After the quiet Swedish newcomer ruffled a few feathers over the garden fence in August came the boisterous and physical intimidation from the other mob next door on Saturday.
But it is the Reds who could be threatened with eviction - from the title race.
If anyone else gets wind of the fact that the champions will be thrown out of kilter by a bit of muscle-flexing then points dropped will begin to mount.
New Bolton boss Gary Megson has unashamedly reverted back to the Big Sam blueprint but it had been a formula that United have learned to cope with and overcome.
Once United came to terms with the pummelling Allardyce's Wanderers brought to the Premiership in 2001 and upset the Reds twice at Old Trafford in the space of 13 months they have since rarely been flustered when posed with the aggressive question.
They have scored 30 goals in 12 games against Bolton's tactics, won eight and drawn two. Last October they swept them aside with a blistering top notch 4-0 performance at the Reebok.
However, on Saturday United were blown away by a belligerent first half from Wanderers and never fully recovered their normal composure.
The private under card duel between Kevin Davies and Patrice Evra took over the bill. It galvanised Bolton and distracted and disrupted the Reds. Amazingly only one yellow card (for Davies) was the result of the clashes. The only short-term casualty ultimately was United's championship challenge.
The Wanderers striker took the softening up exercise to the very limits of legality and probably beyond it at times.
Sir Alex Ferguson was irate that referee Mark Clattenburg didn't provide ample protection. His half-time reminder of the fact forced him to the stands for the second half.
Flair
If the FA hand him a rap his mobile bill to Mike Phelan on the bench could increase for a couple more matches.
Fergie had a point but how many times have you seen United take that kind of brutal punishment in their stride, win the battle then stroll to the points?
Publicly it was Clattenburg who copped for an earful privately I reckon his United side were reminded that fight and flair often have to be bedfellows.
Some of the first-half tackles may have made you wince but the Reds failed to stand up to it and respond. It's doubtful that Nemanja Vidic, Wayne Rooney and Cristiano Ronaldo would have unfurled the white flag so meekly.
They'd have given something back in menace and majesty. Without that trio United just didn't seem to have the stomach to go toe-to-toe with Bolton.
Only when some of the steam went out of the Wanderers and Brazilian Anderson came on as a 58th minute substitute to remind the champions of their flair superiority did it improve for United.
Even then the unusually unproductive Reds could only muster one chance. But what a chance!
Evra, released from his contest with the subbed Davies, put in a glorious cross after 72 minutes and Carlos Tevez somehow steered it wide from well inside the six-yard box.
It was a shame for the Argentinian who despite his punishing international schedule in South America was United's liveliest performer. No wonder United have already begun talks to secure the 23-year-old on a permanent deal.
But his howler meant the one piece of class from the first half chaos from Nicolas Anelka wasn't overturned. The Frenchman capitalised on a blunder from Pique to sweep in the winner after 11 minutes.
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Just try and picture Mad Alex had the tackle on Gelson by Hunt been made against one of his precious darlings. Sven plays it down, Alex would have demanded a public execution. Lots of success, no class.
What a joke! You and Rudolph have short memories! Forgotten Roy Keane, Gary Neville at al already??!! Hypocrites!
We still play a Man's game. Come on you Whites!!
Invisible man, there must have been a helluva lot of you in the blue stadium on saturday.
Yes Hunt's tackle was disgraceful but there was no reaction cos there wasn't enough city fans in the stadium to make much of a noise.
DC amsterdam, thats because all the fans were laughing at the rags getting beat.
DC, Amsterdam
There were 44,000 in the stadium when Hunt scissor kicked Gelson, you Muppet!
And the least agressive and abusive was the manager, SVE - a gentleman. Bacon face - supposed to be a Knight of the Realm, what a disgrace to the title.
Bullied out of the game. Dear oh dear. Are we the new Arsenal? Were have all the men gone?? Very dissapointed.
fergie don't like it when his team gets roughed up well what about keane the so called hard man purposly crippling haaland and buchan doin king colin and best breaking pardoes' leg in the seventies you rags sure have short memories you don't like it when the goin gets tough do you ??
it was nice seeing taggert on the naughty step
Getting to be habit this losing "derby" games. Another rant at the ref by Taggart to try and get prefrential treatment for his "stars". Your turning into a one man team, without the portugese pony to bail you out you don't look that good and who's that team breathing down your necks only 1 point behind. CITEH....
zedgie, you seem to have got it right, city fans are more interested in Schadenfreude than in their own team.
And Bell-end, there may have been 44,000 tickets sold, or at the beginning of the game, but you'd all cleared off by the time of your winner. The only thing in the stands noticeable was a sea of blue - seats. Support your own team, I couldn't give a toss if your manager has class or is quiet and respectable, just like I couldn't give a toss if the most decorated British manager of all time screams and shouts blue thunder to the press. Would you disregard your manager's good grace for a few trophies?
Never felt more like singing the blues. City Wwin. Yoooonited lose. Oh City, you got me singing the Blues!
So funny the amount of bitters read our news, then post on our stories, how pathetic!
Even funnier how they think having an emotionless Swede is a good thing!
If you were half as intersted in your own team then you are in ours, maybe there would be less 'invisible men' at wastelands!
The reason you have a lot of City fans on here, is because we have a passion for football 24/7......whereas United like to show up on match days only......also, lets face it, if City fans didn't comment on this site it would be a sad refelction if the biggest club in the world only had one authentic response to an article about their team......check out any City story - at least our fans are passionate and love to debate.......I hate keano - but he was certainly right when stating that the average Utd fan is interested in their prawn sandwich than being passionate for their team.
The reason there are so many City fans on here is because most of them are kn*bs
yep, best squad he has ever had, must be as they only lost to relegation fodder 1-0
it is vital the 5000 mu mancs get behind the team against fulham, hopefully if we do the 65,000 southeners will help make it a good atmosphere. fergie knows best the defeats to bolton, coventry, and man city were just blips, no need to panic, oshea has signed a new five year deal has he not, all is well at the MU.
Dismiss these pathetic comments from the Berties posting .Its hard work and frustrating I imagine living down 31 years without a trophy.They wont know what to do if they ever win one ,except keep on with their ingrained bitterness at Uniteds successes!
m r
u r deluded!
go back 2 wastelands with the other inadequates.