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Manchester United returned to the top of the Premier
League table after an own goal from Bolton's giant
defender Zat Knight & an account opener from
Ecuadorian winger & MOTM Antonio Valencia gave
United just enough to take maximum points &
full advantage of title rivals slip ups as both
Liverpool & Chelsea tasted defeat in their
respective fixtures.
With
Liverpool's the more hilarious due to a Liverpool
fan blowing up a official licensed LFC red beach
ball onto the pitch during play, the said "official
licensed LFC red beach ball" totally bamboozled Pepe
Reina in the Liverpool goal as Darren Bent shot
cannoned off the foreign object thrown on the pitch
by a dopy Liverpool supporter
Matt
Taylor scored for Bolton leaving the Old Trafford
crowd biting their nails in a tense finale after
United looked like they might reach double figures,
but the Reds hung on to capitalise in the title
race.
SAF
brought in Gary Neville and Jonny Evans for the
injured Nemanja Vidic (ankle) with Carrick &
Anderson central, Giggs & Valencia both impressing
in the wide positions.
EVDS was
restored to goalkeeping duties & Michael Owen & New
Daddy & languid football genius Dimitar Berbatov up
front.
United
made a dream start finding the ball in the back of
the visitors net inside of five minutes (Editor:
about same time as the Stadium of Light and the away
section were enjoying a full on beach party) when
Zat Knight turned the ball into his own net.
Straight
out of the traps United passed the ball well in
Bolton half and on his second attempt at a raid down
the left, Patrice Evra crossed a ball which Michael
Owen nodded goal bound only to see Zat Knight stick
pout a massive leg & divert Owen's header into his
own net.
Looking
sharp & dangerous on any move going forward United
were fortunate not to double their advantage when a
slick passage of play involving war horses Neville &
Giggs.
After
United had won a corner, Neville & Giggs
interchanged passes before Neville spotted & fed a
clever run from the Berbatov, a even more
intellectual back heeled later teed up Ryan Giggs to
central a ball which Jonny Evans headed goal bound
only to be foiled by a save from Jussi in the Bolton
goal & the woodwork.
More
impressive work from Valencia set up a powerful
volleyed
Mark Hughes style shot from Berbatov next as
Owen though no fault of his own blocked his team
mates shot thus saving Bolton.
Bolton
then mustered up a decent half chance when Sam
Ricketts crossed from the right and Kevin Davies,
losing his markers headed wide.
Kevin
Davies continued to lift Bolton's resurgence when he
chested down a long ball into the path of Taylor who
just inside the penalty area dragged his shot wide
of the far post.
United
then doubled their advantage through Valencia when
in a sweeping counter attack led by Evra a cluster
of passes finally resulted in a overlapping run from
Gary Neville who cut a ball into the box for
Valencia to smash home his 1st goal for United.
Struggling to crack even the slightest of a smile
Valencia kept his emotions in check with little in
the form of a celebration.
In the
second half, Valencia & especially Berbatov
continued to be the fulcrum of all that United
created in the box & gave Owen an opportunity when
he intelligently picked out Owen with quick turn
only for the Ex Newcastle United striker to drag his
shot wide.
Valencia
& Berbatov combined again for another great chance
when the Ecuadorian dinked a chipped cross for
Berbatov at the far post and once again a Hughes
type volley & the exact same style as his goal
against Sunderland, the Bulgarian met the cross with
power only to be denied by the best save of the
match by Bolton's keeper.
The
Trotters then pulled a goal back when a surging run
from Mark Davies & a poor attempt at a tackle from
Anderson allowed the Bolton player to run deep into
the United defence & after picking out his name sake
Kevin on the left Gary Neville blocked Davies's
cross only to see the ball find the same player
again.
Making no
mistakes with delivery the second time, Taylor out
jumped Patrice Evra and nodded easily past EVDS.
Sensing
that 15mins was more than enough to even win the
game, Bolton pressed hard & ran United ragged at
times as Kevin Davies impressed.
Kranic
then saw a low shot go wide of EVDS post as the
visitors knocked on the door at the point United's
defence creaked & groaned.
Guilty of
sloppy possession United especially Ryan Giggs kept
squandering opportunity to keep the ball as the
clock was running down.
With
Bolton and their obvious height & muscle advantage
up front SAF subbed Evra for JOS to combat the
"shell fire" like long balls that Bolton were
looking ever more threatening to equalise with.
Zat
Knight endeavoured to atone for his own goal when he
headed well over EVDS bar as United hung onto their
lead.
Deep deep
into stoppage time United almost paid for not
killing the game off when a long throw in was nodded
on by Knight & in a bout of fortune for the Reds,
EVDS was right place right time to easily grab
Cahill's header before the final whistle blew. |
Article by Mark Graham, Editor, Record Keeper & Official
Reporter @ MUFCINFO.COM.
Knight (o.g. 5),
