Man City close on top four with 2-0 Bolton win

LONDON, (Reuters) – Manchester City made ground in the  battle for fourth place in the Premier League yesterday but  looked a long way from Champions League material as they  struggled to a forgettable 2-0 home win over Bolton Wanderers.

City were second best for long periods against the  relegation-threatened visitors but took the points with a  first-half Carlos Tevez penalty and a smart finish by Emmanuel  Adebayor after 73 minutes.

The win takes City to 44 points and into fifth place, behind  Liverpool on goal difference but with a game in hand on them and  fellow challengers Tottenham Hotspur (43).

In other games Fulham beat Burnley 3-0, bottom club  Portsmouth grabbed a stoppage-time equaliser for a 1-1 home draw  with Sunderland in a game featuring three red cards while Wigan  Athletic drew 1-1 with Stoke City.

There are six more games today, highlighted by  Arsenal against Liverpool, with Manchester United and leaders  Chelsea also in action away to Aston Villa and Everton  respectively.

City, who had lost two of their last three league games,  struggled to impose themselves at Eastlands although new signing  Adam Johnson had a lively home debut.

His tricky running led to the opening goal when he was  tripped by Paul Robinson and, though Tevez’s penalty was hit  straight at Jussi Jaaskelainen, it had just enough power to  creep over the line.

PORTSMOUTH RELIEF

Tevez clipped the bar with a free kick but City rarely  threatened another until Patrick Vieira delivered a pinpoint  pass into the path of the previously anonymous Adebayor and the  Togo striker chested it down and smashed in an excellent goal.

Battling Portsmouth, whose owners are desperately trying to  stave off a High Court winding-up order on Wednesday, finally  had something to cheer when Aruna Dindane snatched a point six  minutes into stoppage time.
Sunderland led with a Darren Bent penalty after 12 minutes,  Ricardo Rocha being sent off for the foul and manager Avram  Grant following him into the stands at halftime for complaining.

Sunderland were also reduced to 10 when Lee Cattermole  collected a second booking eight minutes into the second half  and their substitute David Meyler followed him three minutes  from time after a straight red.

Sunderland had been on course for their first away win of  the season but Burnley are even more hopeless on their travels.  Yesterday’s defeat in London left them with only one point from 13  away games and still without an away win in the top flight for  34 years.

Danny Murphy, David Elm and Bobby Zamora were on target for Fulham, who were well worth the victory.