FOR Liverpool and Chelsea there will be a depressing sense of déjà vu.
The sight of United looming large on the home straight is an all too familiar one.
The Reds' customary New Year charge has already seen Chelsea overtaken in double quick time, while Liverpool's place atop the Premier League will be seized if three points can be acquired at Bolton.
With four months of the season still to go, Ferguson will keep the champagne on ice for now - but he will know his side look every bit the champions-elect.
Wednesday's 1-0 win against Wigan was hardly as emphatic as victory against Chelsea three days earlier. But having successfully chased down 10 titles and counting at United, Ferguson knows the scrappy wins have proved just as crucial to his trophy-laden career as any number of routs.
"There have been occasions over the years when we've won 1-0 and it has pointed to titles," said the United manager after scraping past Wigan. It was the champions' fifth victory by that scoreline in their last seven league matches.
Single-goal victories were never so valuable than in 1996 when United racked up eight 1-0 wins - seven coming in the second half of the season - to eat up Newcastle's 12-point lead at the top of the table.
Rafa Benitez should beware because the similarities between 96 and 2009 don't end there.
The Liverpool manager's `Raf Rage' last week was more like Kevin Keegan's infamous "I'd love it!" rant than he'd care to admit - but more concerning for the Spaniard and everyone at Anfield is that they weren't afforded the luxury of a 12-point lead over United as Newcastle were.
In fact, from the moment the final whistle blew on their goalless draw at Stoke last week, what was an eight-point lead looked so fragile as if it was nothing at all.
United will hope to continue a dominant record at the Reebok, which has seen them lose only one of their last nine visits to Bolton (one in 10 including Wanderers' former ground Burnden Park).
But if there is something to give the Merseysiders cause for hope, it is a worrying Old Trafford casualty list.
Wayne Rooney's hamstring injury on Wednesday saw him join Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Wes Brown and Owen Hargreaves on the sidelines.
Concern
Carlos Tevez is another concern after limping through much of the second half against Wigan, while Jonny Evans and Paul Scholes also appeared to struggle. Tevez and Evans both face 10am fitness tests on Saturday morning to discover whether they will be fit.
That burgeoning injury list could see Serbian signing Zoran Tosic fast-tracked into the first team - particularly given Nani's apparent crisis of confidence in his second season in England.
And Cristiano Ronaldo could be pushed up to a more advanced role alongside Dimitar Berbatov should Tevez not be fit enough to start against Bolton.
Ferguson can also recall the ever-ready legs of Darren Fletcher and Ji-Sung Park, who are fast-becoming mainstays in the United manager's strongest XI.
And it is another daunting sign to the pretenders to their crown that even in a season disrupted by injury and inconsistency, United have still managed to manoeuvre themselves to within two points of the top of the table with a game in hand.
Despite being without Ferdinand, Evra, Brown and Edwin van der Sar at times this season, they have totted up an incredible nine clean sheets in succession in the league, which has compensated for some indifference at the other end pitch.
It has seen them gobble up the head start they afforded Liverpool and Chelsea - and even if so many titles have been won in swashbuckling fashion, John O'Shea is adamant that defence has always been just as valued a commodity for Ferguson as attack.
"We are proud of our defensive record," said the Irishman, who has deputised so impressively for Evra in recent weeks. "Keeping clean sheets has been the base for every season that we've been successful. But we know there is a lot more to be done because there are a lot of tough games to come.
"We knew how important the Wigan game was because it was one of our games in hand. We spoke about it before we went to Japan and how difficult it would be to catch up.
"Now we have a fantastic incentive at Bolton to go to the top of the league.
"That's what we were talking about a few months ago with the games in hand. If we got to such a stage where we could get to the top on the same number of games then it would be a definite advantage. But Bolton will be another difficult away game. They will be up for it. They will see that we only got past Wigan by one goal and maybe get confidence from that.
"It is always a difficult game, but we will be up for the battle."
For Bolton, centre-back Gary Cahill could return from a three-match absence.
