Premier League preview: Man City v Bolton

Bolton Wanderers may be set to show Manchester City the attacking football that has been in short supply at Eastlands this season.

With City spending in excess of 100 million pounds to recruit the likes of Mario Balotelli, Yaya Toure and David Silva in the close season, few would have predicted Bolton to be billed as the entertainers in this match when the fixture list was released.

City may be fourth on the table, just five points behind leaders Manchester United, but they have struggled to produce the type of free-flowing performances one would expect from the English Premier League’s most expensively assembled team.

Bolton, meanwhile, a constant if unfashionable presence in the Premier League since 2001, have been transformed in their first full season under Scottish manager Owen Coyle.

Coyle enjoyed widespread acclaim after guiding Burnley into the top flight in 2009, but he has arguably performed an even more impressive feat since moving to the Reebok Stadium in January, that of turning Bolton into a team committed to attack.

The gritty presence of skipper Kevin Davies has been retained, but is now combined with a rejuvenated John Elmander.

The Sweden international bears little resemblance to the man who struggled on his arrival in English football in 2008.

The 29-year-old already has five goals to his name this season, equalling his previous season-best haul.

Chung-Yong Lee, Stuart Holden and Fabrice Muamba have been ever-presents in midfield, while ex-City man Martin Petrov will be desperate for a chance to impress against his former club.

Aside from long-term absentees Jlloyd Samuel, Ricardo Gardner and Joey O’Brien, Bolton have no new injury concerns.

Roberto Mancini’s squad is injury-free, aside from fullback Wayne Bridge, who is nearing a return after a hamstring problem that has kept him out since October.