Manchester City 4 - 2 Bolton Wanderers

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Saturday Dec 15 2007 03:00

Manchester City produced a searing second-half recovery to beat Bolton and preserve their 100 per cent home League record.

Sven-Goran Eriksson's side displayed grit, determination and a never-say-die spirit as they made it nine straight wins at Eastlands.

City had found themselves 2-1 down at half-time, the first time this season they had conceded two League goals at home.

But in the second period they scored three times as Bolton defender Lubomir Michalik put through his own goal and then Darius Vassell and Kelvin Etuhu found the net to complete a remarkable comeback.

Bolton had earlier taken an interval lead through goals from El Hadji Diouf and Kevin Nolan and they looked set to record their first away win of the season to ease their relegation worries.

City made a perfect start, taking a seventh-minute lead through recalled striker Rolando Bianchi.

Vassell seized on an error from Ricardo Gardner and, with the help of Michael Johnson, set up Bianchi, who slotted home his fourth goal of the season.

After a nervous opening, Bolton came alive and City old boy Nicolas Anelka struck the upright. It was no surprise when the visitors equalised just after the half-hour mark.

A delightful passing move ended with Kevin Davies crossing from the right for Diouf to score his first League goal of the season.

There was another shock in store for City when they fell behind five minutes before the break.

Gardner dispossessed Vedran Corluka and cut the ball back for Nolan to shoot low past keeper Andreas Isaksson for his third goal of the season.

Eriksson threw on teenager Etuhu at the break and it proved an inspired substitution, as within three minutes of coming on, he helped set up City's second goal when Dietmar Hamann's shot was headed past his own keeper by defender Michalik.

City were indebted to Isaksson for keeping them on level terms as he pulled off an instinctive save to keep out a point-blank shot from Anelka. Moments later City almost snatched the lead when Johnson's shot struck the upright with Jussi Jaaskelainen beaten.

City completed a remarkable recovery when Vassell squeezed home a shot past Gardner and Jaaskelainen in the 77th minute, following a break by Martin Petrov on the left.

There was icing on the cake for the home fans with an stoppage time fourth goal from Etuhu after he had been set up following a breakaway by man-of-the-match Vassell.

Live Commentary

90
The final whistle goes and City win in a great open game of football where both sides contributed. Bolton did well to have the lead by the break, but City showed all their class to maintain their 100% home record.

90
Kelvin Etuhu scores! City broke after Bolton were caight short at the back after throwing everything forward, and Kelvin Etuhu hits a good strike to seal the game.

90
There's a scramble in the City box and somehow the ball is cleared, much to the relief of the home fans.

90
And it cleared off the line by Bolton! And Wanderers seem to be hanging on a bit here.

90
There will be 3 minutes of stoppage time.

89
Jussi Jaaskelainen makes a great save from Emile Lokonda Mpenza, and he should have done better with the effort, and Bolton are still in it.

89
The game is slowly slipping away from Bolton and this is a very anxious final few minutes at Eastlands.

87
The introduction of stelios and McCann show that Megson has shown his hand and gone for broke in the fina 5 minutes.

86
Emile Lokonda Mpenza replaces Rolando Bianchi, who gets a standing ovation from the home fans.

86
Ramos Ivan Campo is replaced by Stelios Giannakopoulos

85
Into the final 5 minutes and home fans are still anxious about getting all 3 points here as Bolton look to throw everything forward.

84
Gavin McCann comes on to replace Nicky Hunt.

83
Martin Petrov is replaced by Javier Garrido.

81
The game has been end-to-end, and very open, and both sides have been competing in a very good game of football, which at the moment, will be going in City's favour.

79
Vassell makes a great run down the wing, but the eventual cross from Petrov is a poor one.

77
Darius Vassell scores! Petrov crosses the ball from left and some slack defending leaves Vassell free at the back post to put City ahead.

75
Nolan is booked for a late tackle.

72
Michael Johnson has a great shot on goal and it hits the post! and two great chances within minutes of each other there.

71
Andreas Isaksson makes a fantastic save from an Anelka shot, but questions need to be asked about whether or not Anelka was offside or not.

