ALEX Ferguson admitted the Premier League title was slipping away from Manchester United following yesterday’s draw at Blackburn.

United remain a point adrift of Chelsea, having played a game more than the Stamford Bridge outfit, and with just four matches to do something about it.

To make matters worse, Rio Ferdinand picked up a groin injury, Ryan Giggs was forced off with a hamstring strain and John O’Shea also left the field early as he started for the first time since November.

It made for a pretty bleak afternoon and Ferguson was not trying to hide his disappointment.

“It was a bad result,” he said.

“We had to win every game going into today and we didn’t do it. That is the disappointment.

“It has slipped away from us today.

“It is going to be very difficult to win this league. We have a lifeline if Chelsea blow it.

“But to my eyes they have an easy game against Bolton on Tuesday. We would expect them to win that and it will put them four points clear.”

Ferdinand had already been in the wars, dislocating his finger in a collision with Martin Olsson.

But it was the groin injury he sustained near the end that will worry Ferguson more, and probably Fabio Capello as well as the World Cup starts to loom into view.

“Rio dislocated his finger but ended up with a groin injury,” said Ferguson.

“We effectively had 10 men on the pitch at the end, which is not good when you are chasing a victory.”

Although United dominated possession, with Wayne Rooney out with an ankle injury, they created few clear-cut chances.

Antonio Valencia had the best one just before the break when he found himself clear inside the penalty area.

But Paul Robinson produced a fine save to repel the Ecuador star and United came no nearer even though they plenty of possession.

“We had so many opportunities in the last third of the field and our decision-making has let us down,” added Ferguson.