City holds firm to deny Bolton
Source: Agencies |
August 23, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
MANCHESTER City, inspired by the outstanding David Silva and playing with new-found attacking panache, won 3-2 at Bolton Wanderers to go top of the Premier League on Sunday.
City, whose billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour has spent hundreds of millions transforming the club into title challengers, leads the early standings on goal difference from Wolverhampton Wanderers which also has six points from two games after its 2-0 win over Fulham.
City, which beat Swansea City 4-0 on Monday, took its tally to seven goals from two matches with another fine attacking performance sparked by Silva who opened the scoring after 26 minutes with a low shot that Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen allowed to slip through his grasp.
The Finnish keeper had no chance with the next long-range effort 12 minutes later when Gareth Barry thundered the ball home, but Bolton, which started the match in good spirits after its opening 4-0 win at Queens Park Rangers, was quickly back in contention.
A fine move ended with Martin Petrov crossing for Ivan Klasnic to sweep a low volley past Joe Hart, but City regained its lead two minutes into the second half when Edin Dzeko maintained his good run of scoring form with a well-taken drive after holding off Zat Knight.
Resilient Bolton came back again when Kevin Davies outjumped Joleon Lescott to head its second after 63 minutes.
But City held firm, finishing the match with substitute Carlos Tevez on the pitch in place of a tiring Sergio Aguero.
City manager Roberto Mancini said he was relieved to leave with three points.
"I can't believe we suffered all the way to the end, but Bolton are a good team and tried to score," the Italian told Sky Sports. "But we can't concede two goals like we did, we have to pay more attention."
City, which has qualified for the Champions League for the first time and is chasing its first title since 1968, has started well but Mancini knows it still has to improve to wrest the crown from United.
"We need to score 15 more goals than we did last season and concede less if we want to have a good season," the Italian said.
Wolves, who won the last of their three titles in 1959, have no real chance of repeating that but have made their best start to a top-flight campaign since 1979 by following up last week's win at Blackburn Rovers with victory over Fulham.
They went ahead when Kevin Doyle finished clinically after riding two challenges after 42 minutes and they doubled their lead through Matt Jarvis just before halftime.
It was Fulham's first defeat in nine matches since Martin Jol took over at Craven Cottage but the Dutchman was keen to play down his team's involvement in the Europa League.
In the day's other match, 10-man Norwich City was denied its first win of the season when Stoke City's Kenwyne Jones headed in a stoppage-time equalizer at Carrow Road to secure his side a 1-1 draw.
City, whose billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour has spent hundreds of millions transforming the club into title challengers, leads the early standings on goal difference from Wolverhampton Wanderers which also has six points from two games after its 2-0 win over Fulham.
City, which beat Swansea City 4-0 on Monday, took its tally to seven goals from two matches with another fine attacking performance sparked by Silva who opened the scoring after 26 minutes with a low shot that Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen allowed to slip through his grasp.
The Finnish keeper had no chance with the next long-range effort 12 minutes later when Gareth Barry thundered the ball home, but Bolton, which started the match in good spirits after its opening 4-0 win at Queens Park Rangers, was quickly back in contention.
A fine move ended with Martin Petrov crossing for Ivan Klasnic to sweep a low volley past Joe Hart, but City regained its lead two minutes into the second half when Edin Dzeko maintained his good run of scoring form with a well-taken drive after holding off Zat Knight.
Resilient Bolton came back again when Kevin Davies outjumped Joleon Lescott to head its second after 63 minutes.
But City held firm, finishing the match with substitute Carlos Tevez on the pitch in place of a tiring Sergio Aguero.
City manager Roberto Mancini said he was relieved to leave with three points.
"I can't believe we suffered all the way to the end, but Bolton are a good team and tried to score," the Italian told Sky Sports. "But we can't concede two goals like we did, we have to pay more attention."
City, which has qualified for the Champions League for the first time and is chasing its first title since 1968, has started well but Mancini knows it still has to improve to wrest the crown from United.
"We need to score 15 more goals than we did last season and concede less if we want to have a good season," the Italian said.
Wolves, who won the last of their three titles in 1959, have no real chance of repeating that but have made their best start to a top-flight campaign since 1979 by following up last week's win at Blackburn Rovers with victory over Fulham.
They went ahead when Kevin Doyle finished clinically after riding two challenges after 42 minutes and they doubled their lead through Matt Jarvis just before halftime.
It was Fulham's first defeat in nine matches since Martin Jol took over at Craven Cottage but the Dutchman was keen to play down his team's involvement in the Europa League.
In the day's other match, 10-man Norwich City was denied its first win of the season when Stoke City's Kenwyne Jones headed in a stoppage-time equalizer at Carrow Road to secure his side a 1-1 draw.
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