- Ronaldo (60 pen), Rooney (77)
- Date:2008-09-27
- Kick-off:15:00
- Venue:Old Trafford
- Attendance:75484
- Referee:Styles, R
Live Commentary
90mins
FULL TIME: MANCHESTER UNITED 2-0 BOLTON WANDERERS. United made hard work of beating Bolton at Old Trafford and referee Rob Styles shocking penalty decision certainly helped set them on their way to what was probably a deserved three points.
88mins
Two superb chances for Paul Scholes but he contrive to miss both. First the midfielder is through one-on-one but Jaaskelainen saves before Park's return cross finds him again but Scholes screws wide.
86mins
More good football from United as Rio Ferdinand breaks out from the back before Rooney feeds Nani in the box but his backheeled cross falls just behind Berbatov.
83mins
The home side are cruising towards the final whistle now and completely controlling the ball as the heart for the fight seems to have left Bolton since that second goal.
80mins
Cristiano Ronaldo has shown why United miss him today but he is now replaced by fellow Portuguese winger Nani.
80mins
That goal was much more like Manchester United and that is probably game over now at Old Trafford.
78mins
MANCHESTER UNITED 2-0 BOLTON WANDERERS. Ronaldo and ROONEY combine superbly on the left hand side and the latter bends the ball past Jaaskelainen into the bottom corner for his first of the season.
74mins
Bolton look unable to really create a meaningful chance to force themselves back into the game while United seem happy to wait for the ideal opening.
73mins
Ricardo Gardner has worked really hard today and he is now replaced by Polish striker Ebi Smolarek.
71mins
A double change for Manchester United as Paul Scholes and Wayne Rooney replace Anderson and Carlos Tevez.
69mins
United are searching for the second that would probably kill the game off at this stage but Bolton continue to defend manfully despite their obvious disappointment.
67mins
Johan Elmander is coming off now to be replaced by Ricardo Vaz Te in attack.
66mins
That goal has settled the hosts down a lot and they are beginning to play the ball around the midfield with their usual authority.
63mins
No doubt Bolton boss Megson will have plenty to say about that decision come the full time whistle as replays again suggest Muamba took the ball as he tackled Ronaldo.
60mins
MANCHESTER UNITED 1-0 BOLTON WANDERERS. Jaaskelainen is sent the wrong way by RONALDO who collects his first Premier League goal of the season from the spot.
58mins
A terrible decision from referee Styles as the Bolton player takes the ball in the area but the referee gives the decision before Ronaldo even hits the floor.
58mins
The rub of the green seems to be going against United as every time they create a chance their is a Bolton player throwing themselves in the way to block.
56mins
Frustration is growing in the stands around Old Trafford as the home side again fail to break through and Messrs Rooney, Scholes and Giggs are now warming up.
54mins
Bolton enjoy a little spell of possession and eventually Steinsson finds space on the right flank but his flashed cross is colected by Van Der Sar.
51mins
Ronaldo and Berbatov inject some pace into a United attack and the Bulgarian cuts the ball back for Fletcher but his shot is scuffed into grateful arms of Jaaskelainen.
49mins
United match Bolton on the woodwork count as Ronaldo controls a bobbling Neville cross and strikes against the foot of the post.
46mins
Immediately Bolton could have taken the lead as a looped free-kick is half cleared as far as Gardner whose left footed half volley clips the foot of the post.
46mins
The second half is underway at Old Trafford and Bolton will need to alter the possession statistic if they are going to hold out here - United enjoyed over 80% of the possession in that half.
45mins
MANCHESTER UNITED 0-0 BOLTON WANDERERS. Another half of frustration for United as Jussi Jaaskelainen appears unbeatable between the sticks, although Fabrice Muamba has wasted the best chance of all at the other end to give the visitors a shock lead.
45mins
United are still pressing but they are committing so many forward that you wonder whether there are perhaps too many cooks for them at times.
43mins
Bolton are looking very dangerous on the break at times and Ricardo Gardner flashes the ball across the box but Vidic clears for a corner.
41mins
What a chance on the break for Bolton as Fabrice Muamba appears on the edge of the six-yard box but somehow screws the ball wide off his left heel with the goal at his mercy.
