MAN UNITED 2, BOLTON 1

THEY finished the game kicking it clear, panicking whenever they were bombarded by another long ball and scrambling it to safety.

That is not the Manchester United way.

Such anxiety on the Stretford End. Such fear striking through the champions. Ultimately such luck.

They didn't need any at the start, pushing all the right buttons as they threatened to batter Bolton.

Then it was all about one-touch passing and picking their moment as Sir Alex Ferguson's side slipped effortlessly through the gears.

By the time they finished, they were in neutral, hanging on for dear life.

When Gary Cahill rose unchallenged four minutes into injury time, they were flying by the seat of their pants - with red shirts everywhere expressing relief when his effort soared over Edwin van der Sar's crossbar.

Added time had been to Bolton's advantage, the chance to pump those long balls towards the nervous figures in United's penalty area.

What a call by referee Mark Clattenburg, prompting Ferguson to skim his gold-rimmed spectacles and raise an eyebrow at the fourth official.

There was nothing he could say, especially after the derby-day special and his explosive clash with Alan Wiley following the 2-2 draw with Sunderland.

They were clinging on for the final 15 minutes, flustered after Matthew Taylor outjumped Patrice Evra at the far post to score with a well-directed header.

Such tension at Old Trafford, with the nerves among the supporters transmitting their way through the United side.

They should have sent 76,000 disciples away with a spring in their step, basking in the after-glow after catching Chelsea at the top of the Premier League.

United are perched on top of the summit again, chasing their record fourth straight title following this streaky victory.

But they looked unsettled, with anxiety sweeping through the team as they edged towards the 90-minute mark.

They started like a train, shrugging off injuries to Wayne Rooney and Nemanja Vidic to blow Bolton away.

These were players with something to prove, eager to dismiss the disappointment of that draw with Sunderland.

They were sluggish, slow starters against Steve Bruce's exuberant young side.

This time it was different, pouncing on Bolton's brittle defence with a blistering opening spell.

They are rattling in goals again, two more at Old Trafford in an impressive first half.

Within five minutes they were ahead, predictably powering their way past the Trotters' indecisive defence.

Ryan Giggs was the provider, clipping in a trademark cross from the left to Michael Owen whose header was deflected into the net by Zat Knight.

Such an improvement on Sunderland, toying with Gary Megson's team as they fizzed the ball across the pitch at will.

Anderson was in full control in the centre of United's midfield, turning in a shift every bit as good as last season's Champions League semi-final.

He was a monster that night, easily United's best player in the 1-0 victory over Arsenal at Old Trafford in the first leg.

The final passed him by, though, and he was blamed along with Michael Carrick when they were beaten by Barcelona in Rome.

Anderson is over it and so too is Carrick, enjoying almost total freedom to feed United's wingers from the centre of the pitch.

Carrick was the innovator and Anderson was the irritant, clattering into Fabrice Muamba, Ricardo Gardner and Tamir Cohen from their central midfield berths.

CAHILL: Late frustration

They appeared to have it sewn up - destructive elements in a United team threatening to find full throttle.

Giggs was his usual mischievous self, full of craft whenever he darted down the left wing.

Antonio Valencia also played his part, rounding off a magnificent move to score United's extra-special second.

He was immaculately turned out, shirt carefully tucked into his shorts as he danced his way down United's right.

The former Wigan winger is finally living the dream, fully immersed in the culture of the club after his £16million move.

He finished off a fabulous move which began down the left and ended when his effort skewered its way beyond Jussi Jaaskelainen.

Gary Neville played his part, providing the killer touch inside Bolton's area for Valencia to finish off an exhilarating move.

That was United in full flight, playing the kind of football that the full houses demand from the champions.

The swagger was back, with near faultless performances from Rio Ferdinand and Jonny Evans in the centre of United's defence.

Ferdinand was fully focused, responding to his manager's challenge after a tricky 10 days at international level.

His elementary mistake in the Ukraine last Saturday was out of character, yet he did not put a foot wrong yesterday.

United's players threatened top-class performances coming off an international break as they went about asserting their authority on the Premier League.

Yet there is more to come from this team . . . and there will have to be with another 29 games left in the Premier League.

With Edwin van der Sar returning to United's goal for the first time since the Champions League final, there was added security.

Ben Foster was not even on the bench - despite his appearance for England in the 3-0 victory over Belarus in midweek.

Instead, he was in the stands, watching the commanding presence of Van der Sar issuing instructions to United's defence and dominating his penalty area.

The Dutchman is a safe pair of hands, the safety blanket for United whenever they pour forward in search of goals.

Rarely troubled in the first half, there was nothing he could do when Bolton came back into it.

They appeared to be off the hook when Clattenburg disallowed Gardner's goal, signalling handball when the Bolton midfielder beat Van der Sar.

Four minutes later, the visitors got their reward when Neville failed to make a routine clearance, giving Kevin Davies a second chance to cross from Bolton's left.

This time it found its target - the head of Taylor at the far post - and he scored with a well-directed header.

That signalled Bolton's big chance and they lumped the ball forward, hoping to feed off the knockdowns from the head of Davies.

Cahill caught them off guard in the final seconds and was left cursing his luck when he failed to hit the target with a free header.

Such pressure, rarely applied by visiting teams, could easily have caught out the men from Old Trafford.

That, as even Ferguson admitted, is not the United way.

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