The 23-year-old is almost fully recovered from a hip injury and that will be a welcome boost for manager Gary Megson, whose side have lost five of the last six league matches.
Right-back Gretar Steinsson returns from suspension but captain Kevin Nolan is still banned, while midfielder Gavin McCann (broken toe) and striker Johan Elmander (hamstring) are missing after sustaining injuries at Arsenal last week.
Zenit St Petersburg defender Sebastien Puygrenier, signed on loan last week, is included in the squad after his international clearance came through.
Bolton Wanderers (from): Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Shittu, Cahill, A O’Brien, Samuel, Riga, Muamba, Taylor, Davies, Gardner, Obadeyi, Bogdan, Smolarek, Fojut, Basham, Puygrenier.
Manchester United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, Rafael, Vidic, Evans, O'Shea, Fletcher, Scholes, Carrick, Ronaldo, Anderson, Park, Berbatov, Tevez, Welbeck, Nani, Giggs
Bolton league form: LWLLL
United League form: DWWWW
Key opponent: Kevin Davies - a bruising opponent
Prediction: Bolton 0 United 1 - It could be another grinding win for the Reds
Agree with the prediction? Have your say.
You can get 6/1 on United to win 1-0 with Betfred. For this and more odds, click
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Preview: Bolton v United
January 16, 2009
Comments
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This'll be another Wigan type game for sure. Fletcher & Park back and maybe even Giggs? The back four seem to survive come what may and I think Bolton are less potent than Wigan.
Hard to see where lots of goals will come from and this would be a very tough game for Welbeck to start in.
The likes of Ron & The Berb need to show their colours or this could be two points dropped?
It will be close but I expect the defence to maintain its recent good form and not concede. 1-0 to the English, European and World champions.
I can see a narrow win for United.
Team: VdS, Neville, Evans, Vidic, JOS, Carrick, Scholes or Anderson, Fletcher, Ronaldo, Berbatov, Park.
1-0 will be more than enough for me!
vds
nev - vida - evans - o'shea
ronaldo - fletcher - carrick - giggs
tevez - berba
If Evans and Tévez don't make it, it has to be:
vds
rafael neville vidic o'shea
park carrick fletcher anderson
ronaldo berbatov
Can we use anyone but oshea he is a liability !
Gilly.
I am not JOS's biggest fan but who else is going to play LB with Evra injured?
Providing Tevez is fit I'd like us to play 4-3-3 with Carrick, Fletcher & Anderson in the middle & Berbatov, Tevez and Ronaldo up front.
I doubt I'll get my wish though.
i would love to see fabio playing leftback with rafael playing rightback
vidic with evans(or oshea if evans is injured) for centreback
a formation of 4-3-3 with midfield of fletcher, anderson, giggs and a forward line of tevez, berbatov, ronaldo
alias agree will be a tight game "a win for united I hope" .
but which united will turn up? the gritty determined skilful team we saw tame chelsea.
or more likely the "we will do just enough boys" we have seen far too frequently this season.
expect bolton to copy wigan and get stuck in so fletcher AND andersen a must for this game + the invisible man .
Just heard the news about Calderon. How the mighty have fallen. Fergie will be buoyant going into the Bolton game and so will the team.
First Schuster and Calderon took on the Great Man over Ronaldo and they have been snuffed out. Then came the Benitz rage, Liverpool's pool draw against Stoke and United's 3-0 burial of Chelsea. On Saturday it's odds on that United will be top thus exerting more pressure on Rafa, who needs to get rid of another couple of stones - and I'm not talking about kidney ones, either.
The lesson? Don't take on the master because you're sure to lose. Even with United's injury problems, Bolton could seriously suffer at the Reebok on Saturday.