39mins
Ronaldo darts in from the left and dribbles across the penalty area before shooting but again Jaaskelainen is in hte right place to stop it again.
38mins
Kevin Davies picks up a booking and can have no complaints as he slides in on Vidic with his studs on show.
36mins
Jussi Jaaskelainen is holdng firm as the last line of defence as Berbatov heads down for Rio Ferdinand who fires straight at the keeper.
34mins
Anderson is the latest to test Jaaskelainen as he whips a shot in from the corner of the penalty area but the Icelandic goalkeeper is able to tip it over the bar once more.
32mins
Ronaldo tries another free-kick but this time the angle is really against him as Jaaskelainen collects just inside his near post.
31mins
A rare sortie forward from the visitors as Ricardo Gardner feeds Kevin Nolan inside the area but he can't keep his attempted chip under the cross bar.
30mins
Bolton are doing a really good job of frustrating their hosts in this opening half hour by denying them time and space around the Trotters' penalty area.
27mins
Gavin McCann picks up a yellow card and this one is deserved after his second clumsy challenge in the space of three minutes.
26mins
It is fast becoming an onslaught at the Theatre of Dreams but Bolton are restricting United to long range efforts so far and Gary Megson will be very pleased.
24mins
Old Trafford is primed as Ronaldo lines up a trademark free-kick from all of 30 yards and he strikes it well but Jaaskelainen is across well to tip wide.
22mins
The first booking of the afternoon is given to Johan Elmander and its very harsh as he appeared to take the ball before making contact with Evra.
20mins
Another superb move from United - once again involving Darren Fletcher - but as the Scot cuts the ball back Ronaldo and Berbatov run into each other and the chance is gone.
18mins
It has been a relatively bright start here from both sides but Berbatov's header has been the only chance of note to date.
15mins
All of a sudden Bolton are unable to get out of their half and Tevez fires in from range but Jaaskelainen fumbles out to Park - but the South Korean can only find the side netting.
13mins
Great chance for Berbatov! Fletcher bends a lovely ball into the box from the right hand side and Berbatov rises but his header is easily stopped by Jaaskelainen.
12mins
More good football from the hosts as Fletcher and Berbatov combine to create half a chance for the onrushing Ronaldo but his shot is rather scuffed into the chest of Jaaskelainen.
10mins
The home side are starting to find a few gears for the first time as they enjoy a prolonged spell of possession, without really penetrating however.
8mins
A bit better from United as Anderson bursts forwards and finds Ronaldo who unleashes his first shot in anger of the afternoon.
6mins
United are unable to really get on the ball so far as Bolton are quick to pressurise and enjoying the better of the play in the attacking areas so far.
3mins
The first shot of the match is also from the foot of a Bolton player as Kevin Nolan strides onto it 20 yards from goal and forces a save from Edwin Van Der Sar.
2mins
Bolton make a pretty good start winning a couple of throws near the United area but Rio Ferdinand rises highest to clear.
1mins
Rob Styles in the official today and he gets the game underway here.
0mins
It was about this time last season that United hit the goal trail but have a history of performing well at Old Trafford so this afternoon's clash should be entertaining.
0mins
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Andrew O'Brien, Samuel, Davies, Nolan, McCann, Muamba, Gardner, Elmander
0mins
Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Ronaldo, Fletcher, Anderson, Park, Tevez, Berbatov
0mins
Bolton boss Gary Megson will be delighted at record signing Johan Elmander's return to full fitness while Gary Cahill is also back in the starting lineup at the heart of the back four.
0mins
Sir Alex Ferguson's side have struggled to find the net this term but Cristiano Ronaldo starts for the first time while Wayne Rooney has to make do with a place amongst the substitutes.
0mins
Welcome to Old Trafford where Champions Manchester United entertain Bolton Wanderers as they look to find top form after a sluggish start to the season.
Match Preview
Fifteenth-placed Manchester United host Bolton Wanderers on Saturday looking to put their slow start to the new season firmly behind them.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side have started their defence of the Premier League title in shaky fashion after winning just one of their four opening games.
Only Portsmouth have failed to take anything off the Red Devils during the opening weeks of the season, with United drawing against Newcastle United and Chelsea, and losing to Liverpool.