67
There is a stoppage in play as Nolan stays down after a tackle.

64
Andreas Isaksson does well to reclaim a loose ball in the box after he let the ball slip from his arms.

61
Lubomir Michalik has been credited with an own goal for Man City's equaliser.

61
City are building possession and edging towards the Bolton goal, Vedran Corluka tries his hand from long range but the effort is very high over the bar.

58
The game is still being played at a good tempo, and this game is very open and could still go either way.

54
Diouf heads towards goal from 12 yards, but his effort goes wide, and Bolton certainly haven't let the equaliser pull them back.

51
City will be delighted with such an early comeback, and the home fans will feel that this game is there's once again.

48
Hamann scores! Etuhu supplies the pass to Hamann, who takes a shot on goal, but it takes a big deflection before it hits the back of the net, and its all level.

45
Kelvin Etuhu replaces Gleson in a tatical change.

45
The game restarts with City looking to re-establish their home dominance over Bolton.

45
The game goes into the break with Bolton having made a great first half comeback, they went behind early on but have played some good attacking football to be 2-1 up after 45 minutes.

45
The game goes into stoppage time.

42
Hamann loses the ball in the middle and Bolton attack, but it comes to nothing as a weak shot on goal goes comfortably wide.

40
Kevin Nolan scores! Bolton do what they do best and hit City on the counter attack, Gardner makes ammends for earlier and pulls the ball back for Nolan to finish.

36
The pace from the Bolton attack does seem to catching the City defence out every now and then, and Megson will be pleased with that.

33
Some people may say that that goal was certainly comming, Bolton had been playing well and had also hit the post, so City can have no complaints about that.

31
El Hadji Diouf scores! A good move from Bolton, and Davies seems to hit a shot come cross that finds Diouf, who finishes well to level the scores.

30
Good move from Bolton, and Davies knocks the ball down for Anelka, who shoots wide.

29
The game has been played at a relatively consistent upbeat tempo, and this will be encouraging for Bolton, who will still think they have a great chance of getting back in this game.

27
Anelka hits the inside of the post from a cracking shot, and City have a lucky escape.

24
Vassell has a great header on goal at the far post, but it goes just over, a good effort from City there.

21
Bolton have players in the box, but the cross in is a bad one and keeper Andreas Isaksson catches well.

19
Bianchi receives the ball in a dangerous attack but he is flagged offside, and the game has slowed in tempo in the last few minutes.

16
Davies and Campo are both making their 150th start for Bolton today, and its also a landmark day for Nolan, who makes his 250th start for the Wanderers.

13
Bolton are still playing well in the opening of this game, and despite that early goal, The Wanderers are still playing some good attacking football.

10
Bolton wont be happy with how they conceded that goal, and with City having the home record they do, Bolton will have a hard task ahead of them.

7
Rolando Bianchi scores! Gardner makes a denfensive error, and Vassell runs through and shoots, but his shot is saved by Jasskelainen, but he parries it, and vassell finds Bianchi who finishes from 12 yards.

3
An upbeat start to this game as City start on the front foot against a Bolton side who haven't won away all season.

0
Perter Walton gets the game underway as City look to keep their 100% home record, the only one in left in the country.

0
Bolton starting line-up: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Abdoulaye Meite ,Lubomir Michalik, Ricardo Gardner, Kevin Nolan, Campo, Danny Guthrie, El Hadji Diouf, Kevin Davies, Nicolas Anelka

0
City starting line-up: Isaksson,Vedran Corluka, Micah Richards, Richard Dunne, Michael Ball, Gelson, Dietmar Hamann, Michael Johnson, Rolando Bianchi, Martin Petrov, Darius Vassell

0
Andy O'Brien is dropped from the squad but Megson is able to name an unchanged side from the one that beat Wigan 4-1.

0
Elano doesn't recover from a hamstring injury however Hamann returns from suspension and starts for Man City.

Statistics

Manchester City

Shots on target	11
Shots off target	4
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	12
Offsides	6
Corners	6

Bolton Wanderers

Shots on target	3
Shots off target	6
Shots off bar/post	0
Fouls	12
Offsides	3
Corners	4

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