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Bolton Wanderers

QPR 0 Bolton 4

Gary Cahill celebrates Bolton's opener

Tuncay Sanli watched his new team-mates make their best start to a Premier League campaign for a decade.

The result even proved worthy of rare top billing on Match of the Day for Bolton.

So Turkish star Tuncay, who has signed on a season-long loan deal from Wolfsburg, now knows he has a hard act to follow.

He hopes to make his debut against Manchester City on Sunday, a match which could be a top-of-the-table clash if Roberto Mancini’s side enjoy a comprehensive win against Swansea at the Etihad Stadium tonight.

Issues over Tuncay’s work permit prevented his appearance at Loftus Road where Wanderers savaged Neil Warnock’s top-flight new-comers with an impressive second-half performance.

However, he’s confident of resolving his red tape issues in time to face the Blues at the Reebok.

And time will tell whether Shaun Wright-Phillips will be a Bolton player for the same fixture.

“I knew I couldn’t play on Saturday but there are 37 more Premier League games to go starting next weekend,” said former Middlesbrough and Stoke favourite Tuncay.

“I’m feeling fit because I have had pre-season with Wolfsburg and I cannot wait to get started. When I first met the gaffer he told me he wanted me to play football for him.

“I wanted to play football for him too – I’m so happy to be here.

“I know all about Bolton because England has been my second home for almost three years.

“There seems to be a very good atmosphere here and I know a few of the players too.

“I was a team-mate of David Wheater at Middlesbrough and I’m familiar with Ivan Klasnic and Martin Petrov from international games – they are very friendly guys.

“But I know everyone anyhow because of my previous time in the Premier League.”

Dilemma

Certainly manager Owen Coyle has a selection dilemma ahead of Bolton’s home opener. From the moment Gary Cahill curled in an exquisite goal on the stroke of half-time to put his side in front, Wanderers always looked in command.

There was good fortune about the next two goals with Danny Gabbidon sliding the ball past QPR’s Paddy Kenny for an own goal and Klasnic’s shot taking a deflection to again deceive the former Bury keeper.

However, Klasnic played in Fabrice Muamba with a superb ball for Wanderers’ fourth to make it Bolton’s biggest first game win since they thrashed Leicester 5-0 at Filbert Street in 2001.

“We scored an unbelievable goal through Gary and that gave us the platform that we needed,” said Coyle, who is still trying to sign Wright-Phillips and Liverpool’s David N’gog who is out of favour at Liverpool.

“In the second half I thought we went from strength-to-strength, scoring some very good goals in the process.

“We were strong in midfield, raided down the wings and were always dangerous in attack.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt we merited the three points.

“We now have to work hard next week for our game against Manchester City. We know that’s going to be another tough challenge, but we’ll be ready for it.”

Cahill’s goal was worthy of a top-class striker let alone an England defender.

But it may be the final prompt for Liverpool or Arsenal to meeting Wanderers’ £17m valuation on the Sheffield-born defender.

“Gary Cahill has put himself in the shop window year after year,” Coyle said.

“I love having him in my team, but he could play for anybody – and I mean anybody.

“He has got feet which belong to a centre-forward, he has got pace, tremendous timing in the air.

“If anything concrete happens, Gary will be the first to know. Five or six weeks ago there were a couple of notes of interest with Gary, but there has not been one firm offer.

“I am relaxed about it, Gary knows that and that’s why you see the performance you did against QPR.”

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