Pedersen put Rovers in front with a superb header

David Bentley cleared off the line for Rovers before Pedersen superbly headed home a cross from the Rovers' winger.

Pedersen scored a brilliant free-kick, while Rovers keeper Brad Friedel made two good saves from Darius Vassell.

Blackburn, who lost defender Andre Ooijer to a serious looking ankle injury, scored their third through Matt Derbyshire's finish from a tight angle.

Interview: Blackburn captain Robbie Savage

Interview: Man City manager Stuart Pearce

Interview: Blackburn manager Mark Hughes

Rovers 4-2 home win over City on 17 September was their first of the season and lifted them off the bottom of the Premiership table.

And in completing the double over Stuart Pearce's team - winning their third straight away game in the process - they move up five places in the table while City slip down to 13th.

But the match was far from a classic - in fact he first 30 minutes were almost entirely forgettable - characterised largely by stray passes, poor control and an almost total lack of excitement.

Pedersen twice shot well wide, while Bentley had a shot blocked as Blackburn had the better of the awful opening phase.

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And having failed to make the most of a period in which they at times played some crisp, attractive football without really threatening, it was City who almost scored.

Richards superbly connected with Ousmane Dabo's corner and appeared certain to head the home team into the lead.

The ball struck Bentley on the thigh and up on to his arm before a scramble broke out that resulted in another corner for City.

The ball would have gone into the net had it not struck Bentley's arm - but the injury to Ooijer appeared to be of more immediate concern.

He tangled accidentally with Bernardo Corradi and appeared to suffer a serious ankle injury as he trapped his leg under the City player, who had fallen to the ground.

Richard Dunne headed over for City from another corner before Pedersen struck.

Pedersen got the wrong side of Hatern Trabelsi at the far post and headed a superb cross past Nicky Weaver.

Pearce brought on Georgios Samaras and DaMarcus Beasley after the break, replacing Corradi and Trevor Sinclair.

Samaras crafted an opening from nothing with a neat turn and run into the space but could not quite find the target with a shot across goal.

Shabani Nonda was through on goal for Blackburn but appeared to be harshly penalised for a handball, while the Democratic Republic of Congo striker later played Benni McCarthy through but the South African shot wide under pressure.

And it was Rovers who scored the decisive second goal, his brilliant free-kick sailing over the poorly-formed City wall and past Weaver.

City were much improved in the second-half and unlucky not to pull a goal ball when Vassell connected with Beasley's cross but directed the ball straight at Friedel.

Vassell, perhaps City's best player, forced Friedel into action again before the end with a shot on the turn.

Close to full time Rovers substitute Derbyshire slipped Stephen Jordan and beat Weaver from an acute angle to cap an impressive win for the visiting team.

"They passed the ball better than we did and out-thought us. We did not impose our formation on them.

"It is disappointing but we have got to learn from it. There were too many people not at the races and there were no excuses from out point of view."

"We dicatated the tempo, we were calm in possession, created chances and took the ones that we needed.

"We looked at the way City shape up and felt there could be joy down the wings and that is how it panned out."

Man City: Weaver, Richards, Dunne, Distin, Trabelsi (Miller 75), Sinclair (Beasley 46), Ireland, Dabo, Jordan, Vassell, Corradi (Samaras 46).
Subs Not Used: Isaksson, Johnson.

Booked: Dunne.

Blackburn: Friedel, Ooijer (Emerton 35), Henchoz, Khizanishvili, McEveley, Bentley, Kerimoglu (Gallagher 84), Savage, Pedersen, Nonda (Derbyshire 78), McCarthy.
Subs Not Used: Enckelman, Peter.

Booked: Henchoz, Emerton, McEveley.

Goals: Pedersen 44, 62, Derbyshire 90.

Att: 36,590