skip to content

  • Knight (5 og), Valencia (33)
  • Taylor (75)
  • Date:2009-10-17
  • Kick-off:15:00
  • Venue:Old Trafford
  • Attendance:75103
  • Referee:Clattenburg, M

Live Commentary

90mins

MAN UTD 2-1 BOLTON.

90mins

Ricketts launches a long throw into the area and Cahill had a glorious opportunity to equalise but Van der Sar makes a fantastic save.

90mins

United corner, Giggs takes it short and O'Shea tries to keep possession but he ends up conceding a throw in.

90mins

Great chance for Bolton, Zat Knight stayed up from a long ball forward and the ball came back into the box only for the big defender to head way over the bar, may have been the last chance for Bolton.

90mins

Four minutes of time have been added on, a nervous four minutes for the home side.

89mins

Good shot from Klasnic but it goes just wide.

87mins

Bolton free kick just inside the United half, long ball but United clear, Berbatov and Valencia have a chance to break but Berbatov's ball is poor and Bolton get forward again.

85mins

Last change for United as veteran Paul Scholes replaces the Brazilian Anderson.

84mins

Taylor's shot breaks off a United defender, United are holding on here and Gary Megson's men are giving a really good account of themselves.

84mins

Sameul launches a long throw into the United penalty area but United manage to clear.

83mins

John O'Shea and Danny Welbeck replace Evra and Owen for United.

82mins

Klasnic chests the ball to Davies whose shot is blocked by Evans, all Bolton here at the moment.

80mins

Bolton corner after Knight's shot is deflected, the corner comes to nothing as United clear their lines.

79mins

Davies are the team pushing forward here, they've just won a free kick which Taylor delivered in but the United defence clear.

76mins

Final Bolton sub as youngster Chris Basham replaces Fabrice Muamba.

75mins

MAN UTD 2-1 BOLTON: Game on! Great work from Mark Davies and his ball into the box finds Davies who flicks on for Matt TAYLOR who heads the ball home.

72mins

United corner, Giggs launches the ball into the box but Ricketts heads clear.

70mins

Bolton free kick, they launch it long into the box and Klasnic slams the ball home but Gardner is judged to have fouled Van der Sar, not so sure about that myself and the ball was there to be challenged for.

67mins

Valencia and Owen link up well on the counter with Valencia's shot producing a good save from Jaaskelainen.

66mins

All credit to Bolton, they're giving the this a decent go but you just feel United are too strong to lose with a two goal cushion.

65mins

Davies shot is blocked, the ball falls to Muamba ob the edge of the United box but Berbatov, of all people, clears the ball for United.

64mins

Second Bolton sub as Mark Davies replaces Cohen in a like for like swap.

63mins

Giggs cross goes out for a corner, the Bolton defence deal with the delivery easily.

60mins

Great shot from Bolton's Tamir Cohen, he shoots from range but Van der Sar makes a great save to deny him his fourth of the season.

57mins

Good play from Ricketts for Bolton, he finds Taylor who crosses for Davies but the Bolton striker just can't quite get to t as United win a goal kick.

56mins

Sloppy play from Bolton, Sameul is robbed by Valencia who crosses towards Berbatov, his acrobatic effort produces a fantastic save from Jaaskelainen.

55mins

A rare mistake from Bolton talisman Gary Cahill, he shows too much of the ball to Giggs who takes the ball off him and then forces Jaaskelainen to make a decent save.

54mins

Brilliant challenge from Ricketts to take the ball off Evra in the penalty area.

53mins

Taylor shoots wide from range, Bolton have gone 4-4-2 with Klasnic joining Davies up front.

52mins

Bolton boss Gary Megson makes the first substitution of the day with Chung-Yong Lee making way for Croatian striker Ivan Klasnic.

51mins

Great bit of skill from Berbatov, his delicious flick finds Owen but Knight does just enough to put the striker off and he drags his shot wide.

50mins

Berbatov plays in Owen but the England hopeful's effort flashes across goal, good chance for the home side.

49mins

Sam Ricketts wins a free-kick just outside the United area, Taylor's delivery finds Knight but Van der Sar saves the defender's headed effort.

48mins

Giggs decides to cross with the free kick but the Bolton defence do well to clear, all United in these opening minutes of the second half.

