PABLO Zabaleta is expected to return from suspension as City look to bounce back from midweek defeat at Middlesbrough by beating Bolton on Sunday.
The Argentina defender has served a three-match ban following his dismissal against Liverpool and should return at right-back as manager Mark Hughes looks for a stronger defensive performance.
Hughes is hopeful £18million striker Jo will be available after a bout of tonsillitis, although Daniel Sturridge (ankle) is likely to miss out.
Seventenn games into his reign as chief, Hughes admits he is still experiencing teething problems with the side.
The 3-0 romp over Stoke represents the only three-point haul in the last five league outings and after Wednesday's 2-0 defeat in Middlesbrough Hughes said: "We are getting a bit anxious and frenetic at times, especially away from home.
"There were parts of the Boro game that pleased me there are parts that need a lot of work.
"I keep on saying that we are not the finished article, we are a work in progress and nights like the one we had at the Riverside only emphasise that.
"We want to be a successful side on all fronts. We have got a campaign in Europe coming that we are excited about and the Premier League is our bread and butter so we have to make sure we perform at a consistent level.
"At the moment we are too in and out and that is a frustration because we know we have talented players in the team and when we play well we can produce some fantastic stuff. On occasions though you have to dig in and battle for results and performances and that is what we need to be better at.
"It has to be a mentality and a mindset that you are not going to get beaten. You have to make sure that every time you go on the pitch you make a point of taking something out of the game in a positive way and we are struggling in that respect."
Bolton welcome back Gavin McCann after a one game suspension.
Bolton Wanderers (from): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Shittu, A O’Brien, Samuel, Gardner, Muamba, Nolan, McCann, J O’Brien, Smolarek, Elmander, Davies, Helguson, Riga, Hunt, Cohen, Fojut, Al Habsi.
Manchester City (from): Hart, Schmeichel, Zabaleta, Onuoha, Richards, Dunne, Ben Haim, Garrido, Wright-Phillips, Ireland, Kompany, Elano, Robinho, Jo, Fernandes, Hamann, Evans, Caicedo, Berti.
Bolton league form: LWDLL
Wigan league form: LLDWL
Key opponent: Kevin Davies - striker will be a handful
Prediction: Bolton 1 City 2 - With Bolton at home City should be able to take advantage of the counter attack
Agree with the prediction? Have your say.
You can get17/2 on City winning 2-1 with Betfred. For this and more odds, click
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Preview: Bolton v City
October 31, 2008
Comments
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Schmeichel, Corluka, Richards, Dunne, Garrido, Johnson, Hamann, Petrov, Geovanni (Ball 73), Elano (Bianchi 63), Bojinov (Mpenza 6).
This team beat utd at home last season!
Hart, Onuoha, Richards, Dunne, Ball, Ireland, Petrov (Garrido 87), Hamann (Sun 84), Fernandes, Vassell, Benjani (Caicedo 75).
This team beat utd away last season!
We're a better team on paper than last year, more skill, more goals BUT do we have more bite - not sure. So let's start playing with that mean streak that Gerry Gow had all those years ago. Take a yellow card or two for the team when necessary. I want to see more surges out of defence, throwing bodies at the ball and/or player, when necessary. We need our team to play like every game is their last. Competition should breed a fire into the collective spirit...starting at Bolton!
Let's ave some City!!!
Against Davies it is imperative that Dunne and Richards play in the middle. Ball is injured so Garrido and Zabaletta at full back. Ned on bench if required.
I think we'll loose against Bolton.
New owners. New manager. New players.
Same City.
2-0 Bolton.
A pivotal month for City with some games we should look to gain points from and then the derby and Arsenal.
Any win here will be welcome, especially if we can continue with the good football also. We are still in touch with where we want to be (top six), but failure here would be a big downer.
Big game for both clubs!
City win away! You must be joking. They are rubbish on their travels! As Corporal Jones used to say - "They don't like it up 'em!"
City team to play Bolton
GK Hart
RB Zabeleta CB Dunne CB Richards LB Garrdo
RM SWP CM Komany CM Elano LM Ireland
AM Robinhio
CF Evens
subs Schmeichel Berti Fernandes Jo Onouha Benjani TBH
2-0 city
IM NOW MORE CONVINCED that hughes is not the man for us, i have just read the reasons he chose richards as left back is because garrido is sometimes more of an attacking full back and away from home we need be more defensive.
WHAT? richards was playing as a centre forward half the game,like he does when he is a right back, he is a headless chicken.
SORRY BUT SOMEONE HAS LOST THE PLOT.
city will p!ss all over bolton let me tell ya!!
3-0 city jo to score if he starts
start believing...come on city!!!!!!!!
