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PALLISTER CALLS FOR POSITIVE APPROACH
Ex-Reds centre-back and MUTV pundit Gary Pallister believes attack could be the best form of defence against Bolton... United have given everyone else hope with the losses against Chelsea and Liverpool. We were very unfortunate not to get something at Stamford Bridge, although we can't have too many complaints about the Liverpool game. It's given Arsenal, City and Chelsea a lifeline. That's why beating Bolton is absolutely vital now. A few weeks ago Chelsea and City would have thought they didn't have a chance of getting back into the title race. All of sudden, they've been given a bit of a sniff. I guess they'll be looking for a slip-up in a match that United are expected to win. It's a game like Bolton, a team doing well in the league under Owen Coyle and in the semi-finals of the FA Cup, that could be a potential banana skin. The injuries against Marseille, with John O'Shea and Rafael going off, were a blow as United are already suffering in that department without first-choice pairing Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. Calf strains (which both are suffering from) are difficult, you have to be careful with those. Sometimes it's not worth a gamble, and with the international break coming up that's an ideal time for someone like Vidic to get himself right. Vidic is a real miss because he'd be the one to go up against Kevin Davies, a pivotal figure in Bolton's front line. You need to match muscle with muscle and Vidic certainly does that. In his absence, Chris Smalling and Wes Brown have to be strong. Attack may be the best form of defence, and the real boost has been Antonio Valencia's return. It's amazing to see the confidence he's had in the last two games considering he has been out since September with a serious injury. He's made a real difference coming off the bench. I expected him to be a bit tentative, but I've not seen any signs of that. His rehabilitation has gone well and mentally he is strong. It's early doors, but the glimpses we've had of him are promising. It's like he's never been away. His pace doesn't seem to have been affected and he played an important role against Arsenal and Marseille. Having Valencia on one wing and Nani on the other could make a real difference going into the run-in. Nani has had a terrific season. Giggsy has probably played more games on the left wing out of necessity, and the injury to Ji-sung Park has also been a problem. To have more ammunition to provide to the strikers is going to be crucial, especially at home where teams often come to Old Trafford and demand that you break them down. I guess Owen Coyle's side won't do that because they're playing with confidence and freedom. They'll come to Old Trafford and express themselves and try to put United under pressure. It's set up for a good game. More: Download the latest ManUtd.com podcast from 19:00 GMT Friday | 