48mins

Davies fouls Giggs right on the edge of the penalty are and is handed a yellow card.

47mins

Good run from Valencia, the South American delivers a decent cross that forces Ricketts to concede a corner, Bolton manage to clear the resulting set-piece.

46mins

United get the second half underway at Old Trafford, neither side has made any changes.

45mins

MAN UTD 2-0 BOLTON. The Wanderers perhaps a bit unlucky to be two down but United have been the better side.

44mins

Bolton free kick 10 yards inside the United half, the ball falls to Muamba who hits his effort through a crowd from the edge of the area but, it's on target but Van der Sar makes the save.

44mins

Good defending from Rio Ferdinand as he takes the ball off Davies in the United area.

41mins

Giggs' right-footed cross is cleared by Knight.

40mins

Evra is caught offside as United were looking to burst forward again.

38mins

That second goal did come against the run of play as Bolton were starting to push forward, Ricketts just put in a good cross but Davies was penalised for climbing all over Ferdinand.

33mins

MAN UTD 2-0 BOLTON: VALENCIA got forward for United in a quick counter, he played a neat one-two with Neville and was allowed far too much space in the box to fire it past Jaaskelainen.

32mins

Another good chance for Taylor but he shoots wide again, the Wanderers are starting to press now and United aren't getting it all their own way.

31mins

Davies does well to chest the ball into Taylor's path, his right-footed effort goes just wide and you think if it had landed on his left he would have scored.

30mins

Bolton free-kick in a dangerous place after Davies is fouled by Anderson, Taylor takes but Van der Sar deals with it easily.

28mins

Owen is caught offside after Berbatov tried to flick the ball on to him.

26mins

Lee does well to skip past two United defenders in the penalty area, he finds Davies but Taylor is caught offside.

23mins

United win a corner after Valencia's shot from range forced Jaaskelainen to palm it out for a corner, from the corner Ricketts clears then Berbatov is judged offside.

20mins

Giggs plays a short ball to Carrick on the right hand side of the Bolton penalty area, Carrick has a crack but his effort is way off target.

18mins

Matt Taylor sends an effort well wide from the edge of the penalty area.

17mins

Giggs shows great skill to get past Ricketts but Cahill shows intelligence to clear the danger.

16mins

Michael Owen picks the ball up in midfield, Owen seems to be dropping deep quite a lot leaving Berbatov as a lone forward.

14mins

Evra's cross is ust too high for Owen and Samuel picks the ball up in the left-back position.

13mins

Great ball into the area from Sam Ricketts, Kevin Davies is unmarked six yards out but he heads over the bar, wasted chance for Bolton.

12mins

Valencia's cross is a perfect one and Berbatov volleys an effort goalwards but the ball hits Owen and goes well wide of the Bolton goal.

10mins

Bolton in possesion now and they're keeping the ball quite well, they just seem to be looking to hold onto it for a minute or two after some intense pressure.

8mins

United really pressing here and Bolton look shaky, the visitors need to calm down here otherwise it could be a cricket score.

6mins

United nearly make it two in a minute but Jaaskelainen makes a fantastic save from Evans' header.

5mins

MAN UTD 1-0 BOLTON: Great ball from Anderson to find Giggs, the ball is worked to Evra who crosses and Owen heads the ball, his shot is off target but the ball hits Zat Knight and goes in, own goal.

3mins

Good work from Gary Cahill as he stops Berbatov's pass reaching Owen.

2mins

United free kick deep in their own half after Lee is judged to have fouled Evra.

0mins

The game is underway at Old Trafford.

0mins

News from Villa Park and Chelsea have just been beaten, United will go top of the Premier League if they manage to secure all three points against Bolton who have won two on the bounce on their travels.

0mins

United have made eight changes from the side who drew with Sunderland before the international break, Bolton have named the same line-up who drew 2-2 with Spurs in their last outing.

0mins

This is the first game since Sir Alex Ferguson's tirade at referee Alan Wiley, today's ref is Mark Clattenburg - a man who once sent Ferguson to the stands at the Reebok when Bolton won 1-0 (November 2007).

0mins

Bolton are still without Johan Elmander who has a hamstring problem, though Sam Ricketts is fit to start in defence after shrugging off a knee injury.

