After scoring 13 goals in its opening three Premier League matches, Manchester United is expected to maintain its winning start at Bolton on Saturday.
In the final match before the two-week international break, defending champion United routed Arsenal 8-2 to stay above Manchester City on goal difference.
And while rivals were chasing deals as the transfer window closed on Aug. 31, United manager Alex Ferguson stayed calm and made no late changes to his young squad.
''They have done exceptionally well in their first few matches but it is early season,'' Ferguson said Friday. ''We have a long way to go and there are difficult games ahead. That is the kind of league we are in.
''The experience of handling these situations has been important to us over the years and it will apply itself again this season.''
Although United is the early pacesetter, doubts have been raised about the start goalkeeper David de Gea has made in England, conceding three goals in three games.
''Every game that comes around for him is a new experience,'' Ferguson said. ''West Brom was a difference experience for him and he actually did pretty well, despite not getting much protection from the referee, which was disappointing.'
"We expect him to get better protection than that."
Wayne Rooney has already scored five goals after a lackluster 2010-11 season and is set to be joined up front for the first time this season by Javier Hernandez at the Reebok Stadium.
The Mexico striker was sidelined after he was hospitalized for a concussion sustained during the offseason tour of the United States.
His return comes at a key time with a packed fixture list as the Champions League group stage begins.
It is a new experience for crosstown rival Man City.
Having finally broken into Europe's elite competition, City will want to prove its expensively assembled squad can cope with the demands of competing at the highest level on two fronts.
''It will be a very hard month because we play every three days. They are all important games,'' City manager Roberto Mancini said. ''I need to think one game at a time and I want to think about Wigan (on Saturday). Wigan have a fantastic manager, they play football very well. They want to attack and score.
''This is difficult. Every game we have played against Wigan we have won but we have had a problem ... it is important to have the same attitude we had in the first three games.''
Defender Kolo Toure is now available again after serving a six-month ban for failing a drugs test, but is lacking match experience.
''He is fit but he needs to play,'' Mancini said. ''I think in two weeks he can play.''
Mancini's side is hosting Wigan after a week of turmoil at Eastlands that saw chief executive Garry Cook quit on Friday after he was investigated by the club for emailing defender Nedum Onuoha's mother mocking her cancer.
Among Cook's last major jobs at City was luring France midfielder Samir Nasri from Arsenal.
Nasri's departure further unsettled an Arsenal side that has collected just one point from its opening three matches.
The dismal start forced Arsene Wenger into going against his usual policy of signing emerging talent by bringing in experienced players.
Defenders Per Mertesacker and Andre Santos, midfielders Yossi Benayoun and Mikel Arteta and striker Park Chu-young are in contention to start this weekend at home to Swansea.
''For us basically it is a new start. We start now and want to win a strong way,'' Wenger said. ''I expect Arteta to have an immediate impact and Benayoun.
''They are players I admire for their technical qualities. They are mobile and technically gifted. That's the game we want to play, so they should integrate very well. They are all good players, and what we want to achieve of course is to make a good team with the players who came in.''
Wenger insists he has not turned his back on developing youngsters.
''Our basic policy remains exactly the same - to continue with our style of play, to give a chance to young players who deserve it and to compete at the top level,'' Wenger said.
Also on Saturday, fourth-place Chelsea travels to Sunderland, Everton hosts Aston Villa, Liverpool is at Stoke and in-form Wolverhampton Wanderers is at home to Tottenham, which has lost its first two games.
On Sunday, Norwich hosts West Bromwich Albion and Fulham is at home to Blackburn. On Monday, Joey Barton, one of Queens Park Rangers' new signings, should make his debut against former club Newcastle.
