Manchester City kept up their 100% start to the Premier League season with a 3-2 victory over Bolton Wanderers. Goals from David Silva, Gareth Barry and Edin Dzeko secured the win for the Blues who came away with the points.
Bolton had the first chance of the game, when Chris Eagles' free-kick was palmed out by Joe Hart into a packed penalty area. The resulting clearance lead City away on the counter, but nothing came of the speed of City's attacking play.
City knocked on the Bolton door for the first time, and they soon found themselves within sight of goal. Aleksandar Kolarov sent a low ball across the face of goal and gave James Milner the perfect chance to score. But he was denied excellently by Jussi Jaaskelainen from close range.
City came forward once more on the counter, and Edin Dzeko found a ball across the box for Sergio Aguero to tap into an empty net from ten yards, but the Argentinian leant back too far and fired the ball inches over the crossbar. A horrible miss with no excuses.
From a throw in however, Richards found David Silva on the edge of the area. Silva sent an arcing low shot towards the goal. Jaaskelainen fumbled, the ball ended up in the net and City were 1-0 up. Silva's second goal of the season gave City a deserved lead and everything looked to be going well.
Sergio Aguero then had a goal disallowed for a foul and sent a header inches wide. But things got better just under ten minutes later; James Milner found Gareth Barry in space after a well worked corner, and Barry sent a shot high into the Bolton net from all of 30 yards out to put City further ahead. Again Jaaskelainen could have done slightly better to keep it out.
Two minutes later, Bolton found themselves back in the game. A low ball across the box from former City winger Martin Petrov found Ivan Klasnic in space, and he sent a low drive between the legs of Joe Hart to pull a goal back for Wanderers just before half time. Undeserved perhaps, but Bolton didn't mind.
Immediately after the restart City regained their two goal advantage; Dzeko won a battle with Zat Knight and got into the Bolton penalty area. He hit it first time across the goal under the out-stretched arm of the Bolton 'keeper Jaaskelainen to make it 3-1 and send the City fans wild. That was Dzeko's third goal in as many games in 2011, and it's impressive form that the City fans will be hoping he continues.
Bolton pulled a goal back through Kevin Davies with twenty-five minutes to go, when his header deflected off the floor and post before reaching the goal, but it wasn't enough to start a comeback. City closed out the game well with some timely substitutions and tactical know-how from manager Roberto Mancini and took all three points from the Reebok Stadium to remain top of the Premier League after two games.
The game will be remembered for City's impressive attacking football, but it will also be remembered for some defensive mistakes that may have cost the Blues all three points on another day.
Man of the Match - David Silva (rating: 9)
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