 | #1. Manchester City versus Bolton WanderersLocation: City of Manchester Stadium (Manchester)Date: Saturday, December 4 Time: 10:00 a.m. Eastern Records (W-D-L, +/-, Place): City, 7-5-3, +8, 4th Bolton, 5-8-6, +6, 6th |  |
English Premier League, Manchester City Vs. Bolton: Trying To Rebound From Disappointing Draws
At the beginning of the season, few would have guessed that Bolton would sit just three points Behind Manchester City heading into December, but that is the case. The Trotters have been a surprise team in the Premier League this season, notching 23 points from 15 matches with a chance to jump City if they can manage three points at City of Manchester Stadium. The Citizens are sitting on 26 points, good for fourth in the table, and trail the league-leaders, Manchester United, by five points, but they are holding onto the final Champions League place by a single point.
Bolton heads to Manchester fresh off of a fantastic month of November in which they did not lose any of their five matches and Owen Coyle won Manager of the Month honors for his efforts. Coyle has remade Bolton in his short time there and have them flying, although a 2-2 draw to Blackpool last week can only be viewed as disappointing. Nonetheless, the Trotters are in good shape and haven’t just meandered their way up the table, but have looked like they belong. A win at City would be a step in proving that Bolton’s start of the season is no fluke.
Like Bolton, Manchester City’s last league match resulted in a disappointing draw, but unlike Bolton, that was been all too common for the Citizens in November. Three of City’s last four league matches have resulted in draws and they have won just two of their last seven matches. City’s place in the top four of the table is tenuous, but they have played well in Europa League and their 3-0 victory in midweek action clinched their advancement to the group stage. With Tottenham nipping at their heels for fourth place, City need to start picking up three points at home.
Projected Lineup, Manchester City: Hart, Richards, Toure, Kompany, Kolarov, Silva, De Jong, Barry, Milner, Balotelli, Tevez.
Projected Lineup, Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Ricketts, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Lee, M Davies, Muamba, Taylor, K Davies, Elmander.
Key Matchup: City strikers vs. Bolton defense. With the exception of a four goal exhibition against Fulham, Manchester City has struggled for goals during league play of late and especially at home. The Citizens are scoreless in their last three league matches at City of Manchester Stadium, but got a pair of goals from Mario Balotelli in Europa League action and if he partners up top with Carlos Tevez, they will challenge the Bolton back line. Gary Cahill is having a sensational season for Bolton and will make anything that Tevez and Balotelli try difficult. City is the team that needs the win, while Bolton would be happy to take a point so the onus will be on the Citizens to find the net.
Battle Within The Battle: Manchester City vs. Manchester City. The atmosphere around Eastlands is a bit of a mess right now as players fight with players and players argue with manager Roberto Mancini. The most recent incident came this week in training when Jerome Boateng and Balotelli came to blows, but that's just the latest in a string of incidents that include arguments between Emmanuel Adebayor and Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure and James Milner. Add in several players having issues with Mancini and the toughest opponents the Citizens might have is themselves.
Pick: Despite their recent problems, City is still a very talented team. For all his troubles, Balotelli is an incredibly skilled goal scorer and his inclusion in a 4-4-2 as opposed to City’s usual defensive 4-5-1 will give City the attack they have lacked at home in recent matches. Bolton will give City a run, but in the end goals from Tevez and Balotelli best a goal from Kevin Davies in a 2-1 win for the home side.
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