The Red Devils will enter the game as second-placed in the table and they could top the standings with a win if only Chelsea lose or draw against Aston Villa in the early kick-off.
Meanwhile, Gary Megson's Bolton wanderers would move up to the top half of the table should they beat United.
Manchester United ready to bounce back after Sunderland draw
In Manchester United's last game before the international break, the feeling of disappointment and relief was all what the fans could carry in their hearts at the end of proceedings.
The English Premier League defending champions had to come twice from behind to earn a draw against a stubborn Sunderland side. In reality, it was a game that Manchester United should have taken in their own hands.
Instead, a patchy performance brought down their determined spirit on the day. While it is true that praises should be given to the Red Devils’ persistence to avoid defeat until the last seconds, critics should put them under fire.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s men are aiming for nothing else but a fourth consecutive English Premier League title. Definitely, a performance and a result like the ones they had against Sunderland a couple of weeks ago will not help them to achieve such a dream.
As Manchester United do not want to waste any more time falling against draws or defeats, the moment is here for them to correct their mistakes and bounce back with a victory.
Looking ahead to Saturday’s game against Bolton Wanderers and reflecting on last time’s 2-2 draw against Sunderland, defender Johnny Evans told United Review:
“I thought Sunderland did really well and deserved to come out of the game with something. We didn’t really apply ourselves the way we can, especially at home. So we were disappointed with that.
“But we took a point out the game, which probably wasn’t a bad result, given the way we played.”
In fact, Manchester United especially suffered from mistakes at the back. They’ll have to reorganize defensively when they come up against Bolton on Saturday.
Johnny Evans could be part of the squad if the ankle injury which he picked up in the Republic of Ireland’s World Cup qualifier against the Czech Republic goes away.
The young defender understands how far the international break has let every player in the squad be from another. However, Evans is confident that the whole Manchester United squad is united in spirit ahead of tomorrow’s match.
He said:
"The international break has meant we’ve been away from each other for a while. But we’ve all been looking forward to the chance to get out there against Bolton, get three points, and get back to the kind of form we were in before the Sunderland game."
Officiating to be highlighted during Manchester United v Bolton Wanderers
Sir Alex Ferguson came under the spotlight after publicly criticizing the referee, Alan Wiley, in Manchester United’s 2-2 draw against Sunderland.
This issue made a lot of noise in England and Ferguson consequently had to apologize to the referee. The Premier League’s FA wouldn’t want anything of this kind to happen again this weekend.
Mark Clattenburg, who has been appointed to officiate Saturday’s league game between the Red Devils and the Trotters, will certainly face pressure and distraction from Manchester United’s fans.
For Bolton Wanderers’ boss Gary Megson, Mark Clattenburg will probably be the main attraction. He explained:
"Right from the off Mark Clattenburg is going to come under scrutiny, especially after Sir Alex's comments about referees.
“I think he is a good referee but he will be in the spotlight."
Red Devils team news
On Saturday, some heroes will be back while some others will be out. Strikers Wayne Rooney and Dimitar Berbatov will surely miss Manchester United’s match against Bolton.
Wayne Rooney has been sidelined with a calf injury which he sustained while being on international duty with his country England.
As for Dimitar Berbatov, the issue is not about his fitness at all. The number 9 player is spending some time in Bulgaria with his girlfriend who gave birth to a baby girl this week. He might only return to England right at the end of the week or even next week.
Meanwhile, Alex Ferguson should receive a boost at both ends of the field as Michael Owen returns from injury. The former Liverpool striker is said to have fully recovered from the injury he picked up in the early stages of Manchester United’s home game against Wolfsburg in the Champions League.
In post, Edwin Van der Sar is expected to make his apparition for the first time this season. According to Sky Sports News, the Dutch stopper, who has now recovered from a broken hand, will start for the Red Devils instead of Ben Foster.
Bolton Wanderers’ players to watch out for
South Korea’s Chung-Yong Lee is already cementing his place in the Gary Megson’s squad. The 21-year-old Asian was hailed as the man-of-the-match against Tottenham Hotspurs a couple of weeks ago. Chung-Yong Lee was also the match hero against Birmingham City earlier in September after grabbing the winner for Bolton.
Gary Megson, who bought Lee for only £ 2 million believes that the player “will get better and better”. Lee also received a boost in confidence from his countryman Park Ji Sung after South Korea cruised 2-0 past Senegal in a friendly thanks to Chung-yong Lee’s set-ups.
The young player is aware of his progress at Bolton and he could carry his fine form against Manchester United on Saturday.
Another player who could threaten Manchester United regarding his determination to perform is England U-21’s Fabrice Muamba.
The midfielder is looking forward to enhancing his performance and his status as a player, especially after experiencing a trouncing defeat against Germany in the U-20 European Championship final.
“I put pressure on myself to perform well because I want to return the favor to the club for what they have done for me,” Muamba stated.
“I don't really worry much about England. All this England stuff will take care of itself. At the moment, I am just concentrating on Bolton.”
