Are United the only ones who can stop a new blue dawn?

FOR all that was achieved last season — a record 19th league title and a third Champions League final in four seasons — there was still a nagging tinge of frustration at Old Trafford.

Although Alex Ferguson remained dismissive of the argument, of all their previous title wins, it was up there with the most under-whelming. Where was the swagger that United are supposed to be all about? Where was Wayne Rooney?

Of course it was not that easy to miss the England striker, with his off-field indiscretions and contract demands requiring exhaustive attention.

But where it mattered, on the field — where he had scored 26 goals in 24 matches for United in four explosive months in the previous campaign — where there was little to shout about.

There were glimpses in the final weeks of the campaign, with a hat-trick in the 4-2 win at West Ham and a couple of other important goals.

But it was still tempting to wonder whether it was this top Premier League player we should get used to, rather than hanker for the player that looked to have finally reached the next level.

His opening appearances of the new season have suggested that it could be the latter. Successive hat-tricks, in the 8-2 trouncing of Arsenal and Saturday’s victory, have helped him to 10 goals from his last six appearances for club and country.

And just a month into the new season, he is three goals short of matching his Premier League tally of last year.

After starring at the top of Ferguson’s vibrant new team, with Ashley Young, Phil Jones, Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck, in the opening games, Javier Hernandez’s return to the starting line-up saw Rooney return to a slightly deeper role.

Patrice Evra said: “He makes a joke in the dressing room, he said ‘Pat, if I score another three goals I will have the same number as last year’. It is only four games!

“Going right back to pre-season in the United States, he scored a lot of goals. You can see his hunger. Last season he had some problems but now he is back. He wants to show what a top player he is. We are very happy and glad for him. He plays so well for us.

“Everyone thinks if they have a problem, the first thing they want to do is play football and enjoy themselves. This is what he has done.

“At training, after the session, he does some finishing. This is something he didn’t do a long time ago. He wants to be the best player in the world. He just has to keep doing what he is doing. I will be very happy if he keeps scoring and we win the league.”

Ferguson has claimed that 84 points will be enough to secure a 20th title, but, although it is early days, with City matching them stride for stride, even that figure could be shattered.

Sunday’s meeting with Chelsea at Old Trafford will tell us much more about what lies ahead and Evra feels that United’s youth contrasts sharply with the Londoners.

“Maybe Chelsea have more experience but United have more energy,” he added. “Energy in football is really important. That is why I am really happy. I am really glad the young players play for us.

“They deserve it. They are training hard. The boss is never afraid to let them play. Chelsea will be a big game. We have to make sure we win.”

One of those youngsters, Cleverley, looks set for a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a foot injury in the early stages at the Reebok Stadium but, by the time he had limped off, Hernandez had already opened the scoring from Nani’s cross.

Playing at right-back Jones was brilliant yet again, crossing for Rooney to add a second and then beating two players on a 50-yard run before his blocked shot fell for Rooney to score United’s third.

Hernandez prodded in a fourth just before the hour before Rooney drilled a shot into the corner to make it five.

Despite the scoreline and Bolton’s shocking defending, Owen Coyle insisted his team were hard done by. And they will not be the last to have those feelings against United this season.

BOLTON (4-4-2): Jaaskelainen 6; Boyata 4, Cahill 5, Knight 4, Robinson 6; Eagles 6 (Pratley 61, 6), Reo-Coker 5, M Davies 7, Petrov 6; Klasnic 6 (Tuncay 75, 6), K Davies 5 (Ngog 65, 6).

Subs (not used): Bogdan, Muamba, Kakuta, Wheater.

Booked: K Davies, M Davies.

MAN UTD (4-4-2): De Gea 7; Jones 9, Ferdinand 6, Evans 7 (Smalling 62, 6), Evra 7; Nani 8, Cleverley 6 (Carrick 8, 7), Anderson 7, Young 7 (Giggs 61, 6); Rooney 10, Hernandez 9.

Subs (not used) : Berbatov, Park, Fabio, Lindegaard.