However, last weekend's 1-1 draw with title challengers Chelsea at Stamford Bridge backed up Ferguson's assessment that his team is on the verge of sparking to life.
Salomon Kalou salvaged a point for Chelsea after Ji-Sung Park had fired the visitors ahead, but Ferguson's claim that October will bring an improvement in his side's fortunes could well be ominous for the rest of the league.
The Red Devils also coasted past Middlesbrough 3-1 in the third round of the Carling Cup on Tuesday night as they scored more than one goal in a game for the first time this season.
Cristiano Ronaldo is poised to make his first league start of the season on Saturday after last term's 42-goal player-of-the-year started the new campaign on the sidelines following ankle surgery.
That means Ferguson has a fearsome attacking quartet of the Portugal winger, Wayne Rooney, Carlos Tevez and new £30million striker Dimitar Berbatov all at his disposal.
Michael Carrick is unavailable with a foot injury and Edwin van der Sar is doubtful having damaged a knee last weekend. Nemanja Vidic is also available again and set to replace Jonny Evans at the heart of the defence following suspension.
Bolton Wanderers manager Gary Megson must be ruing the fixture computer which handed his out-of-sorts side a trip to Old Trafford just seven days after being thumped by Arsenal.
The Trotters were soundly beaten 3-1 at home last Saturday to extend their winless run to four league games since the opening day success over Stoke City.
Megson has admitted results needs to improve, but has urged supporters to remain patient during what is a difficult period for the Reebok Stadium club.
The under-pressure manager can also point to a 1-0 success over United in the same fixture last season as reason to remain confident.
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Match Report
A controversial penalty from Cristiano Ronaldo and stunning goal by Wayne Rooney gave Manchester United their first home Premier League win of the season.
This was a stuttering performance by the Red Devils, with their best football coming in the last 20 minutes when Rooney and Paul Scholes replaced Carlos Tevez and Anderson.
Bolton, whose last win at Old Trafford was six years ago, seemed to set their stall for a point and a draw looked possible until the United penalty on the hour.
Tevez found Ronaldo on the right side of the Bolton box but, as the Portuguese winger moved across the penalty area, he went down under a good tackle by Jlloyd Samuel.
The game looked set to continue until referee Rob Styles pointed to the penalty spot - a decision which seemed to take all the players by surprise.
Ronaldo, starting his first league game of the season, stepped up to send goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen the wrong way with his right-footed shot going into the net to the goalkeeper's left.
If United's first goal was ridiculous their second was sublime.
Rooney raced down the left from just inside the Bolton half. He fed the ball to Ronaldo in the penalty area and he back-heeled the ball to Rooney.
The England star took the ball in his stride 12 yards out, side-stepped Bolton skipper Kevin Nolan and curled a glorious left-foot shot into the far corner of the net beyond Jaaskelainen's despairing dive.
United created the best chances, but found Jaaskelainen in superb form.
The Bolton goalkeeper produced the first of a string of fine saves in the 15th minute when he hurled himself across goal to touch away Tevez's crisp shot from the edge of the box, with Ji-Sung Park hitting the rebound into the side-netting.
Ten minutes later, Jaaskelainin was again springing across his line this time to keep out Ronaldo's stringing 25-yard free-kick.
Jaaskelainen did well to tip over Anderson's 34th minute cross-cum-shot from the right, but Bolton should have taken the lead four minutes before the interval.
Gretar Steinsson's cross from the right caused problems in the United penalty area when Kevin Davies challenged Rio Ferdinand.
The ball rebounded to Fabrice Muamba, who shot wide from eight yards with the goal at his mercy.
Ronaldo was denied by a post four minutes after the restart when his shot from 12 yards hit the woodwork after Bolton defender Andy O'Brien failed to clear Gary Neville's cross from the right.
Then came that penalty and Rooney's sublime second to secure the points that might just kick-start United's title defence into life.
Manchester United Team
Bolton Wanderers Team
Manchester United | Bolton Wanderers |
Corners
| 16 | 4 |
Fouls
| 8 | 10 |
Goal attempts
| 32 | 10 |
Shots off target
| 6 | 5 |
Offsides
| 2 | 1 |



90mins
We are into three minutes of injury time at Old Trafford and only poor control from Berbatov denies the Bulgarian the chance to make it three.