Football Preview – Bolton Wanderers vs. Manchester United
Manchester United Alex Ferguson will be looking to ring the changes when Premier League action returns for the title-chasing Reds on Sunday. After a Carling Cup fixture win over Scunthorpe, United will be looking to continue their winning ways. Standing
between their aim of a victory is Bolton Wanderers.
The Wanderers have had a decent start to the season and will provide stiff challenge to Manchester United especially at the Reebok Stadium. This Bolton side is very different from the ones which have played at the Reebok over the years. Derided for their
boring, functional and direct football style under the leadership of Sam Allardyce, they have come a long way towards improving their style. The main reason for this evolution has been the installing of Owen Coyle as their boss. The former Burnley manager
has instilled a confidence to play the ball along the ground and to create pleasing triangles in order to circumvent the opposition rather than just hoof the ball to Kevin Davies. The style has not come overnight and even now it is a work in progress. Coyle’s
insistence in playing a certain style has earned him plaudits and successes on the pitch as well.
It is also because of this change in style that players like the lucrative Swede Johann Elmander have improved the form at the club. Martin Petrov, the high-flying Bulgarian also joined the club in the summers in what could turn out to be the bargain of
the season.
Coyle is expected to revert to his strongest available side after a mishap in the Carling Cup in mid-week, where they slumped to a defeat. Their defeat ironically came at the hands of Coyle’s former club, Burnley which he left in such acrimonious fashion.
The most important question for this match will be whether Coyle recalls Jussi Jaaskelainen after the Finn returns from suspension. In his absence, standby-keeper, Adam Bogdan has been in very impressive form but it will probably be no surprise if the excellent
Finn takes his place back in the side. Kevin Davies is another who will return to the side after suspension to spearhead an attack, which will be expected to provide the goals against a wobbly United defence.
United’s Ferguson himself will be ringing in the changes and it will be no surprise if only Rio Ferdinand keeps his place in the side against the Trotters. United are four points behind runaway leaders Chelsea who have been ominous in dispatching their opponents
so far in the season. However, with the defending champions playing against Manchester City, United will have the opportunity to make ground, if the London side slips up. In fact, this could be one of the very few times that Ferguson might actually be supporting
his city rivals in any match.
It is for these reasons that big guns like Paul Scholes, Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney, Ryan Giggs and in-form striker Dimitar Berbatov are expected to return to the side. Despite United’s excellent record against Bolton Wanderers, this could be a possible
banana skin which Alex Ferguson will be looking to avoid. Ferguson will also be hoping that the United defence is stronger this time around after collapsing spectacularly against Everton late in the game and against Liverpool in mid-game. Ferguson is however,
canny enough to portray their comeback against Liverpool after the defensive lapses as a turning around of a corner.
If United can keep a clean sheet, they will probably prevail at the Reebok stadium. And with important Champions League fixtures on the horizon, a victory against the Trotters will be the perfect tonic to keep the momentum going.
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