Bolton 2 Manchester United 2: Super sub Michael Owen salvages point as United are sabotaged by shaky defence

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JfMQl8uOxGoendofvid

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By MATT LAWTON Chief Football Correspondent

Still got it: Michael Owen celebrates after scoring the equaliser


Had he been aware of what Kevin Keegan had just said about Wayne Rooney, Sir Alex Ferguson might not have been quite so calm when it came to giving his post-match interview.

The Manchester United manager spoke of his side's character in twice overcoming a one-goal deficit here at the Reebok Stadium on Sunday and how such strength would serve them well for the remainder of the season.

His expression at the sound of the final whistle told a different story, however.

While he congratulated his counterpart, Owen Coyle, for what amounted to a fine Bolton performance, it was obvious he was furious - and understandably so.

His fury was not least because of United's failure to take full advantage of the defeats suffered by Chelsea and Arsenal the previous day.

Ferguson accused his players of being 'careless and wasteful' after that extraordinary draw at Everton but they have not responded accordingly, very nearly losing this game with yet more lapses in concentration in defence.


Head boy: Owen leaps to nod United's second of the afternoon


In the absence of Rio Ferdinand, on the sidelines again here as he eases his way back from that serious knee injury, United are having something of a nightmare on their travels.

They have yet to win an away game, having dropped points at Fulham, Everton and now Bolton thanks to the seven goals they have conceded in those three matches.

For United it is actually most uncharacteristic, given how few goals teams have scored against them in the Barclays Premier League in the four seasons prior to this one.


Unorthodox: Zat Knight (top) improvises to score Bolton's opening goal


Last season it was 28, before that 24, before that 22 and before that 27. In the six games they have so far contested this season - six games Ferdinand has missed - they have already conceded nine.


Ferdinand is expected to start against Valencia in the Champions League this week and Ferguson will be keen to select him at Sunderland next Saturday, given how vulnerable Jonny Evans has looked.

The 23-year-old Northern Irishman was at fault for Zat Knight's opening goal and was someone Bolton's forwards targeted as the weak link for much of the match.

Ferguson has concerns elsewhere, not least in the form of Rooney. He complained last week of how his finest player is struggling to cope with the intense scrutiny.

While former England manager Keegan does not appear terribly sympathetic, the off-the-field problems do seem to be taking their toll on United's international striker.

Even if he did manage to perform well for his country at a time when news broke of the turmoil in his private life, that has not been transferred to his club form.

Before being substituted in the 61st minute because of what appeared to be a badly gashed ankle that was immediately immersed in ice, Rooney struggled to combine effectively with Dimitar Berbatov and so make the most of the possession United enjoyed.

That said, United are not suffering anything like as much in attack as they are in defence. On this occasion Nani marked a fine display with a quite brilliant individual goal, while Michael Owen stepped off the bench to score the second equaliser with what was his first touch of the game. It was also his 200th career goal.

Ferguson said: 'We've scored seven goals in our three away games and got just three points.'


Maverick: Nani's solo run and fine finish levelled for United in the first half


That pretty much underlines where the real problems are. The United manager would have been most disappointed with the manner in which his side conceded Bolton's opening goal.

The corner from Martin Petrov was a decent one but Evans' failure to win the ball and Patrice Evra's decision to drift off the far post, enabled Knight to strike with a flick of his right foot.

A hard-fought header might have been easier to take, but Knight didn't even need that. It was the fast-maturing Nani who mustered a response, collecting the ball from Rooney in his own half before rounding off a super exhibition of his dribbling skills with a wonderful right-foot finish.

Coyle would have been frustrated by his side's failure to make a single challenge on the Portuguese winger but it was a great goal all the same.


Back in front: Petrov (second left) blasts Bolton into a second-half lead


Rooney did show moments of promise, skipping past two opponents before sending a shot over the Bolton bar.

Berbatov, while not quite in the form of recent weeks, also threatened. But Bolton, playing far more attractive football these days under the guidance of Coyle, were posing quite a threat of their own and they got the goal their industry and invention deserved in the 67th minute.

If there was an element of good fortune in the fact that Petrov's shot took a deflection off Darren Fletcher, the Bulgarian first did well to take a ball from the excellent Johan Elmander and then cut inside Ji-sung Park before unleashing his right-foot effort.


A third Bolton goal should have followed moments later, Elmander beating Nemanja Vidic with a burst of pace only to drive the ball over the bar when he really should have scored.


If Coyle cursed then, he would have been even more disappointed by what followed.
Owen was allowed to meet a free-kick, delivered by Nani, at the front of a pack of bodies with a flicked-on header that looped over goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and into the far corner of the net.

It actually left United with more than 16 minutes to get a third but, with Rooney already lost to an ankle injury and Ryan Giggs nursing a hamstring problem that Ferguson fears could keep him on the sidelines for two or three weeks, there was a lack of punch.

Another away game represented another opportunity lost.


source :dailymail [endtext]