TOE, NEW MILLS
You must be a united fan Hughes is the right man at least we play attacking football not like sven
you negative bunch!! give it some time last year you all complained that we wern't scoring goals!! now were scoring tones of them and yet still not happy, defence is a bit of a concern maybe we need to give the brazilian berti a run nothing to lose, i'd try as starting 11
gk: Hart
def: Zabaleta, dunne, berti, richards
def mid: Kompany
mid: Wright-phillips, ireland, Elano
attk mid: Robinhio
strk: Jo or if fit Benjani
subs: Who ever
we do need 3 points here with some tougher games coming
COMON CITY!!
Big game, the players have put the manager under a lot of pressure.
I would play:Hart Onuoha Richards Dunne Garrido
Midfield W-Phillips Zabetta Kompany Robinho Ireland/Elano
Forward Jo/Benjani Away from home.
At home could play one holding midfielder,Depends on who we are playing.
Wow Wigan and Bolton are doing rubbish as well!!!
as mark hughes keeps saying "we are not the finished article" - is that what he will say to potential new mega star signings in the january window?
sorry to be a bit negative (some might think) but has dunne, richards and hart gone backwards or progressed since signing their new contracts?
ekuldot,
thanks for reminding me of the great gerry gow! it did but a smile on my face. do you guys remember him scoring 2 at palace all those years ago? we won 3-2 that day.
Just hoping that this is one of them games where City surprise me and win.In the last couple of seasons and in particular Boro in midweek, weve struggled against the dour teams that are battling to survive or prove a point."Pride in Battle" should read: "Show some Bottle" and I am trusting MH to address this issue come January with players who can take it on themselves to get a hold of the game by the scruff of the neck and shake it aggressively. To be a successful Premiership player you have to have not only great technique but the ability to mix it and have that winning mentality. Ok our team is a work in progress, but I do believe MH needs time to get the tools he requires to do the job properly, and only then can we judge him in my opinion. Hoping for a 2-1 win Sunday, 3 points please Blues.
Leave Rob on the bench and go with a solid 4-4-2.
Idiotic comments from Blueloon and Daft Donald Farrer lots of people have sussed you are both the same Rag Chump so do one Numpty !!!
Leave Rob on the bench and go with a solid 4-4-2.
GJ,
1/11/2008 at 11:57
Leave Rob on the bench? Are You Out of Your Mind?
When are we all going to bite the bullet and admit that Richard Dunne SHOULD NOT be in our team, He is absolutely rubbish, but unless he is injured is always picked.
MH seems stuck in a rut and seems unable to cope with the needs of our club. WHY WHY WHY does he drop/substitute Elano at the 1st sign of pannick? Elano is our best player and if we keep treating him this way he will be off. And before you start on about Ireland and Johnson, I pose you all this question! When these players are mentioned as up for sale, who are the clubs that are said to be interested?. Elano is wanted and tracked by the very best, we have him and we are abusing him. Remmeber Albert Reiara!!!
With the sqaud we have now we should be feilding
HART
RICHARDS,ZABALETA,KOMPANY,GARRIDO
SWP,ELANO, IRELAND,CASTILLO
JO, ROBINHO
When fit Petrov would get the left wing spot,AND STURRIDGE AHEAD OF EVANS
We all know what we need in terms of transfers.
MH get your head sorted and DROP RICHARD DUNNE.
Eddie Black,Elano is playing better this season but only had about 4 good games last term.There is NO interest from other clubs
for the Brazilian,just newspaper gossip,trust me.
Quite simply if they don't win today there has to be a really serious problem - and one must conclude that Mr Hughes may well be part of it! We know that some of the players are suspect but we are playing Bolton. Lets just hope we do not have to face this problem!
get to that question!
When are we all going to bite the bullet and admit that Richard Dunne SHOULD NOT be in our team, He is absolutely rubbish, but unless he is injured is always picked. MH seems stuck in a rut and seems unable to cope with the needs of our club. WHY WHY WHY does he drop/substitute Elano at the 1st sign of pannick? Elano is our best player and if we keep treating him this way he will be off. And before you start on about Ireland and Johnson, I pose you all this question! When these players are mentioned as up for sale, who are the clubs that are said to be interested?. Elano is wanted and tracked by the very best, we have him and we are abusing him. Remmeber Albert Reiara!!! With the sqaud we have now we should be feilding HART RICHARDS,ZABALETA,KOMPANY,GARRIDO SWP,ELANO, IRELAND,CASTILLO JO, ROBINHO When fit Petrov would get the left wing spot,AND STURRIDGE AHEAD OF EVANS We all know what we need in terms of transfers. MH get your head sorted and DROP RICHARD DUNNE.
Eddie Black, Oxford
2/11/2008 at 07:22
Eddie, me and my family have been saying that for the last 2/3 years, Dunne is a good honest pro, but he makes far too many clangers.
I would love 3/4-0 today.