Sun gets to Nani but United still turn up title heat

IT was far from a vintage Manchester United performance but at least winger Nani ensured the contest was memorable for one reason, a contender for the most bizarre excuse of the season.

The Portuguese winger blamed the unfamiliar Manchester sunshine for United’s inability to see off Bolton until the game’s closing minutes, when his own shot was badly fumbled by visiting keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, allowing substitute Dimitar Berbatov to walk his 21st goal of the season into the gaping net.

It seemed a bizarre explanation — “It’s difficult when you play with the sunshine. I know it’s beautiful but for us we are not used to playing like that, with the weather like that” — but then this was a bizarre afternoon in this most unpredictable of Premier League seasons.