Everton’s lack of threat was summed up, however, by the way that their best effort of the whole match – a drive past the post from the former Bolton defender, Alan Stubbs – came 15 minutes from the end.On this sort of listless form they will find it more difficult to get out of the bottom three than they have to get into it.. Frandsen hooked the ball towards Djorkaeff, who controlled it superbly on his chest and took off horizontally to lash it towards goal. The fact that it deflected off Nolan on its way gives the two players grounds for an argument over who should be credited with it, but Allardyce paid tribute to the Frenchman for making it possible. “It was a bit of a blow with Stelios had to come off, but being able to replace him with Youri Djorkaeff was a delight,” he said.If any aspect of Bolton’s performance could be criticised it was that all their pretty football after that – and there was plenty of it – failed to produce further goals. They have not won away from home all season and it was easy to see why.Within a minute of the second half, this game was effectively beyond them as well.

It stemmed from a long throw-in from Okocha, which Ivan Campo headed back into the middle and Nigel Martyn could only punch weakly to Frandsen, who headed into the unguarded net.Stelios Giannakopoulos was injured in the build-up to that goal, but, well though the Greek winger had played, it was a blessing in disguise when Djorkaeff came on after half an hour. The inter-play between him and the equally skilful Okocha immediately looked threatening and it was from the Nigerian’s cross that Davies headed just wide.Everton, for whom Wayne Rooney was making no impact at all, had produced no threat other than a couple of early thrusts from Thomasz Radzinski, dealt with by a solid Wanderers defence. Okocha is back to something near his best and the drive of Per Frandsen and Nolan alongside him made Bolton close to irresistible in midfield.If there was a surprise it was that it took them 26 minutes to take the lead. I’d say it was a brilliant performance from Bolton,” said the Wanderers’ manager Sam Allardyce.

“That’s our fourth Premiership game without conceding a goal and we all know where that will take us.”Everton’s David Moyes admitted that this side had lacked the fighting spirit for which they have been noted under his stewardship “You have to give Bolton a lot of credit,” he said “I thought they played very well, but we weren’t in it Bolton probably won all the individual battles. They did us in every area of the field.”Bolton, on their way to a fifth competitive game unbeaten, started brightly with Jay-Jay Okocha’s wonderful cross being headed just too high by Kevin Davies. “I wouldn’t have said it was a poor performance from Everton. His part in Bolton’s second goal, which may yet be credited to Kevin Nolan, and the all-round class he showed after coming on, however, amount to one of the reasons why Bolton should not be struggling to avoid relegation this season.On this showing, Everton, who slipped into the relegation zone as Bolton rose into the top half of the table, are far more likely to have that problem. Youri Djorkaeff celebrated his first appearance since September with a vital and spectacular contribution as Bolton recorded their first-ever Premiership victory over a woeful Everton. Which is why anticipation is so high in the United camp ahead of this afternoon’s game.. “Hopefully, what the rugby lads have done will be a real spur.

But it’s not easy to win the big tournaments, playing against the very best – one mistake and you’re out. We have to get the characters and players with the ability, plus the mental ability, to handle it I don’t know whether we’re just good enough at the moment. It may be a good time, but I don’t have great confidence about it.”What is there to win? Always another trophy, the insatiable Ferguson might reply. We won the FA Youth Cup last year and we have a lot of youngsters coming through.”As one of the original Busby Babes, the memories it all stirs of ghosts from his own era are best left alone, for he has been known to break down when discussing them; this after all is a man who survived Munich only after he and Dennis Viollet agreed to swap seats on the plane with two revered team-mates who died instantly in the crash.Little wonder that he was so overcome with emotion on the Wembley pitch that July day in 1966 and after the European Cup final two years later (when he could not bear to attend the banquet that night). “What is there to win now?” he asked, collapsing into his brother Jack’s arms immediately after becoming a world champion.As for England, who would love to have won anything at all in the ensuing years of hurt (37 and counting), Sir Bobby is by no means convinced that 2004 will end the pain. In fact, because of FA rules it has to, which I don’t agree with in a free country, but we have to put up with it.