As anniversaries often are, Saturday's was a time to compare and contrast. To glance down at the 40-yearold snapshot of a picket-fenced Old Trafford, then to look up at the angular steel splendour of the Theatre of Dreams. To see a photo of an off-duty Eddie Coleman in his 1958 fashion statement, the duffel coat, and afterwards interview Gary Neville in his designer two-piece suit.
To learn that David Beckham has turned down a £20,000-a-week extension to his contract, when the survivors and families of the Munich victims have been forced to make do with a testimonial game just to raise a small pension.
And to watch Fergie's Fledglings doing little to advance their standing alongside the Busby Babes with a fitful performance against the Premiership's second-bottom side. Everything that can be said about the meaning of Munich has been said over the past few weeks, enough, in fact, to finally relay the power of the occasion to those Bolton fans reportedly hell-bent on translating their hatred of United into a disruption of Saturday's minute's silence. In the end, the away contingent was as respectfully quiet as the rest of the 55,000 present. But, like the Christmas England versus Germany game in the trenches during World War I, the truce did not last long and chanting Bolton fans were soon baiting David Beckham with an inquiry about whether Posh Spice's bottom plays a part in their sex life. Goodness knows what Duncan Edwards's octogenarian mother, sitting among the survivors and victims' families, thought. If, in that romantic way people like to view these occasions, the departed Babes were looking down on Saturday's events, it was perhaps to guide the results of United's title pursuers.
For while Alex Ferguson's team could only add a draw to their three defeats in four league games, Blackburn and Liverpool both lost most unexpectedly, and yesterday Chelsea stumbled too. As a result, United actually increased their lead at the top of the table.
A game against Bolton is usually viewed as the ideal way to end a bad run but Colin Todd's side fought with passion and pride and, with a bit of luck, proved that United's New Year sniffles are far from cured.
One of their main problems was the lack of a natural midfielder. With Roy Keane and Ronny Johnsen injured and Nicky Butt suspended, Ferguson decided to tuck in Ryan Giggs and Beckham either side of Paul Scholes, behind a three-man attack of Teddy Sheringham, Andy Cole and Ole Gunnar Solksjaer.
As a result, the team possessed little width, and left Scholes positioned too deep for his natural liking and Solksjaer too wide for his. Add to this the poor passing, and by half-time the anxious Ferguson's gum chewing was touching 60 rpm.
Sheringham did strike a post in the first minute, but Nathan Blake missed a certain Bolton goal a minute later when his shot hit Peter Schmeichel's legs.
It was little surprise when, 15 minutes into the second half, Bolton went ahead. Gary Pallister was slow getting back from an attacking raid, the left-back Denis Irwin moved inside to cover and Jamie Pollock exploited the space down the right to put in a cross which Schmeichel spilled and the veteran Bob Taylor, playing his last game on loan from West Bromwich, converted for a longawaited first Premiership goal.
Belatedly, United reorganised and found the width they so badly needed. Cue the Alamo. But the Bolton goalkeeper, Keith Branagan, was inspired and Cole hit the woodwork. The equaliser only came five minutes from time as Cole pounced after a rare Branagan mistake.
Gary Neville then became the third home player to hit the woodwork, but a 4-1 win would have flattered United. Of all days, Saturday was a day for sincerity.
MANCHESTER UTD: Schmeichel, G Neville, Irwin, Pallister, Beckham, Cole, Sheringham (Berg 67), Giggs, P Neville, Scholes, Solskjaer. Subs Not Used: McClair, Van Der Gouw, Clegg, Twiss. Booked: Sheringham, Pallister, Berg. Goals: Cole 85.
BOLTON: Branagan, Cox, Thompson, Todd, Fairclough, Bergsson, Pollock, Sellars, Frandsen, Blake, Taylor (Holdsworth 81). Subs Not Used: Ward, Johansen, Sheridan, Aljofree. Booked: Todd, Sellars, Bergsson. Goals: Taylor 60.
Ref: S Lodge (Barnsley).
