'Old stagers Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes combined to keep Manchester United's Barclays Premiership title push on track with the goals that defeated Bolton 2-0.
Giggs had put the hosts in front with their first meaningful attack, gaining early reward for another fine performance by acrobatically turning home Gabriel Heinze's cross which had been flicked forward by Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Welshman proceeded to rip the Trotters' defence apart with a series of surging bursts, maintaining his impressive form of recent weeks.
Ronaldo appears to have been rejuvenated by his brief holiday and, just as he did on his debut in the corresponding fixture last term, ran the Bolton defence ragged at times.
Continually, though, the Portuguese teenager was let down by a poor final ball and he did nothing to rectify the problem with a series of disappointing corners that either failed to beat the first man, or landed on the head of a towering Trotters defender.
Like Ronaldo, Heinze was also returning from a week's break and the Argentinian was quick to prove just what a key figure he has become in Ferguson's plans for the future.
Quite apart from providing the cross for Giggs' opener, Heinze was outstanding in both attack and defence, supporting his forwards with a series of energy-sapping runs down the left flank, as well as intelligently dealing with Bolton's aerial bombardment.
Jussi Jaaskelainen has been touted as a potential Ferguson signing of the future, and while the giant Finn blotted his copybook by fumbling a Ronaldo shot round the post, he must have attracted the United manager's eye with the save that followed, a flying one-handed stop to deny Keane's rasping 20-yard volley.
But while Jaaskelainen did even better to deny Giggs near the end when the Welshman was sent clean through by Liam Miller, there was nothing he could do when Nicky Hunt pushed the ball into Scholes path a minute from time, offering the United midfielder the type of opportunity he rarely spurns.
It was his seventh goal in as many games, emphasising his contribution to the Red Devils' cause, one that might be needed in a more advanced position should Soho Square chiefs come knocking at Rooney's door later this week.'