United overcome brave Bolton

Manchester United were awarded a controversial penalty as they ran out 2-0 winners at home to Bolton.

Ronaldo and Rooney on target in controversial victory

Manchester United were awarded a controversial penalty as they ran out 2-0 winners at home to Bolton. Manchester United were frustrated in a goalless first half as Bolton defended bravely to restrict them to ambitious shots from distance, and it was the visitors who should have been ahead at the break after Fabrice Muamba missed a glorious opportunity from close range. The key moment arrived on the hour mark when Jlloyd Samuel appeared to win the ball from Cristiano Ronaldo with a superb tackle, but referee Rob Styles pointed to the penalty spot. Ronaldo, on his first league start since May, stepped up to score and United cruised through to full-time with Wayne Rooney adding a splendid second after more good work from the Portuguese winger.

Adventurous

For a start, Bolton were not as unadventurous as many believed and when, after about 15 minutes, United did get into their stride, they found it difficult to break through a hard-working defence, aided superbly by the midfield industry of Gavin McCann. Jussi Jaaskelainen was called upon on half a dozen occasions but most of his saves would be regarded as routine for the Finn, including the low Ronaldo free-kick he kept out at his near post. Ronaldo took plenty of responsibility for United's goal search on his shoulders but while Carlos Tevez and Dimitar Berbatov tried hard, there was no sense of a partnership between the pair. The only time they were involved in anything meaningful was when they helped set up Rio Ferdinand. But the centre-half bounced his half-volley straight at Jaaskelainen.

Attacking force

Bolton could not claim to have posed even half the threat United had done. But they had established themselves as an attacking force long before Muamba was presented with the best opportunity either side had to break the first-half deadlock. As a former pupil of Arsene Wenger's at Arsenal, Muamba could at least have been expected to force Edwin van der Sar into a save when Gretar Steinsson's low cross rolled invitingly into his path after Ferdinand had slid in with Kevin Davies at the near post. Inexplicably, from barely 10 yards, the England Under 21 international was so badly off target his shot nearly rolled out for a throw-in. Having got trips to Liverpool and Chelsea out of the way during an incredibly tough start to the season, now Ferguson was expecting his team to start winning. But as the hour mark approached the opener still proved elusive, despite the improved efforts of Ronaldo.

Incredulity

Yet even Ferguson must have felt a bit sheepish when Styles, perfectly placed, watched Samuel make what everyone in the stadium seemed to think was a perfectly timed tackle on Ronaldo, then point to the spot as the home player hit the deck. Bolton could not believe it. Television replays justified their incredulity. Ronaldo simply stepped up and sent Jaaskelainen the wrong way. The introduction of Rooney and Paul Scholes came not long afterwards. Given his desire to play every minute of every game, Rooney was presumably not happy at being left out, so there must have been an element of 'I'll show you' about his superb curling shot which found the bottom corner after a neat exchange of passes with Ronaldo 13 minutes from time. Scholes went close to increasing United's lead at the end but by then, the damage had been done for Bolton.

Manchester United	Team Statistics	Bolton Wanderers
2	Goals	0
0	1st Half Goals	0
13	Shots on Target	2
10	Shots off Target	4
11	Blocked Shots	3
16	Corners	4
9	Fouls	9
1	Offsides	1
0	Yellow Cards	3
0	Red Cards	0
90.4	Passing Success	64.9
20	Tackles	30
70	Tackles Success	63.3
74.8	Possession	25.2
65.8	Territorial Advantage	34.2