Bolton Wanderers defenders were happy to see Manchester United substitute Wayne Rooney during their 2-2 draw.

Dimitar Berbatov has helped make up for Rooney's failings in front of goal this season, but neither striker was able to trouble Bolton on Sunday, with Nani and Michael Owen on target to salvage a 2-2 draw for United.

That was despite facing a makeshift central defensive partnership of Zat Knight and Sam Ricketts, who had previously played at centre back only for non-league Telford and Oxford United's youth team before moving to Bolton.

Knight said: "Me and Sam coped with them quite comfortably. Rooney hasn't hit the form that everyone expects and wants him to. He's not at the top of his game at the moment.

"Everyone knows he's capable of producing a bit of magic so we were glad to see the back of him, regardless of whether he's in form or not.' Ricketts added: 'I've not really played there much at all during my career. I'm a full back really. Having said that, I do enjoy it. It's a new challenge when you have to go up a level and face players like that.

"They might be misfiring a little bit at the moment but we played well. It felt nice to come off the pitch having done well against top strikers."