Leeds boosted their UEFA Cup dreams with a devastating burst of three goals in eight minutes early in the second half and at the same time shattered Blackburn's hopes of a place in next season's Champions' League.

United turned on the style just four days after their disappointing FA Cup sixth-round exit at home to Wolves as Blackburn conceded three goals in a Premiership game for the fourth successive time.

Roy Hodgson will now be asking searching questions of his defence, after they let Leeds follow Leicester, Southampton and Tottenham in burying a trio of goals past his side.

Hodgson had conceded the Premiership title to Manchester United before this game, but after watching his side crumble again, he could now be admitting that a place alongside Europe's elite will also be beyond them.

Blackburn may soon find themselves scrambling for even a UEFA Cup spot alongside Leeds, after United joined sixth-placed Derby on 45 points from a game more.

Leeds boss George Graham will not mind too much, however, if his side continue to play in the same sensational fashion as that in which Blackburn were put to the sword by the 56th minute.

The performance could not have been a starker contrast to Saturday's, when United barely conjured a chance worth noting during 90 dire minutes.

In truth, the first 45 of this game were nothing to write home about either, but that soon changed within three minutes of the restart.

A throw-in from Republic of Ireland international Gary Kelly was flicked on by Lee Bowyer and the young midfielder continued his run into the box to receive a headed through ball from centre-back David Wetherall, before burying a 15-yard drive under keeper Alan Fettis for his third goal of the season.

Jimmy Hasselbaink then shaved the post with a deflected 20-yard right-footer seconds later, before showing he is adept with both feet by scoring his 15th goal of the campaign with his left foot in the 52nd minute.

Bowyer turned supplier with an incisive through ball for the Dutchman, allowing Hasselbaink to cut inside the challenge of left-back Gary Croft and curl home a 15-yarder round the outstretched grasp of Fettis.

The Rovers keeper prevented a third goal in the 56th minute by going full length to push round a 20-yard dipper from Ian Harte, but within seconds Leeds were 3-0 ahead.

Wetherall again headed on, this time for Alfie Haaland, whose first touch left him with his back to goal.

But Rovers were rocked as the Norwegian international flicked the ball up, turned and shot in one delightful movement, sending a soaring right-foot shot into the top right-hand corner from 15 yards.

Hasselbaink could have added the fourth soon afterwards as Blackburn could find no answer to a now-rampant United side.

But the £2million summer signing first shaved the right-hand post with a rasping right-foot drive in the 60th minute and then two minutes later a shot on the turn struck the side-netting.

Blackburn barely saw the whites of keeper Nigel Martyn's eyes during the rest of the half, with the rout finally completed in the 88th minute.

Haaland picked the ball up midway inside the Blackburn half and then let fly with a superb 35-yard shot which beat Fettis inside his left-hand post to give Leeds their biggest Premiership win of the season.

It could have been so different for Blackburn if Garry Flitcroft had converted a chance from six yards after just 35 seconds, but it was as close as Rovers came to getting on the scoresheet.

Chris Sutton sent a ninth minute shot just wide of the woodwork, while Martyn was forced to pull off a point-blank save from Martin Dahlin's five-yard header half an hour later.

In between, Australian international Harry Kewell was given a golden opportunity to break the deadlock following Colin Hendry's woeful backpass.

However, with only Fettis to beat, his sidefooted shot crashed off the underside of the bar to the relief of Rovers' red-faced Scotland international.

It was a half which failed to give any indication of the drama to come, with Leeds firmly burying the ghost of Saturday's dismal performance, while for Blackburn it must be a case of back to the drawing-board.

Teams

Leeds: Martyn, Kelly, Wetherall, Radebe, Hiden, Harte, Haaland, Hopkin, Bowyer, Hasselbaink, Kewell.

Subs Not Used: Halle, Molenaar, Matthews, McPhail, Beeney.

Goals: Bowyer 48, Hasselbaink 53, Haaland 56, 89. Blackburn: Fettis, Croft (Ripley 68), Henchoz, Hendry, Kenna, Wilcox, Sherwood, Flitcroft, Duff, Sutton, Dahlin.

Subs Not Used: McKinlay, Valery, Broomes, Flowers.

Booked: Sutton.

Att: 32,933

Ref: D R Elleray (Harrow-on-the-Hill).