A NEW Blue star is set to shine for City as Adam Johnson lit up Eastlands on his first start for the club.

The fearless 22-year-old had been waiting for his chance to shine on a big stage - and he seized it with a thrilling display.

He earned the penalty which gave City a vital edge in a tight contest and provided the flair, excitement and creativity needed on a night which was otherwise claimed by muscular endeavour.

It was not the prettiest City display but the three points were enough to lift the Blues level on points with fourth-placed Liverpool on whom they have a game in hand.

Some of City's big names have had it levelled at them - not least in recent weeks when they have under-performed - that they are only here for the money. They can prove how little there is in that accusation between now and the end of the season.

But young Mackem lad Johnson is the kid who gave back a million pounds in order to play for City.

Three times he was offered new deals by Middlesbrough as the Championship side tried to tie him up with his deal due to expire in the summer.

Options

Three times Johnson turned it down, wanting to keep his options open, and looking for a big move.

He is as ambitious as they come and, though he modestly shrugs it off, he has enough faith in his own ability to believe he could be on the plane to South Africa in the summer.

A few more displays like this, and Fabio Capello could start to agree. The City fans certainly do, giving him a standing ovation as he trooped off with six minutes left.

He could have sulked about the fact that Roberto Mancini asked him to principally do a job on the right flank, although he was given licence to rove.

Johnson himself prefers the left wing, but with a professionalism which puts to shame one or two of his senior colleagues, he made the most of it.

Mancini was aware that the Bolton left flank looked particularly vulnerable with Paul Robinson supported by rookie Jack Wilshere, the on-loan Arsenal starlet who was making his first Premier League appearance.

It took a while for City to start utilising Johnson's talents, but once they did, he provided the sting.

Emmanuel Adebayor inexplicably dummied one of his crosses as he raided down the left, and then on the half-hour he made the breakthrough.

Skipping past Wilshere, he then teased Robinson into a clumsy, pointless tackle, tucked away in a harmless corner of the penalty area.

Work

It was enough for Carlos Tevez. He was faced by an unusual tactic from Jussi Jaaskelainen, who stood well to the left on his goal-line and then took a big stride towards the centre of the goal just as Tevez ran up to take.

It almost worked, as Tevez struck the ball low and hard, and it cannoned off the keeper's thigh into the corner.

The other man making his first start was Patrick Vieira, at the other end of his career from Johnson, and he looked like a man trying to work the rust out of his joints in the first-half.

The quick City opening soon began to settle to the point that Mancini sent out subs Joleon Lescott, Nedum Onuoha and Stevie Ireland to warm themselves up after 26 minutes.

It worked, as Johnson provided the spark and Tevez the powerful finish. Then Johan Elmander had a penalty shout of his own after he and Kolo Toure got in a tangle in the area.

But Bolton were still reeling from the loss of defensive stalwart Gary Cahill, possibly out for the season with a blood clot in his arm.

They still battled for everything, Kevin Davies giving Toure and Vincent Kompany the usual rugged examination of their manliness.

Fabrice Muamba came closest to a leveller in the first-half, his shot deflecting off Kompany and forcing Shay Given to adjust his position and them launch himself into a typically athletic save.

Moments later, Adebayor scorned a great chance after Sam Ricketts' header had given him a clear sight of goal.

As quickly as City had come out of the blocks in the first-half, so did Bolton in the second.

Storm

For a while the Blues were reduced to playing on the break, although Tevez twanged the crossbar with a 35-yard free- kick which looked highly hopeful until it dipped viciously.

Bolton pressed hard, but City weathered the storm and put the game to bed, courtesy of two of their Arsenal old boys.

Vieira provided the raking long pass and Adebayor - who had been quiet - chested down, swivelled and slammed the shot past Jaaskelainen in one gorgeous movement.

It was a neat way to end an often untidy match but the night belonged to young Johnson, an English starlet out-shining the stellar internationals around him.