Hat-trick: Rooney celebrates his second trio in two
Premier league games
Wayne Rooney left the Reebok Stadium
clutching another match ball as Manchester United showed that the
best way to deal with bullies is to stand up to
them.
Bolton tried to
rough up the champions in traditional fashion and one of their
uglier challenges - by Kevin Davies - left young Tom Cleverley with
a suspected broken foot, which could keep him out for three
months.
But the
intimidating approach, while incensing United manager Sir Alex
Ferguson, failed to upset his young players.
By the time
they had torn Bolton apart with a free-flowing masterclass, Owen
Coyle's men were left kicking at shadows, thanks to a Rooney
hat-trick - to follow the one he scored in the 8-2 demolition of
Arsenal a fortnight ago - and two goals from Javier
Hernandez.
United have
scored 18 in their opening four games of the season, a Premier
League record and the best by any club in the top flight since
Wolves in 1947.
Rooney has
eight on his own, more than any other club bar Manchester City. He
has now scored seven hat-tricks for United, the same as Sir Bobby
Charlton.
And he is only
the fourth striker - following Les Ferdinand, Ian Wright and Didier
Drogba - to score back-to-back hat-tricks in the Premier League
era.
Best of all, he
is reunited with Hernandez, whose start to the season had been
delayed by concussion suffered on tour in the US.
Ferguson said:
'Their partnership was excellent, they were a constant threat and
caused our opponents big problems.'
Hernandez was
just as glowing in his tribute to Rooney.
'Anyone can
play with Wayne, he is world-class, he can do anything,' said the
Mexican.
Arguably,
though, even the two strikers were overshadowed by a peerless
display from Phil Jones, usually a centre-half but yesterday
shining as a marauding right-back, who set up Rooney's first two
goals.
Pea-sy does it: Javier 'Little Pea' Hernandez
slides in to score the second
It was the perfect riposte from United,
who had to overcome questionable Bolton tactics.
Jones was
winded by Paul Robinson in the opening minutes and skipper Davies
put Cleverley out of action with a bad challenge from behind, then
put his boot down on Patrice Evra's foot.
By that stage,
Ferguson was arguing with the fourth official about the lack of
protection, but his players ultimately shut Bolton up by outplaying
them.
Rooney said:
'We always know Bolton is a difficult place to come. We got an
early goal and kicked on. It could have been more. It was my first
start with Chicharito and it's great that we both
scored.'
The pre-match
talk had been of how United's 20-year-old goalkeeper, David de Gea,
would cope with an aerial onslaught.
But the real
issue was how Bolton were repeatedly opened up by United, with
England's goalscoring defender Gary Cahill and veteran goalkeeper
Jussi Jaaskelainen as powerless as anyone.
United had seen
neighbours City go top a couple of hours earlier with a 3-0 win
over Wigan, meaning they had to win by three to stay ahead of
Roberto Mancini's men.
Five minutes
in, the fleet-footed Nani put in a low cross and while Jaaskelainen
and Cahill hesitated, Hernandez hooked it in.
Bolton's
response saw shots by Ivan Klasnic and Mark Davies blocked by Jonny
Evans and Rooney. De Gea then palmed away a shot by Klasnic.
But the harder
Bolton tackled, the better United became. Mark Davies joined
namesake Kevin in the book for flattening Nani, and with alarming
gaps developing down Bolton's left, Jones surged forward and
crossed for Rooney to score from a few yards.
Jones then
instigated United's third, cutting in and releasing a shot which
hit Jaaskelainen's boot and fell kindly for Rooney to tap in the
rebound.
United scored a
fourth on the hour mark. Nani could have won a penalty as he was
felled in the area but as the ball fell loose to Michael Carrick,
his cross-shot was turned in from eight yards by
Hernandez.
Former
Liverpool striker David Ngog came on for his Bolton debut after 65
minutes but Rooney soon completed his hat-trick, taking a square
pass from Nani and burying it first-time low past Jaaskelainen from
18 yards.
Bolton boss
Owen Coyle said: 'There was never five goals between the teams. I
thought the margin was hard. But United are ruthless.' He can say
that again.
