BOLTON WANDERERS 0, MANCHESTER UNITED 5
It is proving difficult to find new superlatives to describe Manchester United’s record-breaking start to their Premier League campaign.
The Reds recorded their fourth successive victory as they maintained their 100-per-cent start to the season in the most emphatic manner.
Many of the Premier League big guns have slipped to defeat at the Reebok Stadium, a notoriously difficult footballing arena, in recent years.
There was never any chance of another upset as hat-trick hero Wayne Rooney produced another inspired display. There is no stopping the striker who has already scored eight goals which is more than any other Premier League club has scored with the exception of City.
United have scored 18 goals in the four league victories, a Premier League record, and the best total by an English team since Wolves in 1947.
This was also Rooney’s seventh treble for the Reds as he equalled Sir Bobby Charlton’s record haul and he is still in his mid-twenties.
Rooney also became only the fourth player in the Premier League era to score back-to-back hat tricks following Les Ferdinand, Ian Wright and Didier Drogba.
What was also heartening for United was the return of Mexican Javier Hernandez who had not featured so far after being concussed on the pre-season tour of America.
Hernandez marked his comeback with two goals and his link-up play with Rooney was electrifying.
“Their partnership was excellent. They were a constant threat and caused our opponents big problems,” remarked Sir Alex Ferguson.
The only sour note was the challenge by Bolton captain Kevin Davies which ended Tom Cleverley’s afternoon as he sustained damaged ankle ligaments.
It took Hernandez, the player otherwise known as Chicharito or Little Pea, only five minutes to announce his return as he ghosted in at the near post to convert Nani’s low cross.
Rooney got inbetween Gary Cahill and Dedryck Boyata to meet a low cross from new-boy Phil Jones as United doubled their advantage after 20 minutes.
Cleverley’s departure – he was replaced by Michael Carrick – didn’t knock United out of their stride as they soon added a third goal.
Jones, playing right back, made a weaving and swerving run Ryan Giggs would have been proud of in his prime as he was only denied a goal by a block from keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen. The ball ran loose to Rooney who slotted home his second.
Bolton had no answer to Hernandez who had a goal chalked out for offside and then another effort cleared off the line by Nigel Reo-Coker as the onslaught continued.
Carrick provided the assist for Hernandez to score his second of the game with another well-executed shot just short of the hour.
Reo-Coker struck the crossbar as Bolton almost scored a consolation before Rooney had the last word completing his hat trick after Nani cut the ball back to him on the edge of the box.
“Wayne is in great form. He is 100-per-cent fit, looks sharp and he and Chicharito were a handful,” explained Ferguson.