Bolton Wanderers 0-5 Manchester United

Posted: Saturday 10th September 2011

Tags: Match Reports, Premier League, Manchester United

Bolton suffered their heaviest ever defeat at the Reebok Stadium as Manchester United ran out 5-0 winners in Saturday's late match.

A Wayne Rooney hat-trick and a brace from Javier Hernandez gave Sir Alex Ferguson's side the three points on a comfortable evening for the Red Devils.

Hernandez had given United a fifth minute lead, before a quick-fire double from Rooney had the visitors 3-0 inside 25 minutes.

Hernandez got his second and United's fourth just before the hour, before Rooney completed his hat-trick with a superb curling strike on 68 minutes.

After hitting eight against Arsenal in their last game, United were always going to be favourites ahead of kick-off and they took the lead with just four minutes on the clock.

Nani found a yard of space on the right flank and crossed low for Hernandez, who had got away from Gary Cahill before poking the ball beyond Jussi Jaaskelainen from close range.

Bolton pressed for an immediate equaliser and it almost came when Kevin Davies' header across goal landed at the feet of Ivan Klasnic. His goalbound shot was blocked, before Chris Eagles saw a rebound cleared off the line.

Klasnic came close again moments later, turning on the edge of the area before seeing a curling effort superbly palmed away by de Gea.

United always looked likely to add to their lead, though, and they doubled their advantage on 20 minutes as Phil Jones' cross from the right found Rooney, who had the simple task of beating Jaaskelainen from just six-yards out.

Five minutes later, the match was beyond doubt as the visitors made it 3-0 with just 25 minutes on the clock.

After receiving possession just inside the Bolton half, Jones embarked on a run towards goal. After getting inside the penalty area, he saw a shot blocked by the feet of Jaaskelainen, only for the ball to fall straight at the feet of Rooney who put the ball in to the empty net.

Hernandez thought he had added a fourth before the break, only to be denied by an offside flag, before Nani shot into the side netting as United took their three-goal lead into the break.

Moments after the restart, Klasnic brought a stop out of de Gea with a shot from distance, while Anderson was denied at the other end with a curling free-kick from the right flank.

Then, just before the hour, the visitors scored their fourth goal of the afternoon as Hernandez netted his second of the game.

After Nani had lost possession inside the Bolton box, the ball fell at the feet of Michael Carrick. His shot took a deflection off Dedryck Boyata and fell kindly for Hernandez to slot through the legs of Paul Robinson and into the back of the net.

Despite the scoreline, Wanderers continued to look for a consolation and it almost arrived just after the hour as Nigel Reo-Coker's shot from an acute angle clipped the crossbar.

Darren Pratley saw a shot from distance stopped easily by de Gea, before the Reds completed the afternoon's scoring on 68 minutes.

Nani had once again found his way inside the Bolton box. He cut the ball back to Rooney on the edge of the area and he curled a superb strike into the bottom corner, leaving Jaaskelainen with no chance.

Rooney's hat-trick is his second treble at the Reebok, with his other coming in a 4-0 United victory in October 2006.

Tuncay, who had come on as a substitute for Klasnic, headed over the bar in the latter stages, but it was just about as close as Bolton got all afternoon as referee Kevin Friend called time on a disappointing afternoon.

The next chance Bolton have to get back to winning ways arrives next Saturday, with newly-promoted Norwich City the visitors to the Reebok.

Bolton Wanderers: Jaaskelainen, Boyata, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Eagles (Pratley 61), Reo-Coker, M Davies, Petrov, K Davies (Ngog 65), Klasnic (Tuncay 75)
Subs Not Used: Bogdan, Muamba, Kakuta, Wheater
Booked: K Davies, M Davies

Manchester United: de Gea, Jones, Ferdinand, Evans (Smalling 61), Evra, Nani, Cleverley (Carrick 7), Anderson, Young (Giggs 61), Hernandez, Rooney
Subs Not Used: Lindegaard, Berbatov, Ji-Sung, F da Silva
Goals: Hernandez 5,58, Rooney 20,25,68

Referee: Kevin Friend
Attendance: 25,944