Giggs up front for United

Injury-hit Manchester United pressed Ryan Giggs into an emergency striker’s role as they looked to take another stride towards the Premiership title at the expense of Bolton.

With Louis Saha and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer injured and Henrik Larsson back in Sweden, Alex Ferguson had little alternative other than to ask Giggs to provide Wayne Rooney with support in attack,

Rio Ferdinand was able to play despite concern over a rib problem and the England defender found himself facing Kevin Davies, who was back in action for Bolton after a recent ankle injury and replaced El Hadji-Diouf.

Man Utd: Kuszczak, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Heinze, Ronaldo, Carrick, O’Shea, Park, Rooney, Giggs. Subs: Heaton, Evra, Brown, Smith, Richardson.

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Ben Haim, Faye, Gardner, Nolan, Campo, Speed, Davies, Anelka, Pedersen. Subs: Walker, Giannakopoulos, Thompson, Teymourian,