▁Matthew ▁Taylor ▁pulled ▁a ▁goal ▁back ▁for ▁Bol ton , ▁heading ▁home ▁a ▁cross ▁from ▁Kevin ▁Dav ies , ▁but ▁it ▁turned ▁out ▁to ▁be ▁the ▁last ▁goal ▁of ▁the ▁game , ▁and ▁United ▁won ▁ 2 – 1 . ▁Following ▁Ch else a ' s ▁ 2 – 1 ▁defeat ▁by ▁A ston ▁Villa ▁earlier ▁in ▁the ▁day , ▁United ' s ▁win ▁sent ▁them ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁league ▁table . ▁ ▁After ▁returning ▁from ▁a ▁trip ▁to ▁Moscow ▁in ▁the ▁Champions ▁League ▁in ▁mid - week , ▁United ▁travel led ▁down ▁the ▁M 6 2 ▁to ▁take ▁on ▁Liverpool ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁North ▁West ▁der by ▁of ▁the ▁season ▁on ▁ 2 5 ▁October . ▁In ▁the ▁build - up ▁to ▁the ▁game , ▁much ▁media ▁attention ▁had ▁been ▁spent ▁on ▁the ▁fit ness ▁of ▁Wayne ▁Ro oney , ▁who ▁had ▁missed ▁the ▁club ' s ▁last ▁two ▁games , ▁and ▁the ▁prospect ▁of ▁Michael ▁O wen ▁facing ▁his ▁former ▁club ▁in ▁Manchester ▁United ▁colours ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁Ro oney ▁was ▁passed ▁fit ▁on ▁the ▁morning ▁of ▁the ▁game , ▁meaning ▁that ▁O wen ▁started ▁on ▁the ▁ben ch , ▁while ▁G ig gs ▁and ▁Ev ra ▁also ▁started ▁after ▁missing ▁the ▁match ▁against ▁C SK A ▁Moscow . ▁Liverpool ▁and ▁their ▁manager ▁Rafael ▁Ben í te z ▁went ▁into ▁the ▁game ▁under ▁great ▁pressure , ▁having ▁lost ▁their ▁previous ▁four ▁games ▁and ▁on ▁the ▁ver ge ▁of ▁their ▁worst ▁losing ▁stre ak ▁in ▁ 5