I can see another tight game here unless we score early (I know.....we did that against Wigan) but if we can do it again here and build on it this time, it could turn out to be quite a comfortable game. I wouldn't imagine Fergie would be too eager to throw Fabio in away to Bolton when a win will take us top (unless of course we're comfortably in front). Same defence as the Wigan game, hopefully Tevez will be fit and he can start up fron with Berbatov and Ronaldo, Anderson, Fletcher and Park in midfield. Scholes and Giggs to come on if needs be. Unfortunately, as much as I don't want to say, my faith is running out in Nani, I really though he was going to be something special, still can be though.
The two early morning fitness tests will have a crucial bearing on the outcome of the match. I do believe that we can nick a goal or two without Tevez, but I would be a little more concerned if Evans is not available to play. I trust Sir Alex's judgement in Team selection in the circumstances, but I will be keeping my fingers crossed mid morning!
When i was reading this part "Wayne Rooney's hamstring injury on Wednesday saw him join Rio Ferdinand, Patrice Evra, Wes Brown and Owen Hargreaves on the sidelines...." i was expecting to read the name of Louis Saha . jaja
As long as we do enough to win bobbyd.
Who is the invisible man?
Time to get Frazer back from Spurs as we are bound to get another clogging tomorrow and I anticipate more injuries. Bolton are not really famous eor their finess.
Carrick and Nani were a total waste of space on Wed. The whole starting midfield was shite and was well over run and out hussled for most of the game. However, I really do not see Bolton being able to match Wigans endeavour and work rate. If Park, Giggs and Fletcher can play half as well as Sunday we should win.
VDS
Rafa Nev Vida Sheasy
Fletch Carrick Anderson
Park Berba Ronaldo
SUBS: Kuszczak, Chester, Gibson, Possebon, Nani, Giggs, Welbeck
Prediction: 1-1
I agree with Seasider in Blackpool, except for Giggs in for Anderson. Not sold on him yet. He has had some off games lately. Ronny should get a run up front, he'll probably get us a couple. I know Gaz will have his team fired up (old friend of mine) but I think in light of what's at stake, Fergie will want this one as bad as he wanted victory over Chelsea because it will just pile the preasure even more on that Ranting Raffa who can't seem to shut up and get on with it! The Pool have too many distractions now with Raf's contract stalls, Stevie's day in court and so on. I think they crumble under all the preasure and expectations
Alias Smith,
the invisible man is Carrick
alias
when the opposition start to rough it up who dissapears?
michael carrick.
come on now for 18 months you and your mate have been insisting that we have goals flowing all through the team and we have goalscoring options all over.i stand by my position that our defence and ronaldo were the main reasons for our success. i am still waiting to see who is going to step into the gap now ronaldo has come back down to earth.
We'll just add Carrick to the very long list of United players you don't rate then bobbyd?
It's difficult to know who's fit enough to play but I'd suggest:
VDS, JOS JE NV GN, JSP RG MC DF CR, DB
I'd see Cristiano having the leeway to become a second attacker or a wide play as he sees fit during the game. He's due a goal and I'd take him as first scorer.
I also think that Rio or even Wes might be drafted in if it's necessary but I think Evans will pass his fitness test but Tevez won't.
Dangers from Bolton are Taylor's set pieces and a danger of being crowned by Davies' elbows.
I'd go a scorecast of Ronaldo and 2-0. If pushed I'd go last goalscorer of Berbatov, in the last minute, to settle it. It'd be nice to see Park or Anderson get a goal though.
alias as you know i think carrick is a decent player but when things get tough he tends to do his dissapearing act.
If that's true bobbyd, why is he in your suggested side to play away Bolton of all places?
davmac
Dont mess with the master! lol. Shut up!
Fergies won nothing! Can you imagine him going to Italy or Spain to manage a club?lol. Imagine him trying to talk another language? (most people cant understand the drunk now)
Rafa Benitez is only 48 and can talk about 5 different languages. Won x2 La Ligas, x1 Uefa Cup, x2 Euro Super Cups, x1 FA Cup, x1 European Cup, x1 Charity Shield.
Imagine what this fella will have won by the time hes 65+
Ive got more respect for the likes of Capello than Fergie. Hes been everywhere and won alot. Fergies won alot of not much.lol