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Played
August 21, 2011 4:00 PM BST
Reebok Stadium — Bolton
Referee: M. Jones
Attendance: 24273
August 21, 2011 4:00 PM BST
Reebok Stadium — Bolton
Referee: M. Jones
Attendance: 24273
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| Bolton | 4.55 | 101.00 | 4.90 | 67.00 | 4.50 | 4.70 | 100.00 | 4.80 | 5.00 |
| Draw | 3.50 | 7.50 | 3.55 | 13.00 | 3.60 | 3.45 | 10.00 | 3.75 | 3.50 |
| Manchester City | 1.75 | 1.02 | 1.70 | 1.03 | 1.80 | 1.75 | 1.01 | 1.80 | 1.70 |
Top of the Match
David Silva
Manchester City
Manchester City
Edin Dzeko
Manchester City
Manchester City
Flop of the Match
Jussi Jaaskelainen
Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers
Jussi Jaaskelainen
Bolton Wanderers
Bolton Wanderers
Goal.com Rating 
Fans' Rating Bolton 2-3 Manchester City: Edin Dzeko settles thrilling clash at the Reebok to send Mancini's men top of Premier League
Attacking attitude and never say die outlook from both sides were key ingredients as Mancini's side remain joint top of table whilst Bolton suffer first defeat of season
By Steve Hewlett
Getty Images
An entertaining game all-round ended in the favour of Manchester City after Bolton Wanderers proved more than a match for Roberto Mancini's expensively assembled side on Sunday. The game also marked the return to action for Carlos Tevez after voicing his desire to leave in the summer.
Both teams set out to attack and this desire to score resulted in the five goals and a game which was thrilling from start to finish.
City's attacking prowess is well known but Bolton were more than a match in effort and team-work; such qualities were important for Owen Coyle's side to maintain an interest in the contest.
Bolton’s determination was key in them starting the better of the two sides. Persistence earned a free-kick for Wanderers after four minutes which Chris Eagles stepped up for. His dipping effort from the left was uncharacteristically fumbled by Joe Hart, and were it not for a quick clearance from Joleon Lescott, Bolton could have taken an early and deserved lead.
Chances kept coming for Wanderers and another City mistake, this time a poor header from Vincent Kompany, was the prelude to Zat Knight firing narrowly wide.
The momentum was all with Bolton until this point, but City, holding firm, were still creating openings. An Edin Dzeko cross from the right presented Sergio Aguero with the chance to open the scoring but the Argentine somehow fired over the bar. Following his explosive debut on Monday night, everyone at the Reebok would have bet on him scoring, but alas, it was not to be and Roberto Mancini was visibly stunned at the miss.
City’s dominance was now coming to the fore and Bolton had to abandon their own attacking instincts to maintain parity. The constant pressure City were applying paid dividends from a harmless looking throw in after Micah Richards worked the ball inside before centring into the feet of David Silva whose sharp ball control resulted in a long range effort which fooled Jussi Jaaskelainen with its swerve.
The replays were not kind to the Finn as it showed a failure in technique to get his body behind the ball and prevent the goal.
City now had a spring in their step now and had it not been for a shove from Richards, Aguero would have made it two after half an hour. The England international was judged to have been too physical in his challenge with Martin Petrov before he crossed for Aguero.
The unexpected inaccuracy from Aguero continued five minutes later when he headed wide right of the Bolton net leaving the City fans behind the goal cursing their luck once more.
An unlikely source scored the second for City with Gareth Barry smashing the ball high into the corner following a clever pass from James Milner. The move began from a corner which saw Bolton pack the box only for Milner to see the space outside the area and exploit it fully by passing towards Barry who slammed in to give City a deserved two goal lead.
Bolton made an immediate response with Ivan Klasnic making the most of a Petrov cross by showing the greater awareness to beat Lescott to the ball and bring Wanderers back to within one goal. It was Bolton deserved at the end of a first half full of endeavour.
After the half-time break City continued to hunt for a third goal and they were rewarded within 90 seconds when a fluffed defensive clearance from Zat Knight was seized upon by the Bosnian Dzeko, to beat Jaaskelainen low to his right to make it three. Dzeko’s first season in England wasn’t what City fans were expecting, but so far this term he has played with freedom and confidence.
Going two goals down could have killed the spirit and adventure of Bolton, but the resilience of Owen Coyle’s side is commendable and this tenacity brought them back into the game once more as skipper Kevin Davies’ leap over Lescott from a free-kick directed the ball in off the post to keep Wanderers in the contest.
With Bolton keeping up with City, Mancini decided a change was needed and he shocked many with his choice of substitution. Aguero was brought off, and Carlos Tevez made his first appearance for City since his public plea to leave Etihad Stadium. The reaction of City fans was for the most part positive towards their wantaway star, although he was subject to jeers from the Bolton crowd.
