If, as Sir Alex Ferguson keeps saying, the "true Manchester United" have yet to be unleashed, then Arsenal, Chelsea and everybody else might have to get used to playing catch-up. Ferguson's men enjoy the view from the top of the Premiership and, apart from a few anxious late moments, they overcame Bolton last night with plenty in reserve.
Perhaps Bolton blundered in tormenting their opponents before kick-off with pictures of their much acclaimed triumphs at Old Trafford on the Reebok's large screen. Or maybe United were just aggrieved to have given their Lancashire neighbours such cause for optimism over the last two seasons. Either way, the champions calmly set about creating a two-goal lead before half-time and resisted everything their hosts could muster until two minutes from time when Gary Neville headed Jay Jay Okocha's cross into his own net under pressure from Youri Djorkaeff.
In a nerve-shredding finale Jussi Jaaskelainen, the Bolton goalkeeper, was virtually encamped in the opposition penalty area but there is a purpose to the Premiership leaders and on the rare occasions their defence is exposed their goalkeeper Tim Howard is in majestic form.
United are now three points clear of Arsenal and seven of Chelsea. Apart from Darren Fletcher filling the right-wing berth usually occupied by Cristiano Ronaldo or Kleberson, this was Ferguson's most intimidating line-up and he was duly rewarded. Ruud van Nistelrooy moved closer to becoming the 17th player to score 100 goals for the club, while Roy Keane was at his marauding best.
"It's been a good night for us," said Ferguson. "It was fraught at the end but we've got a great result and we've had the bonus of results elsewhere going in our favour."
The first hand that Ferguson shook in the dressing-room will have belonged to Howard. With the game scoreless, United were indebted to their goalkeeper for judging the swerve in splendid shots from Per Frandsen and Okocha. Even better followed in the second half when he tipped over an Okocha special that seemed destined for the top left-hand corner of his net.
Sam Allardyce, the Bolton manager, ruefully described the American as "marvellous" and Ferguson was not exaggerating when he hailed Howard as their best performer this season.
Ferguson also identified Rio Ferdinand for special acclaim and Fletcher, too, produced a performance brimming with industry. There is an unselfish streak to the Scot that his team-mates appreciate and that was particularly evident in the build-up to Paul Scholes opening the scoring. Fletcher had the opportunity to shoot through a congested penalty area but opted to divert the ball to the left where Ryan Giggs was loitering unmarked. Giggs drove the ball across the face of goal and, although Jaaskelainen blocked Van Nistelrooy's shot, the rebound fell kindly for Scholes. From two yards the rest was a formality.
Perhaps Bolton's downfall was to search for the equaliser with too much relish. There is no greater exponent of the counter-attack than United and, seven minutes from the interval, Scholes's beautifully weighted ball sent Giggs clear through an exposed defence. Jaaskelainen should have done better, charging off his goal-line but failing to cut out the ball. Instead it spun off him and Giggs lobbed a clever shot that looked goal-bound. Van Nistelrooy applied the finishing touch from a yard out. It is a measure of his predatory instincts that all 98 of his goals for United have come from inside the penalty area.
Allardyce was left to reflect on a "fantastic effort" from his team. It was difficult for him to be too upbeat, though, especially with the news that Ricardo Gardner may have ruptured his knee ligaments.
Bolton gave Javi Moreno, their loan signing from Atletico Madrid, his first taste of English football but after Neville's faux pas their last chance fell to another substitute, Ibrahim Ba, who fired over. United have taken 49 points from 20 games - better than in any other season under Ferguson.
