Manchester City went atop the league standings with their second win in as many games but with Manchester United still to play their second game this season. Manchester City won their match against the Bolton Wanderers at The Reebok Stadium to get to six points from two games.
Manchester City had Sergio Aguero make his first starting line-up, after his strong performance in the first game, getting nod with Edin Dzeko by City manager Roberto Mancini. The other mid-fielder to get into the game was James Milner who partnered David Silva in the middle.
Rather surprisingly, Gael Clichy was on the bench for the game as Aleksandar Kolarov played as one of the defenders of the side.
Bolton got in Nigel Reo-Coker for his first game and played mid-field, joining the likes of Fabrice Muamba in the mid-field and Chris Eagles and Martin Petrov as forwards.
Manchester City came out with a mindset so aggressive that if they can maintain that for the rest of the season, it could be an interesting battle between them and the defending champions. They passed well, with Milner and Silva getting together with Aguero well enough to pose a challenge to the pair of Knight and Cahill in the Trotters’ defence. Bolton’s attack was unable to match the class of Manchester City, on the other hand.
After a succession of attacks in the first half, it was David Silva who opened the scoring for Manchester City in the 26th minute, when he curled the ball in from a pass of Micah Richards. Goal-keeper Jusi Jaaskelainen was befuddled by the dip and the side went up 1-0.
12 minutes later, it was Milner who set up Manchester City’s second goal when he passed the ball to Gareth Barry from the corner, who then sent the ball rolling into the goal to double the lead.
Another goal from Manchester City could have sealed the game for the side, but it was Bolton whose counter-attack saw Petrov getting the ball from mid-field on the left side. He passed it to Evan Klasnic, who shot hard at the City goal-keeper, Joe Hart, who failed to collect the ball and Bolton had got their one own back.
Unfortunately for them, Manchester City refused to be cowed down by the return goal and went after the Bolton defence. It took them less than two minutes to get their third goal, through Edin Dzeko.
Bolton again reduced the margin through a goal from captain Kevin Davies, but Manchester City held on to that 3-2 lead and secured their second victory in the competition.
This now leaves Manchester United to take on Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford in their second match.
The Teams:
BOLTON WANDERERS: Steinsson, Jaaskelainen, Knight, Cahill, Eagles, Robinson, Reo-Coker, Muamba, Davies, Petrov, Klasnic.
MANCHESTER CITY: Richards, Hart, Lescott, Kompany, Kolarov, Toure, Barry, Silva, Milner, Aguero, Dzeko.