0mins

Edwin Van der Sar makes his first appearance of the season after a long lay-off, while Johnny Evans has also passed a late fitness test to start in defence.

0mins

The home side will have to make do without Wayne Rooney who has a calf injury, there is no Nemanja Vidic for the champions either but Dimitar Berbatov is in the starting line-up despite the birth of his first child on Thursday.

0mins

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Ricketts, Knight, Cahill, Samuel, Lee, Cohen, Muamba, Gardner, Taylor, Kevin Davies. Subs: Al Habsi, Robinson, Steinsson, Mark Davies, Klasnic, McCann, Basham.

0mins

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Jonathan Evans, Evra, Valencia, Carrick, Anderson, Giggs, Owen, Berbatov. Subs: Kuszczak, Brown, Nani, Scholes, Welbeck, O'Shea, Macheda.

Match Preview

Manchester United hope to put their stuttering title bid back on track when near-neighbours Bolton Wanderers arrive at Old Trafford on Saturday.

The Red Devils have had Bolton's number in recent seasons after winning eight of their last nine games against the Trotters.

However, United have flattered to deceive at times this season and were lucky to escape with a 2-2 draw against Sunderland in their final game before the international break.

A stoppage-time own goal secured a scarcely deserved share of the spoils for the champions, who have dropped four points from their eight games so far this season.

Sir Alex Ferguson's post-match comments criticising the fitness of Alan Wiley have made plenty of headlines but failed to deflect from the fact that United were poor on the day.

Ferguson will be hoping that Wayne Rooney can shake off a calf injury which forced him to miss England's World Cup qualifier against Belarus on Wednesday.

Rooney has netted seven goals already this season and is a perennial scorer against Bolton both at home and away.

Michael Owen could be fit enough to return from a minor groin problem should Rooney not be risked ahead of next week's Champions League trip to CSKA Moscow, which leaves just Owen Hargreaves (knee) on the sidelines.

Bolton arrive at Old Trafford looking to maintain their five-game unbeaten run which has taken them into a comfortable mid-table berth.

The Trotters held an in-form Tottenham Hotspur to a 2-2 draw on their last outing and continue to be a hard nut to crack for some of the top sides in the Premier League.

This season Wanderers have found goals less hard to come by with Tamir Cohen (3) and Matt Taylor (2) joining Kevin Davies (2) in picking up the slack left by a hamstring injury to striker Johan Elmander.


advertisement

advertisment

Match Report

Manchester United went back to the top of the Premier League, although they put their fans through a nail-biting finale before holding on to the three points against Bolton Wanderers at Old Trafford.

Coasting at 2-0 up with 15 minutes to go thanks to an own goal by Zat Knight and Antonio Valencia's first for the club, United suddenly suffered a bout of the nerves after Matt Taylor reduced the arrears.

The confidence seemed to drain from the champions into Wanderers as Bolton piled on the late pressure.

Bolton seemed camped in the United half with substitute Ivan Klasnic inches wide with a shot and Gary Cahill heading straight at United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar deep into injury time.

United had enjoyed the perfect start with a goal after five minutes.

Michael Carrick found Patrice Evra on the left and his cross from the near post saw Michael Owen's header from six yards bundled into his own net by Knight.

Owen should have added a second goal a minute later, but his free header from Ryan Giggs' right-wing cross from six yards went straight at Bolton goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Dimitar Berbatov's goal-bound volley went wide off Owen, while Valencia's shot from 25 yards out was turned behind by Jaaskelainen.

But United's second goal finally came after 33 minutes. A glorious cross-field move started when Giggs found Evra on the left.

Evra's ball into the centre was helped on by Owen to Valencia on the right and he worked a neat one-two with Gary Neville before scoring with a powerful right-foot shot from 12 yards.

United continued to dominate after the interval and Berbatov should have put the game beyond Bolton's reach in the 57th minute when his acrobatic volley from a Giggs cross was brilliantly saved by Jaaskelainen.

But United went to sleep in the 75th minute. Kevin Davies, whose physical presence caused United problems all afternoon, crossed from the left and Taylor soared above Evra at the far post to head home from six yards.

Manchester United

Bolton Wanderers

Corners

131

Fouls

158

Goal attempts

1315

Shots off target

68

Offsides

42

facebook twitter rss