all but disappeared with Saturday’s disappointing draw at White Hart Lane. Arsenal have a two-point lead over their north London rivals in the chase for the final Uefa Cup place and the fixture list does Tottenham no favours. Gerry Francis, the Tottenham manager, said: “We’ve got tough games away to Leeds and Newcastle next week and if Arsenal win at home to Liverpool and Bolton we can’t catch them.
“The disappointment of it for me is that in London we still haven’t got a team to really challenge the big northern clubs like Manchester United, Liverpool and Newcastle for the big prizes.

Arsenal are the only London team to win the title in the last 35 years and it is important one of us breaks the northern monopoly.”Here, we’ve done well to be still in the chase for Europe after the start we had to the season, but I’ll certainly be looking to improve the squad with a few new faces in the summer.”Tottenham had their chances to win their final home match, but Teddy Sheringham wasted two good opportunities and also hit the bar. In the end, Tottenham needed Chris Armstrong’s 72nd-minute equaliser after Mark Hughes had given Chelsea the lead.Glenn Hoddle, the Chelsea manager, said after the game that his discussions over a new contract at Stamford Bridge “could be resolved by next weekend – but then again it could take another month”.Goals: Hughes (35) 0-1; Armstrong (73) 1-1.Tottenham Hotspur (4-4-2): Walker; Wilson, Mabbutt, Campbell, Edinburgh; Fox, Anderton, Dozzell, Sinton (Rosenthal, h/t); Sheringham, Armstrong. Substitutes not used: Calderwood, Day (gk).Chelsea (3-5-2): Kharin; Lee, Johnsen, Myers; Minto, Gullit, Wise, Spackman, Burley (Petrescu, 75); Spencer (Peacock, 67), Hughes. Substitute not used: Furlong.Referee: A Wilkie (Chester-le-Street).Bookings: Tottenham: Dozzell Chelsea: Wise.Man of the match: Gullit.Attendance: 33,249.. Alex Ferguson, the Manchester United manager, yesterday explained why he left out his pounds 7m striker Andy Cole, a decision that was vindicated as his team moved a step nearer the Premiership title. Ferguson had stuck withCole through thick and thin, naming the former Newcastle man in his side despite Cole’s failure to score consistently. But yesterday, after Cole’s last 10 games had brought just two goals, Ferguson dropped him and drafted in the home-grown talents of Paul Scholes, who responded to his first start in almost five months by scoring the opener.
“I thought that if we were going to get a result and score then Scholes had to be given his opportunity because we know he is a marvellous scorer,” Ferguson said.