Mancini on back foot — despite win

Manchester City 1, Bolton 0
MANCHESTER City consolidated a Champions League spot, moved to within a point of Chelsea and three off the Premier League summit — yet Roberto Mancini still found himself fending off talk of dressing room unrest.

Carlos Tevez’s 10th goal of the season after just four minutes proved enough to see off Bolton, on a day when Mancini claimed his side had blown 14 clear goalscoring opportunities in three recent home games.

It should have been a cause for unquestioned celebration. Instead, the Italian was on the back foot, fending off his touchline row with Tevez after the City skipper had objected to being substituted in the final stages, and also a punch–up between Mario Balotelli and Jerome Boateng on Friday which ended up being blasted across the back pages.

David Silva was at his wondrous best, with Yaya Toure producing his most effective display on home soil since his big–money arrival from Barcelona this summer.

Aside from player relationship issues, the only cause for complaint afterwards were the needless booking for Tevez and what Mancini felt was an incorrect dismissal of Aleksander Kolarov for two yellow cards that will rule them both out of next weekend's trip to relegation–threatened West Ham. Kolo Toure is almost certain to miss that game too with a calf injury.

As it was the same official who ruled Silva to be offside when he set up Tevez for a first half tap–in when Gareth Barry was the man who strayed beyond the last defender, Mancini had legitimate cause for complaint.

With key fixtures involving new leaders Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea looming large on the horizon, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that City could assume top spot by New Year's Day.