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Article by Mark Graham, Editor, Record Keeper & Official
Reporter @ MUFCINFO.COM.
Dimitar Berbatov scored late at the Reebok on Saturday to
claim all three points & gain United a victory which saw for
the 1st time this season Manchester United take top spot in
the Premier League table after an auspicious win away at
Bolton.
This
was another the classic case of after the Lord Mayors show
comes the dustcart (Editor: Thanks to Tanner for the
Journalistic Masterpiece) as United were possession &
chance dominant but far from spectacular and even less
impressive than the last match against Wigan, however 6
points from displays unlike the Chelsea game we would take
from now till doomsday.
Carlos Tevez & Jonny Evans both past late fitness tests &
SAF also gave starts in his 11 to Gary Neville & also
fielded an unusual 4-3-3/4-4-2 with Darren Fletcher playing
narrow wide of a three man midfield giving Ronaldo license
to push as far forward as possible.
Due to his injury list SAF also included
James Chester on the subs bench.
For most of the 90 minutes Bolton sat back & tried to soak
up what the visitors had to offer & United's tactic which
did little for fluency & verve struggled as Anderson &
Carrick both had so poor of a game.
Darren Fletcher also playing out of position with up to
three wide men on the subs bench didn't help the Reds also
as Bolton defended in number in midfield & at the back well
throughout
the game.
With accurate
passing & movement at a minimum, but the usual plentiful
possession, Bolton continually frustrated a United side
which failed really to trouble Jaaskelainen as time & time
again the visitors troubled themselves with some terrible
passing.
With very few
highlights Bolton's new loan signing & Portuguese
International Ariza Makukula floored Nemanja Vidic
(Editor: must be suicidal) after running into the back
of the Serb & with a cheeky smile later found himself in the
book.
Makukula not intent with flooring the Serbanator also caught
him again with a high tackle before giving EVDS a small
chore of collecting an easy header.
Bolton on a rare foray forward saw Muamba's shot save by
EVDS as United's attack failed to create anything of note.
The Reds finally started to look like a goal was in
themselves as a Ronaldo header forced a save & Jaaskelainen
made another fine save from a free kick after a foul on
Berbatov.
Another save from Jaaskelainen came shortly after as
Anderson let rip from 25 yards out however the half time
whistle blew at a bad time for the Reds who were beginning
to look sharp.
Bolton came out
the better side in the opening period of the second half as
a Kevin Davies high looping header beat EVDS only to fall on
the roof of the net.
United replied later with another Ronaldo free-kick straight
down the throat, hard & fast of the Bolton keeper who again
saved well only for Makukula to clear the danger from the
spill.
With Anderson &
Carrick still struggling to hit a cows arse with a banjo in
the passing stakes, SAF decided to change things & on 69
mins SAF introduced Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes for Fletcher
& Anderson.
Within minutes on
coming on a training ground set piece saw the old codgers of
United amalgamate for a corner which Scholes struck &
deflect off of Gary Cahill.
Carlos Tevez had a header chance go close before another
Ronaldo free kick chance soon came as Jaaskelainen was
beginning to crack as again the Bolton keeper spilled the
free kick, but with fortune on the side of Bolton the
spillage fell straight to a Bolton player in a congested
penalty area & the Trotters could breath easy again.
With the game time slipping away Bolton almost took the lead
through Kevin Davies and the former Southampton man threw
himself at a cross beating EVDS but somehow managed to steer
his header over from close range.
Whilst watching
the match your Editor could still feel that the a goal was
coming as I reiterated over & over be patient & United fans
across the world would soon be rejoicing
With a League season not unlike the
1995/1996 United dug deep and with literally minutes
left Carlos Tevez somehow managed to rise from a tangle of
bodies on the edge of the box & hasten toward the right of
the goal before swinging in a cross that Berbatov stooped
low to head in off Jaaskelainen taking all three lovely
priceless, top of the league points.
What's your
opinion?.....HAVE YOU'RE SAY BELOW |
Berbatov (90 min).
