Bolton v MAN CITY: The PREVIEW – City’s Probable Team

Fancy a flutter? Edin Dzeko to score the first goal and City to win 2-1 is great value at 36/1, whilst Paul Robinson (the notoriously tough tackling left back) is 8/1 to receive the first card. Feel confident that you can predict the outcome? Got an instinct who will score first? Click HERE to bet on the game.

Having defeated Swansea at home with relative ease, a trip to the Reebok Stadium to face an impressive Bolton side will be a sterner test of Man City’s title credentials. This is the type of match that champions would be expected to win, and although it’s very early in the season, this does have the feel of an important game.

Both sides were 4-0 victors in the opening fixture of the season, so this will necessitate a step up in terms of performance in order to attain the three points. With the Wanderers dominant in their defeat of QPR, it will be a tough ask for City, but one which they are more than capable of. Historically, the Reebok Stadium hasn’t been the happiest of hunting grounds for City, but the Blues have won the past four meetings with Bolton and are unbeaten in the previous five games between the sides.

With Samir Nasri’s arrival still not officially complete, Roberto Mancini will look to keep a fairly settled side. Nigel De Jong will miss this game on account of the injury he picked up against Swansea, so James Milner can expect to come into the side, with Gareth Barry dropping that bit deeper. Mancini, especially in away games, is a huge fan of playing a striker on the wing to provide support for the main front man, so don’t be surprised to see Mario Balotelli start in place of Adam Johnson.

I doubt Sergio Aguero will start as he still lacks match fitness, but he isn’t exactly a bad option off the bench! He may well be joined there by fellow countryman Carlos Tévez, who has trained well by all accounts since returning to Manchester.

This is the side I expect Mancini to select:

Owen Coyle is an impressive young manager who, since joining Bolton from Burnley, has added guile and craft to their pugnacious play. In Martin Petrov, they have a former Blue who possesses extreme pace and a delightful left foot, whilst the physical nature of Kevin Davies’s forward play will always cause defender problems.

Key Players: Gary Cahill and Kevin Davies. The former of that pair is an exciting centre-back who has caught the eye of all the big clubs over the past couple of season. Strong in the air, he reads the game well and has scored a few cracking long range goals recently. He’ll have a task on his hands to cope with City’s notable attacking threat, but he will relish the challenge. Davies is a constant thorn in defenders’ backsides, with his hold up play especially impressive. He’s a clever player, someone who pushes the boundaries of what is legal and not, but usually gets away with it. Vincent Kompany and Joleon ‘J-Lo’ Lescott will have to be at their best.

Referee: Mike Jones – He’s got better over the past couple of seasons, but I’m not his biggest fan. With both sides looking to play good football, it shouldn’t be the most difficult game to officiate.

Prediction: Bolton 1 – 2 MAN CITY – I think our extra quality will tell in the end, but it promises to be an aesthetically pleasing game, full of chances at both ends. Goals to be scored by Ivan Klasnic, Edin Dzeko and David Silva.

Fancy a flutter? Edin Dzeko to score the first goal and City to win 2-1 is great value at 36/1, whilst Paul Robinson (the notoriously tough tackling left back) is 8/1 to receive the first card. Feel confident that you can predict the outcome? Got an instinct who will score first? Click HERE to bet on the game.