Bolton bludgeon weak United

ALEX FERGUSON ensured that Patrice Evra was the major talking point of a deserved, if rare, defeat for his Manchester United team but the controversy surrounding the French international disguised more burning issues.

Nicolas Anelka’s well-taken 11th minute goal brought Bolton manager Gary Megson his first victory in seven attempts with his new club, an appropriate match-winner given Ferguson’s documented admiration for the striker and his past attempts to sign him.

But it was Evra’s overtly physical confrontation with Bolton’s bruising winger Kevin Davies that dominated proceedings, particularly given that Ferguson was required to watch the second half of the game from the stands after being “sent off” following an argument with referee Mark Clattenburg on the subject at the half-time whistle.

The pair exchanged a number of brutal first-half fouls which might have seen Davies sent off, instead of cautioned, and should have seen Evra booked, although he escaped with a verbal warning – none of which was sufficient to appease Ferguson.

Evra, too, shed some light on their encounter, explaining that there is a long-standing feud between the pair although the defender was unable to explain why.

“It was a very hard game, a tough game,” said Evra. “I received more tackles in that one game than I’ve had in my entire life.It was the same last year when he kicked me as well. I said to him then, ‘Why do you do a tackle like that?’ And he said: ‘Because I don’t like you.’ I didn’t understand it.

“And today he did it again. I think his first tackle on me should have been a red card. I don’t know why he does it. I just play my game. I don’t know what the problem is with Davies because I don’t know him.

“I was very angry. When I play football I do it to play the ball, not to kick somebody, and I keep my eyes on the ball. I could have been booked but if you look at the replay I did touch the ball first.”

Away from the wrestling match between Evra and Davies, however, Ferguson will have more pressing concerns as he studies the match again. For one, the defending at Bolton’s set-piece winner was horrendous as Gerard Pique flung himself at Ivan Campo’s free-kick and his more senior team mates allowed Anelka to turn and score.

But more alarming was the lack of imagination, the lack of guile and the ability to break down a defence displayed by his team in the absence of Ronaldo, who missed the game because of what was described as a “thigh strain.”

Without his trickery, allied to the raw power of Wayne Rooney, United suddenly looked very ordinary, the only real save required of Jussi Jaaskelainen seeing Bolton’s Finnish goalkeeper tipping a ferocious Owen Hargreaves free-kick over his bar.

That said, United should still have earned a point when Carlos Tevez met Evra’s 73rd minute cross but, unmarked and four yards from goal, he flicked the ball well wide.

“I couldn’t believe he missed it but he said afterwards the ball came too quick for him,” said Evra as way of an explanation.

All the excuses and complaints in the world – and United seemed to have a lot of them at the Reebok – could not detract from a fine and productive afternoon for the home team, out of the relegation zone and, surely, if they can retain such form, destined for a comfortable mid-table season. “I don’t know how many bookings there were but I think Evra gave as good as he got with Davies,” said Bolton defender Andy O’Brien. “That is the nature of the business and I thought we were fantastic today. We put them under pressure and had the sort of game we wanted.

“In all honesty, I don’t think there was a bad tackle in the whole game. There were some physical challenges but that is what you have to do in certain games. But I don’t think there was a malicious, nasty challenge where you accept it was a bad tackle.

“Now, we’re out of the bottom three. It was nice to come into the dressing room and see that we are 15th now. Kevin Nolan said we can finish in the top 10 and a couple more wins and we are there. It might come quicker than the end of the season.”

BOLTON (4-1-4-1): Jaaskelainen 7, Hunt 7, O’Brien 7, Meite 8, Gardner 7, Campo 8, Davies 9 (Speed 69, 6), Guthrie 7 (Wilhelmsson 74, 6), Nolan 6 (McCann 83, 5), Diouf 6, Anelka 7.

Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Michalik.

MANCHESTER UNITED (4-4-2): Van der Sar 7, Brown 7 (O’Shea 88, 5), Ferdinand 6, Pique 4 (Anderson 59, 5), Evra 6, Nani 6, Hargreaves 7, Carrick 5, Giggs 5, Tevez 6, Saha 5.

Subs Not Used: Fletcher, Kuszczak, Eagles.

REFEREE: Mark Clattenburg (Durham) 5: A wildly inconsistent display from the referee saw him caution Davies in the first half but allow Evra to escape a deserved booking.

MATCH RATING: **** Not pretty on the eye, but a contest that had much for the neutral, and everything for Bolton fans who have not had much to cheer this season.