Giggs sees Man Utd beginning to stir ahead of Bolton clash

Ryan Giggs has challenged Manchester United to kick-start their season by launching a ten-game winning streak against Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

The reigning Premier League and European champions have been slow out of the blocks this season, winning just one of their opening four league games and being held to a dismal Champions League stalemate at home to Villarreal in the group stage opener earlier this month.

But the return to fitness of the likes Cristiano Ronaldo, Owen Hargreaves and Gary Neville has now bolstered United and Sir Alex Ferguson's men welcome Bolton to Old Trafford on the back of a three-game unbeaten run.

And with the midweek League Cup victory over Middlesbrough boosting confidence within Ferguson's squad, veteran midfielder Giggs admits that the time is right for United to raise their game in the league.

Giggs said: “It was a tough start for us, but we know we didn't play well at the beginning of the season.

“I think over the last week or so, though, against Villarreal, the first half at Chelsea and especially against Middlesbrough, we showed some really good stuff. From start to finish against Boro in the Carling Cup, we played well. We started really well, looked sharp it was a really good performance.

“But this team is capable of going on a winning run of ten games, so hopefully that has started against Boro and we can carry it on against Bolton on Saturday.”

Ronaldo's goal against Middlesbrough was his first for United since the first-half header against Chelsea in last May's Champions League final.

The Portuguese forward appears to have put behind him the speculation surrounding his future that followed him throughout the closed season and Giggs admits that United can only profit from Ronaldo's return to action following ankle surgery.

The Welsh winger said: “Cristiano is such a special player and he proved again what a great goalscorer he is against Middlesbrough. He scores all sorts of goals and that is why he is such a danger.

“He looked really sharp against Boro and it is great to have him back.

“But some of the other players against Boro haven't played regularly and, in some cases, that was their first game, so we are getting people back now and it will only make us stronger.”

Bolton travel to Old Trafford having suffered a 3-1 home defeat against Arsenal at the Reebok last Saturday. Gary Megson's team have yet to find their form this season, but the manager admits that he is ready to be bold at Old Trafford by abandoning his usual 4-5-1 formation in favour of deploying two strikers against the champions.

Megson said: “In playing with the two up-front for an hour against Arsenal last Saturday we created a lot more and the ball stayed in the opposition's half for a lot longer.

“There was a lot more movement, a lot more crosses and a lot of good things about it. So we'll try and attack, but we have to have the right players and they have to be available. It's food for thought.”