Frederic Veseli became the latest player to wear both the sky blue shirt of Manchester City and Manchester United’s red when he made his debut for Warren Joyce’s second string at Altrincham on Monday night.

The 19-year-old Swiss-born defender, who made the move across town in the January transfer window, took his place in the Reds’ line-up as a substitute following an early injury to Larnell Cole. He didn’t waste any time settling in – within a few minutes he was tussling with Paul Robinson, Bolton’s experienced tough-guy defender.

Bolton, with just eight points from 14 matches, belied their current status as the reserve league’s basement club, with a gutsy display against United, one of the main title contenders.

Reece Brown put United ahead five minutes before the break with a powerful shot from Paul Pogba’s free-kick.

But that effort was matched seven minutes into the second half when Topi Obadeyi fired home the equaliser from the edge of the area.

Pogba headed United’s winner from Ritchie De Laet’s left-wing cross with six minutes remaining to send the Reds to the top of the table, above Sunderland on goal difference.

UNITED: Johnstone, Vermijl, De Laet, Brown, M Keane, Fryers, Cole (Veseli 15 (Thorpe 78), Pogba, W Keane, Petrucci, Lingard. Subs not used: Massacci, Coll, Fornasier

BOLTON: Lynch, Riley, Robinson (Kellett 78), McQuade, Connolly, Blakeman, O’Halloran, Davis (Vela 68), Eaves, Blake (Iliev 68), Obadeyi. Subs not used: Fielding, Eckersley

Attendance: 360

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