Despite putting in what probably the best performance of the season, Blues ultimately left St. Andrew's empty handed after losing 1-0 to Manchester United.

A single lapse in concentration allowed the ever dangerous Cristiano Ronaldo to figuratively mug Blues with a single second half goal.

Blues dominated the game for long periods and certainly for the first half of the game, United were second best as Steve Bruce's side launched wave after wave of attacks on the visitors' goal, but without converting any of their numerous chances. 

Bruce made two changes to the side which drew against Liverpool in their previous Premier League encounter.

Gary McSheffrey and Fabrice Muamba came into the starting XI for the injured Oubina and Wilson Palacios, who was relegated to the bench.

The game started at a high tempo and less than a minute into the game the home fans were on their feet when Cameron Jerome almost opened the scoring.

The ball fell to the Blues forward 35 yards out. He sprinted forward with it before unleashing a terrific goal bound effort which Van der Sar did brilliantly to tip round the post for a corner.

From the resultant deadball, Queudrue met the cross with a firm header deep inside the box, but Van der Sar was again alert to dive low and save the ball right on his line.

Maik Taylor was called into his first action of the game when he denied Rooney after the England striker had attempted to lob him after finding himself one on one with the Blues keeper.

Referee Steve Bennett then earned the wrath of the Blues crowd after booking Franck Queudrue for an innocuous challenge on Brazilian winger Ronaldo.

Next to try his luck for Blues was Jerome.

McSheffrey floated the ball to the Blues striker at the far side of the box and he brought it down before hitting a well-taken half volley into the side netting.
 
Blues were playing some scintillating stuff now

McSheffrey saw his header cleared off the line by Vidic and then Kapo curled the ball back into the box, but Muamba could only guide his header over the bar.

Man Utd were soon the attack themselves, but Maik Taylor was able to save Ronaldo's 12-yard effort at the second attempt.

Just before the half hour mark, Van der Sar had to thank his central defender Vidic for saving him from a major embarrassment.

The Dutch keeper came out of the box to clear the ball but he failed to get any distance on it and it fell to Jerome, who took aim and fired it back towards what would have been an empty net, but fortunately Vidic intervened to block the ball with his foot.

Blues were running rampant now and Larsson should have done better with a headed effort close in and the McSheffrey sent a powerful drive from outside of the box just high and wide.

Every time Blues pushed forward they were causing Alex Ferguson's side problems with their pace and movement and it was real pleasure seeing Blues dominate one of the world's leading club sides.

But Maik Taylor had to be alert to thwart Ronaldo as the ball almost dropped to the Utd winger as ran through on the Blues goal.

With half time approaching Franck Queudrue nearly fashioned a glorious opportunity for himself after he went on a mazy run through the heart of the United defence but just overran the ball as looked to be through on goal.

When the half time whistle went Blues left the pitch to a deserved standing ovation from the St. Andrew's faithful.  
    
Half time: Blues 0 Man Utd 0

Man Utd emerged for the second half with Tomasz Kuszczak replacing an injured Van der Sar between the sticks for the visitors.
 
Totally against the run of play, Man Utd took the lead through Ronaldo on 51 minutes after a shocking defensive error by Blues

Ferdinand punted the ball forward into the Blues box and as Blues full back Queudrue dithered waiting for the ball to bounce the canny Portuguese winger stole the ball from him before rounding Maik Taylor and slotting the ball into a gaping net.

Minutes later Blues should have been level and would have been had it not been for a world class save by the replacement keeper.

McSheffrey drove into the box from the left before letting go with a fierce drive.

The initial shot was heading goalwards, but then Ferdinand got his head in the way and accidentally directed it towards the corner of his own net, but Kuszczak somehow managed to tip the ball behind his own post for a corner.   

Mehdi Nafti became the second Blues player to be cautioned after the less than popular Mr Bennett decided his half-hearted trip on Ronaldo deserved a yellow card.

A minute later Evra was cautioned for a deliberate hand ball just outside his own box.

McSheffrey curled the free kick in with some force, but it went just wide of the far post.

The second substitution of the afternoon came on 64 minutes when the largely ineffectual Ryan Giggs was replaced by Louis Saha.   

Stephen Kelly was the defensive hero yet again when he was in the right place at the right time to clear Wayne Rooney's shot off the line.
Steve Bruce made his first change of the game on 70 minutes when Wilson Palacios was introduced into the centre of midfield in place of Fabrice Muamba.

Bruce was forced to make an enforced substitution on 76 minutes when Johan Djourou came off clutching his shoulder, to be replaced Rafael Schmitz.

The game was becoming very open now as Blues went in search of an equaliser and Tevez shot just over from 20 yards and then Ronaldo skewed an effort just wide from a similar distance.

In a final attempt to salvage a point substitute striker Garry O'Connor became Blues' third and final substitution on 84 minutes when he was sent on in place of midfielder Mehdi Nafti.

Blues were desperately throwing almost everybody forward now, without quite creating any clearcut chances.

In the 88th minute Sebastian Larsson became the third Blues player to be booked after a late challenge on Evra as he attempted to win the ball back from the Manchester United full back.

Then in injury time Garry O'Connor cut into the box but his shot just lacked that extra bit of power and direction and Kuszczak was able to save his effort.

Full time: Blues 0 Man Utd 1

Blues: Maik Taylor, Kelly, Djourou (Schmitz 76), Ridgewell, Queudrue, Larsson, Nafti (O'Connor 84), Muamba (Palacios 70), McSheffrey, Kapo, Jerome.
Subs not used: Kingson, Danns.

Bookings: Queudrue, Nafti, Larsson.

Man Utd: Van der Sar (Kuszczak 46), Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes, Giggs (Saha 64), Rooney, Tevez (O'Shea 89).
Subs not used: Anderson, Pique.

Bookings: Evra.

Goals: Ronaldo 51.

Attendance: 26,526

Referee: Steve Bennett (Kent).