It’s a quick turnaround for the Blues, and there are three more games to follow in the next week-and-a-half, but that suits the Manager just fine as he eyes a move back into the top four.
With little time to dwell on an entertaining 3-3 draw at the Reebok Stadium in December.
“This is a crucial moment for us,” Roberto declares. “After Hull it’s important that we don’t make any mistakes this month.
We need to beat to beat Bolton, and we need to keep close to the group around the top four in the table. Arsenal losing and Spurs drawing were better results for us after what happened at Hull, and also now I have Joleon and Vincent to come back for selection.
...Roberto Mancini...
“We have the players here, it’s a good squad but we need to keep working hard to improve as a team, whatever eleven players are chosen. If we do that we’ll get better and reach our targets.”
Like City, Bolton have had a change of manager since the teams last met but they have secured just one win in the league under Owen Coyle after his move from Burnley. Nevertheless, Mancini is wary of the threat posed by tonight’s visitors.
“Every team we play raises themselves against us, and we have to react to that. We are seen as one of the big teams and a big scalp. But that’s good for us, and we can make that work for us. If we want to get to the top, we have to work just as hard against teams like Bolton, or Hull, as against the teams around us.
“Bolton will be fighting for every ball tonight, so we need to have the right approach. If we do that then we have every chance of getting the win that we need.
“They were 2-0 up against Arsenal not long ago, they were aggressive and played well. We have to remember what they can do and cope with how they try to play against us. We have some important games coming up, Stoke will be a battle, and then there is Liverpool so that’s why it’s important that we win tonight.”
The box office will stay open up until kick off for sale of tickets for tonight, and will re-open afterwards for sale of seats for this Saturday’s FA Cup fifth round tie against Stoke City.
