It's Very Kind Of You, Mr. Nolan

Ahead of tomorrow's clash with Bolton, Kevin Nolan tips the champions to dominate for years.

Bolton, of course, must know very well how strong we are: first, it is quite close, second, two of our finest displays in the league last season came against the Wanderers.

At the Reebok, we trounced them 4-0 with a hat-trick from Wayne Rooney who had a quiet season up to that point. In the return fixture at Old Trafford, United were three up in 25 minutes, thus obliterating any lingering hopes about a shock result.

Now the Trotters are up against it once again as their season started badly and got worse. They will have a monumental task on their hands tomorrow and Kevin Nolan, once though to be a United target, is aware of the difficulty of the job.

'I think Manchester United have the edge and, with the players - the young lads - they have that little bit more about them. When it does get tough, they will get in there.

'They've got the quality and the potential and they've spent millions and millions to make sure that, when you are at your best, they can still handle you.

'Alex Ferguson has established a side that will dominate English football for some years to come.'

It is well worth finding a definition for 'dominate'. If it means that we will be a major force in English football, always there or thereabouts, then it's obvious - but I think we can all agree that the verb 'dominate' does not mean this. If Nolan meant we will win championships at the rate we did in the '90s... well, I doubt that.

Quite simply the sheer financial weight of the big four teams make it impossible for any of them to establish themselves as leading force as Liverpool did in the 80s and United in the 90s. But it's very kind of you Mr. Nolan to have such faith in our team.