LES Ferdinand assessed Wanderers' flying start to the season today and admitted: "We've exceeded all expectations."

A 10-point haul from the first five fixtures has taken the Whites to third in the table behind Arsenal and Chelsea - and it would have been even better had they managed to hold on for victory against Manchester United on Saturday.

Ferdinand thought he had secured a fourth victory when he snatched the lead in the last minute of normal time but was stunned two minutes later when United snatched a dramatic late equaliser.

The disappointment has not stopped the former England striker singing the praises of the team he has joined for what is expected to be his last season of Premiership football.

"They are what I expected," Ferdinand said. "In fact they've probably gone beyond what I was expecting.

"I think everybody knows that in recent years they have struggled in the first phase of the season . That's something we spoke about a lot during the pre-season ... we worked to get the start right and we've done that pretty well so far."

Indeed, it took Wanderers 10 games to take their points tally into double figures last season and 13 games to record their third league win. And, although Sam Allardyce is aiming to keep everyone's feet on the ground, they could not be in a more confident frame of mind as they approach Saturday's daunting trip to Arsenal.

Ferdinand has been a talismanic substitute - the only game he did not figure in was at Fulham where Wanderers suffered their only defeat to date - but is hoping the derby strike, which earned him the distinction of being the first player in history to score for six different Premiership clubs, will help him stake his claim for a starting place.

"I'm hoping to start in some games," he said, "but Kevin Davies did well last season and he obviously needed to be given the opportunity to come in and do well again - and that is exactly what he has done. I've had to sit on the bench, bite my nails and bide my time, hoping I can come on and get a goal every now and again.

"I've always said that, if I didn't feel I could do a job, then it would be time for me to call it a day.

"I had a good talk with Sam at the end of last season and there were a lot of people who convinced me that you're a long time retired.

"I finished last season scoring 12 goals for Leicester in a struggling side and people said that showed I still had a few games left in me.

"I thought about it and felt I could still score goals in the Premiership.

Hopefully Saturday's was the first of many."

Like the majority of the new arrivals, Ferdinand was attracted to Wanderers by what Allardyce had to say and what he had to offer in terms of support staff. So the former Newacastle striker was relieved to hear the Bolton boss had rejected an approach to succeed Sir Bobby Robson at St James' Park.

"Look around the Premiership at the moment and, when any big job comes available, they are going to be talking about Sam and they are going to be talking about Alan Curbishley," he added.

"These are two managers who have done fantastically well at less fashionable clubs and their names are always going to be bandied about.

"Managers are like players - they've got ambition - but Sam obviously felt the time wasn't right for him to take on the Newcastle job and I think everyone here at Bolton is pleased about that.