Can you hear the footsteps, Jose?

Bolton 1 Man Utd 2

A week later, Alex Ferguson was able to exert more psychological pressure on the West London side having reduced that advantage to just seven points. Which of the two managers do you think is sleeping the more soundly these days?

Whether by accident or design, Ferguson is currently overseeing one of the most remarkable comebacks since, well, since his Manchester United side overhauled Kevin Keegan’s spineless Newcastle outfit ten years ago. Pilloried by his failure to strengthen a midfield rendered toothless by Roy Keane’s departure, preferring instead to draft in two distinctly ordinary defenders in Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic last January, the manager has suddenly produced a side capable of piecing together a run worthy of United in their pomp.

Eight successive league victories have chipped away at Chelsea’s lead and, more importantly, their psyche, and with nothing to lose, United are playing with a vibrancy and resolve that suggests they could win all their remaining six games and wait for Mourinho’s men to wobble. This was a hugely impressive victory against one of the Premiership’s most formidable teams in a stadium where Bolton had not lost since August. Having gone behind to a well-taken Kevin Davies effort, United simply slipped through the gears and ruthlessly saw off Sam Allardyce’s side thanks to two expertly finished goals from Louis Saha and Ruud van Nistelrooy.

The creative tension between the two strikers lies at the heart of this United revival. The brooding presence of van Nistelrooy has become a feature of Ferguson’s substitute bench ever since the Scot correctly identified his leading scorer as part of the problem during the depressing FA Cup defeat at Liverpool. In came Saha to add verve and enthusiasm alongside Wayne Rooney’s craft and United have looked a completely different team.

Van Nistelrooy was once again named amongst the replacements, despite scoring the winner on his first start in five weeks against West Ham and while he will take enormous consolation from scoring a well-worked winner 11 minutes from time, his 150th goal in five seasons at the club, his future remains an issue. That, though, is for Ferguson to sort out in the summer. His priority now is to maintain his side’s unlikely title bid that will either collapse or gather fresh impetus when Arsenal visit Old Trafford next Sunday.

The change in mood after this win was tangible. In recent weeks, any mention of a push for the championship has been couched with so many ifs and buts and mentioned almost in embarrassed passing. There was no such restraint at 5pm at the Reebok Stadium, though, when Ferguson picked at Chelsea’s increasingly fragile temperament by declaring, “I always think it is important to be in good form going into April. If you are in good form you have a chance, but if you are stuttering you can lose your way.”

The manager’s belief was echoed by Saha, finally justifying the £11 million (€15.7m) price tag that accompanied his move from Fulham two years and capping a hugely impressive all round performance with an exquisite 33rd-minute finish that dragged United back into the game.

“This is a massive win for us today and now we have to keep putting the pressure on. We definitely believe it is on,” he said. “We believe we can do it. Chelsea have got to make mistakes, we know that. We have to keep playing the way that we are. We know that we can not make mistakes. I am in the best form of my life and was really happy to get another goal today. The way we are playing up front - with Ruud as well - is all working well. we are in great form and have to keep it going.”

Bolton’s defeat may have dented their chances of challenging for fourth place but with Chelsea still to visit the Reebok Stadium, they will undoubtedly play a part in the title race. More importantly, Ferguson’s side visit Stamford Bridge for their penultimate game of the season and if the issue is not settled by then, Chelsea’s mettle will be severely tested.

Having been tested by Bolton’s opening salvo that was capped when Davies rounded Rio Ferdinand and slotted past Edwin van Der Sar after Vidic had once again been found wanting in the air, United assumed control after Saha used the outside of his boot to stroke the ball past Jussi Jaaskelainen just after the half-hour.

And during the second half, United’s craft and experience ensured the game stayed within their grasp, particularly when Ryan Giggs moved inside to central midfield, and the points were theirs when van Nistelrooy finished from close range.