A DOMESTIC record of played four, won two and drawn two. Qualified for the Champions League.

Surely that means things are so far, so good for Manchester United going into tomorrow night's game against Wanderers writes Richard Mulligan

But looking at the bad press that United have received over the past few weeks, anyone would think there was a crisis at Old Trafford.

Roy Keane's autobiography has created all kinds of headlines and investigations, as did his sending-off against Sunderland for elbowing Jason McAteer.

Alex Ferguson was making the news last week because of the fact that two of his best players were considered fit enough to turn out for United in a mid-week game, but not to join up with the England squad.

Injuries galore to the defence and midfield have also created a subdued atmosphere at United, if you believe the national newspapers. It began with Beckham's metatarsal in April, quickly followed by the same injury to Gary Neville.

Rio Ferdinand was signed, and soon enough crocked. Fabien Barthez, Mikael Silvestre, Wes Brown, Nicky Butt, Keane and Paul Scholes have all been in and out since.

Is everything going wrong at Old Trafford? United and England defender Phil Neville thinks this is nonsense.

"At United you realise that we make the back page when we win and the front page when we lose," says Neville. "We have been under the microscope for the last ten years, but players get used to that.

"You come to realise that a lot of things that are said are irrelevant to football, and the only people that you can trust are your team-mates.

"We've got to be satisfied with the start that we have made, but there is a lot more to come from this team. In three home games we have not conceded a goal, and we are unbeaten away in the Premiership.

"In football terms the only bad press came because we lost our away tie in the European qualifier, that caught us by surprise a bit but we made up for that in the second leg."

So while Neville believes that things might be settled on the pitch, they certainly were not the last time that United entertained Wanderers.

On October 20 last year, Bolton came from behind to beat the then Champions. Juan Veron, a £28 million signing put United ahead, before two screamers from Kevin Nolan and Michael Ricketts left 67,000 fans in disbelief.

It was one of six games they lost before Christmas, a blip that cost them an eighth Premiership crown.

"We lost the title before December," says Neville, who has 37 England caps and has played 275 times for United in the past eight years. "That kind of run does not happen at United. It was definitely the most frustrating period of my career.

"In the game against Bolton at Old Trafford they turned us over. We were poor and stalled after going ahead, they played very well and without fear.

"The defensive frailties were highlighted but at that time there were problems throughout the team.

"It got to the point in December when the boss and the players just sat down and said 'enough is enough'. We had to stick together, which is what Manchester United do in troubled times."

And stick together they did. United embarked on a remarkable run of 18 wins in their remaining 23 Premiership games, which included a 4-0 win at the Reebok Stadium in January.

"We got our revenge against Bolton in the end," he recalls.

United eventually finished third in the Premiership and made the Champions League semi-finals.

But that is not good enough for a club thought to be one of the biggest in the world. To improve things Alex Ferguson went out and broke the British transfer record by bringing in England star Rio Ferdinand from Leeds United for £30 million.

United are always looking to improve and it is a good job that they have such a large squad when you consider the injury problems that they have had.

Unfortunately for Wanderers, if one international is ruled out of the United team, it just means that another one is drafted in.

"Injuries have been a problem, but all it does is show the big squad that we have here," says Neville. "There is quality in reserve and that is improving all the time. We brought in Rio Ferdinand over the summer and he is one of the best defenders in Europe.

"He's an outstanding player that I'd rather have on my side than against me, he's fitted in very easily because he knew most of us from the England set-up."

Neville himself has always had a repuation as a versatile squad player, but he has started every game this season and despite missing out on the England squad last week, he is making the most of his extended stretch in the United first team.

"I've enjoyed it," he admits. "At United all you can do is take a game at a time because you don't know whether you will be in the side from one week to the next."

Neville should continue his run at what United fans call the Theatre of Dreams tomorrow night. The small band of travelling Wanderers supporters, will be hoping for a repeat of their heroes' most famous performance.