The result leaves Mancini's side with two wins from two, having scored seven in the process and looked a constant threat. Bolton may have come away with nothing from this encounter against the richest side in the world, but their performance was befitting of a bonafide top half Premier League side.
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Both teams set out to attack and this desire to score resulted in the five goals and a game which was thrilling from start to finish.
City's attacking prowess is well known but Bolton were more than a match in effort and team-work; such qualities were important for Owen Coyle's side to maintain an interest in the contest.
Bolton’s determination was key in them starting the better of the two sides. Persistence earned a free-kick for Wanderers after four minutes which Chris Eagles stepped up for. His dipping effort from the left was uncharacteristically fumbled by Joe Hart, and were it not for a quick clearance from Joleon Lescott, Bolton could have taken an early and deserved lead.
Chances kept coming for Wanderers and another City mistake, this time a poor header from Vincent Kompany, was the prelude to Zat Knight firing narrowly wide.
The momentum was all with Bolton until this point, but City, holding firm, were still creating openings. An Edin Dzeko cross from the right presented Sergio Aguero with the chance to open the scoring but the Argentine somehow fired over the bar. Following his explosive debut on Monday night, everyone at the Reebok would have bet on him scoring, but alas, it was not to be and Roberto Mancini was visibly stunned at the miss.
City’s dominance was now coming to the fore and Bolton had to abandon their own attacking instincts to maintain parity. The constant pressure City were applying paid dividends from a harmless looking throw in after Micah Richards worked the ball inside before centring into the feet of David Silva whose sharp ball control resulted in a long range effort which fooled Jussi Jaaskelainen with its swerve.
The replays were not kind to the Finn as it showed a failure in technique to get his body behind the ball and prevent the goal.
City now had a spring in their step now and had it not been for a shove from Richards, Aguero would have made it two after half an hour. The England international was judged to have been too physical in his challenge with Martin Petrov before he crossed for Aguero.
The unexpected inaccuracy from Aguero continued five minutes later when he headed wide right of the Bolton net leaving the City fans behind the goal cursing their luck once more.
An unlikely source scored the second for City with Gareth Barry smashing the ball high into the corner following a clever pass from James Milner. The move began from a corner which saw Bolton pack the box only for Milner to see the space outside the area and exploit it fully by passing towards Barry who slammed in to give City a deserved two goal lead.
Bolton made an immediate response with Ivan Klasnic making the most of a Petrov cross by showing the greater awareness to beat Lescott to the ball and bring Wanderers back to within one goal. It was Bolton deserved at the end of a first half full of endeavour.
After the half-time break City continued to hunt for a third goal and they were rewarded within 90 seconds when a fluffed defensive clearance from Zat Knight was seized upon by the Bosnian Dzeko, to beat Jaaskelainen low to his right to make it three. Dzeko’s first season in England wasn’t what City fans were expecting, but so far this term he has played with freedom and confidence.
Going two goals down could have killed the spirit and adventure of Bolton, but the resilience of Owen Coyle’s side is commendable and this tenacity brought them back into the game once more as skipper Kevin Davies’ leap over Lescott from a free-kick directed the ball in off the post to keep Wanderers in the contest.
With Bolton keeping up with City, Mancini decided a change was needed and he shocked many with his choice of substitution. Aguero was brought off, and Carlos Tevez made his first appearance for City since his public plea to leave Etihad Stadium. The reaction of City fans was for the most part positive towards their wantaway star, although he was subject to jeers from the Bolton crowd.
The result leaves Mancini's side with two wins from two, having scored seven in the process and looked a constant threat. Bolton may have come away with nothing from this encounter against the richest side in the world, but their performance was befitting of a bonafide top half Premier League side.
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Goal
Own Goal
Penalty
Penalty Missed
Yellow Card
Assist
Penalty Save
Penalty Shootout Goal
Penalty Shootout Miss
Yellow Card / Red Card
Red Card
Substitution IN
Substitution OUT
Injury
Goal.com Rating
Goal.com Man of the Match
Goal.com Flop of the Match
Top & Flop Global Ranking
Fans' Man of the Match- Fans' Flop of the Match
Results
Times In BST
Match News
Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
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Robin van Persie
Striker Arsenal |
30 | 2 |
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Wayne Rooney
Striker Manchester United |
27 | 6 |
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Kun Agüero
Striker Manchester City |
23 | 3 |
|
Aiyegbeni Yakubu
Striker Blackburn |
17 | 4 |
|
Emmanuel Adebayor
Striker Tottenham |
17 | 3 |
