Sir Alex Ferguson welcomed his squad back to Carrington after the international break reporting no fresh injuries. Amid the dross that international football so often serves up, this is no small mercy. Ferguson is seeking the 200th Premier League away win during his reign, which recognises both the joy in useless statistics and that football did not exist before Sky invented it in 1992. Still, with United having beaten Bolton Wanderers in 11 of the last 13 meetings, Ferguson will take his charges the short trip to Bolton full of confidence.
Yet with many of the Scot’s players involved in more than one match over the past week, Ferguson may take the opportunity to make changes to his first team for the first time this season. He will do so with a largely fully fit squad to choose from, with Darren Fletcher having completed 180 minutes for Scotland in the past week, Antonio Valencia back in full training and Javier Hernández a fortnight sharper.
However Nemanja Vidic’s calf and Rafael da Silva’s shoulder continue to keep the defensive pair on the sidelines, while Danny Welbeck is out with a sore hamstring and Darren Gibson, aside from being United’s outcast, has a sore ankle.
Hernández’ return to full fitness is a welcome, with Welbeck likely to miss the next month with a hamstring problem. The Mexican striker scored for his national team in the past week – the 22nd goal in 31 games for the player who is already a national hero. Strike partner Wayne Rooney was fulsome in his praise of the 23-year-old ahead of the player’s return to the first team.
“It’s great to have a lad who has just come into the team, who speaks good English and is always smiling,” Rooney said.
“It’s great for him and for me to have someone like that. I think we can both learn from each other. He’s a lovely lad who is great for us around the dressing room. Me and him do a lot of finishing after sessions to try and keep progressing and getting better. I’m looking forward to him doing the same, if not scoring more goals for us, this season.”
But it is another new boy, Ashley Young, that has thrived in the Mexican’s absence, forming an exciting partnership with Rooney at both club and international level. Both scored for England in the past week in wins over Bulgaria and then Wales, although Young will continue on the left for United.
“He’s done very well,” said Ferguson of his £16 million summer purchase.
“With his versatility and his understanding of the game. Obviously we tried to get him a few years ago from Watford but we were just a bit late. But he’s matured at Aston Villa, his form last season was fantastic considering they had a difficult season and since he’s come to us, he’s taken to the challenge really well.
“Some players come to a club like ours and find it difficult to settle in but, in the case of Ashley, he’s done very well. He’s getting support from Patrice Evra down the left side and that kind of experience Evra brings to the team and that side of the pitch is very important to a new player coming to the club.”
Young’s form, together with Valencia’s probable return, leaves Ferguson with a plethora of attacking options for the tea-time kick-off. Park Ji-Sung is also fit, leaving two from four in wide positions, with Hernández likely to partner Rooney in attack.
One player looking forward to returning from the international break is much-criticised goalkeeper David de Gea. The 20-year-old Spaniard is unfashed by the media spotlight, which has shon so brightly during some nervous moments for the young stopper in the opening week of the season.
“What happened is normal and there is nothing wrong,” de Gea told Spanish sports paper AS.
“Now it is in my power to change those negative reviews and change them into praise. Improving in every practice and every game, but mostly keeping intact the confidence in my abilities and what I can bring to the team. It is hard to arrive in a different country and with a different language, but little by little I’ll be getting it. I do not worry.”
The young Spaniard is likely to face a stiff test against Bolton, with Owen Coyle’s outfit playing some decent football in the past year. Yet, with Kevin Davies at the club, Bolton remains a major threat from set pieces and balls into the box. Indeed, 31-year-old Davies says he is looking forward to roughing up de Gea and inexperienced defender Phil Jones.
“I relish these kind of challenges,” says Davies.
“Jones is coming on as a player but he’s still young, so I’ll be looking to give him a going-over. There will be a few crosses flying in. I played against him last year. He’s a big strong boy, so it’s the kind of game I’ll look forward to.”
Bolton should offer debuts to new signings David Ngog, Gael Kakuta and Dedryck Boyata, while Stuart Holden played for the reserves in midweek but is unlikely to play. Holden was injured by Jonny Evan’s late tackle at Old Trafford last season.
Even with the new acquisitions Bolton faces a daunting task at the Reebok having lost 11 of the past 13 in this fixture. United, meanwhile, has lost only once during trips to Bolton during the Premier League era – in November 2007. With United beginning the campaign in scintillating form few will expect a repeat on Saturday.
Likely Line-ups
Bolton (4-4-2): Jaaskelainen; Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson; Eagles, Muamba, Reo-Coker, Petrov; Davies, Klasnic. Subs from: Bogdan, Wheater, Riley, M Davies, Pratley, Tuncay, Blake
United (4-4-1-1): de Gea; Smalling, Jones, Ferdinand, Evra; Nani, Cleverley, Anderson, Young; Rooney; Hernández. Subs from: Lindegaard, Fábio, Evans, Carrick, Giggs, Pogba, Park, Valencia, Gibson, Fletcher, Diouf, Owen, Berbatov, Welbeck, Macheda.
Form
Bolton: WLWL
United: WWWW
Referee
Referee: Andre Marriner
The only reason Darren Gibson has a sore ankle is cos he didn’t want to be transferred.
