Bolton to target volatile Balotelli

Bolton’s Zat Knight said his side will target Manchester City’s hot-headed hitman Mario Balotelli when they travel to Eastlands on Saturday.

The Wanderers defender believes the 20-year-old Italian could potentially be a weak link in the City structure, as Owen Coyle’s side go in search of a victory that could catapult them into the Champions League spots.

Balotelli scored twice against Salzburg in the Europa League in midweek to make it an impressive four goals in five starts for City – but has already exposed the flaws in his genius by picking up two bookings and a straight red card in his short English Premier League career.

“I think the potential is there. If you get into him, he’s a bit of a sulker,” Knight said.

“If he does play, it will be my game plan to try and put him off his stride as quickly as possible because he has got a great strike rate.”

“He is a fantastic prospect. And I think ‘prospect’ is the right word.”

“He has got both sides. He has that sulking side when it seems as though he doesn’t want to know.”

“But he can also score good goals like he did the other night.”

City go into the game in fourth place, two points ahead of sixth-placed Wanderers, and five behind league leaders Manchester United.

And while Knight admits City’s attention will be fixed firmly on catching their Manchester neighbours, he does not believe they quite have enough to lift the Premier League trophy in May.

“I think it’s too soon for City to win the title. I heard their manager (Roberto Mancini) saying ‘one step at a time’ and their first goal was to get into the Champions League and progress from there,” Knight said.

“I think they have had too many stop-starts to be in a position to win the title.”

“One week they played brilliantly against Fulham and then they don’t repeat it against Stoke.”

“I think the league is harder as well. It will be asking a lot of them to win the league this season. But having said that they are in a position where anyone can win it.”

Stuart Holden is Bolton’s only injury doubt after the American missed last week’s draw with Blackpool with a thigh injury.