Bolton takes relegation battle to top-four chasing City

Bolton Wanderers travel to the City of Manchester tonight with a difficult task against Manchester City in a tricky English Premier League encounter.

The Trotters were held by Fulham last weekend at the Reebok as they struggle in their attempt to survive relegation but they still have a lot to worry about when they face Manchester City who still hope to end the season in a Champions League position.

Bolton manager, Owen Coyle, is still battling to convince his club fans that he is the man to take the team to the next level and he would be concerned about the quality of opposition his side have to contend with, as City possess some of the best strikers in the league, led by Argentine star, Carlos Tevez. Coyle whose side is a point above the relegation zone knows he needs to get a result at Manchester to boost Bolton’s chances of survival.

With two games in hand, Roberto Mancini and his side still believe they can gate-crash the elite four this season, but they will need to improve on their performance of the weekend when they were frozen out by Hull City. Hull earned a deserved 2-1 win at the Kingston Communications Stadium to fly away from the relegation territory.

Luckily for Manchester City, Bolton seemed to be deviating away from their previously famous long-ball style of play that makes things difficult for fanciful sides with Coyle’s arrival. Mancini’s side, currently sixth on the table, would therefore have more space to operate at their expansive home ground.

A win will put City on level points with fourth-placed Liverpool who face a titanic clash with battered Arsenal at the Emirates on Wednesday. Mancini will still rely on his powerful striking duo of Tevez and Togo striker Emmanuel Adebayor who netted his side’s consolation goal at Hull City last Saturday. Tevez and Adebayor have plundered 20 league goals between them since their big-money moves from Manchester United and Arsenal, respectively, last summer, and they will be hoping to bring their club back to winning ways tonight.

Other matches

Fulham will be looking to claim all three points as they host Burnley at Craven Cottage. Burnley are aware that they are still facing the threat of relegation with just two points above the bottom three, hence they will prove a hard nut to crack for their London hosts who aim to qualify for the Europa League for the second successive season.At the Fratton Park,

Portsmouth will attempt to rescue what is left of their chances of surviving relegation when they host Sunderland tonight.

Wigan, another relegation threatened side, face a tough test against Stoke City at the DW stadium, Stoke City are lying in the 11th position on the table and are enjoying a good moment after demolishing Blackburn Rovers 3-0 at the Britannia Stadium last weekend.