MUFC XI : De Gea, Smalling, Jones, Evans, Evra, Nani, Anderson, Cleverley, Young, Rooney, Hernandez
Bench: Lindegaard, Berbatov, Giggs, Smalling, Park, Carrick, Fabio
strong bench……lacking bollocks though
just thought i’d bring the tone down a bit
i realise smalling is good, but even he cant be on the pitch and the bench at the same time
rio not smalling in the 1st 11
hmmm. the telegraph says smalling is on the bench, jones is playing at right back and ferdinand is starting. seems odd
no live commentary on radio 5 ffs
can’t stand listening to stan bollox collyfucker on talk shite so even if it is being aired over there, i’ll have to stick to text updates – come on united
maybe one of you kind souls has a link…..?
http://www.soccertvlive.net/watch/82822/1/watch-bolton-wanderers-vs-manchester-united.html
cheers ghost
Some streams here http://www.asiaplatetv.com/
Not as good as myp2p but it’ll do
Fletcher’s Dad just doesn’t shut his fucking mouth, does he
Always gobbing off on the touchline telling each player what to do
sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet peaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
Fuck off Davies you utter cunt
Cleverley’s injured ‘cos of that bullshit tackle
Please not Carrick
ARGH CARRICK FUCK OFF DAVIES
hehe
Davies, yellow
Got a touch of the downs about him
Absolute piece of shit
// Got a touch of the downs about him //
hah!
backed mexico 1st goal united 2-0..22/1 come on
Get in
Fuck Bolton
brilliant jones..bets beat who cars
For all of Bolton’s BIGMEN routine, they defend like a bunch of fannies
we are unstoppable
now the games finished someone go through the back of kd
After getting used to seeing Cleverley in midfield – when you watch Carrick you notice how slow he plays the game, and how he doesn’t move around a lot
easy. should be much more.. another 2 or 3 i think
Some inbred cunt gobbing off at Rooney as he left the pitch
Looks like Wazza blew him a kiss
unreal movemnt from hernandez for first goal. cahill was clueless
Rooney off for rest. Bring Berbatov on.
doesnt need a rest..start of the seasn fs.. get him scoring more.7 in 4 games so far i think
Clev in a cast
Hopefully just precautionary
Anyone got a link?
Sopcast?
I’m using channel 6001. Shit quality but reliable
6816 and 113739 might be on too
the one ghost put up is fine.. good picture
http://www.soccertvlive.net/watch/82822/1/watch-bolton-wanderers-vs-manchester-united.html
Fucking… Bolton fans threw a coin at Young
…
get in.. should have scored a few seconds ago
sweetness itself
Thanks mate!
Evans croked. Probably for the best
Obama on. Can we get 5? Yes we can
The link sticks alot but better than fuck all…
evans bee playing well sid… better than last years shte
mines fine… maybe take a few mins
rooney rooney rooney.. this will be 7
Rooney 5-0, we want 6.
0-5 we are looking very strong…I suggest Rant will be quiet for a few months again…
If he stays fit, and doesn’t get overused… this will be Rooneys’ best year.
You can just tell he’s loving his football again.
need young toscore to get my money back.. want hernandez at trick too
Young is off, so that’s not going to happen.
18 goals in 3.75 games
absolutely awesome start to the season
thats it bolton, bring a striker on
best ever i think.. beats chelseas from last year
You come in from a BBQ to this ………….. simply fantastic
Great display by the lads.
Can’t see Berbs getting back into this team.
Just scraped through in the end
Good win
great stuff lads, keep it up, 3 more for Rooney he is on fire, nice to see sweat pea scoring to.
Clev wrote on Facebook “Not feeling good. Feeling like I have broken my foot. Won’t know more until a scan, when I know more will update, thanks guys.”
so 2 outta our 3 ‘like a new signing’ are fucked. not to worry
Phil Jones what a game
Shit Username.
true that
We’re now worryingly close to the all the old shitehouses getting games again
FFS Knobby…
13 goals in two games, and you can still find summat to moan about.
cleverley could have broken foot, no apology from that hatchet man fuckhead
Best away performance from United in a long long time. Excellent today.
agreed…massive cunt…..do begrudgingly see his point though….
west ham last season? for the passion that generated…
Not even close, we didn’t play well @ West Ham for the first hour and were saved by 2 or 3 good performances.
Everyone played well yesterday
This place is somewhat quiet ;), Main difference is ruthless in front of goal. Team put the ball into the back of net with easy. Bolton took many shots but get none from it.
Am I only one it is still feel like friendly game mood. player so sharp that game feel like so easy. don’t know how Rooney score so many. all player play like C. Ronaldo.
aye..pass the glue
so Cleverly out for 3 months. Looks like we should have strengthened in midfield after all.
No value… for fuck sake.
out for 4 weeks.. no break
4 weeks, so the big ones he is probably going to miss are the 2 European Cup games, Chelsea at home and Stoke away
Hopefully back for Anfield after the international break
Fletcher in, straight swap. Carrick and Giggs to cover on the bench
Yay…back to turgid, struggling, faffing football
Cannae wait
ffs
We will see!
tbf…i like Fletcher
bender
aye
takes 1 to know 1
apt