Bolton 1-0 Man Utd

Gary Megson claimed his first win in charge of Bolton with the unlikely scalp of Manchester United, thanks to Nicolas Anelka's early strike.

Anelka slotted home Ivan Campo's free-kick 11 minutes in.

Meanwhile, an out-of-sorts United were left frustrated as Jussi Jaaskelainen kept out Owen Hargreaves' free-kick and Carlos Tevez screwed wide in the box.

Exasperated United boss Sir Alex Ferguson was sent to the stands after the break following a halt-time rant.

Ferguson, whose side now trail Premier League leaders Arsenal by three points, was dismissed by referee Mark Clattenburg for a tunnel outburst at a succession of minor decisions that had gone against his team.

Although Manchester United's trip was less than 20 miles down the road from Old Trafford, the gap between the two sides in the Premier League could not be much bigger.

United experienced their only previous league defeat this season back in August - against Manchester City - whereas that same month marked Bolton's only win in the Premier League - 3-0 against Reading.

Having already notched up four draws and a loss, Megson's side have clearly become harder to beat but few would have expected Bolton to take an unlikely lead less than 10 minutes in.

Megson reaped the rewards of Anelka's return from a recent hamstring injury when the Frenchman took advantage of United defender Gerard Pique's mistake to slot home.

Campo's cheeky chipped free-kick had set up the goal with Pique mis-timing his leap and leaving Anelka unmarked with the ball in front of goal.

While Bolton looked lively and dangerous on the break, the visitors made a lacklustre start - perhaps missing the touch of winger Cristiano Ronaldo, who was rested after playing in two Euro 2008 qualifiers over the past week.

United's chances at the other end were few in the first half with Hargreaves screwing a 20-yard effort wide, and Tevez just failing to get on the end of Rio Ferdinand's long ball.

Their frustrations were deepened by ongoing battle between Bolton striker Kevin Davies and United defender Patrice Evra - which resulted in angry United boss Alex Ferguson being sent the stands after the break.

Davies was lucky to get away with just one booking after two heavy-handed late challenges and a nasty clash of heads with the Frenchman but referee's decision brought Ferguson to the touchline to express his disgust.

However the tactical substitution of Pique for Oliveira Anderson just before the half hour mark seemed to reinvigorate Ferguson's side and moments later, keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen did well to keep out Owen Hargreaves' dipping free-kick with a flying dave.

United kept turning the screw and Carlos Tevez should have done better when he sliced Evra's cross wide from just a yard out 70 minutes in.

Although the visitors continued to pile forward, United could find no equaliser.

And when Hargreaves clipped the roof of the net with an injury-time free-kick, Ferguson had to settle for the sight of his side losing at Bolton for the first time since December 1978.

Source: BBC Sport