Manchester City are level with Liverpool in the race for the final Champions League spot with a game in hand after a 2-0 win against Bolton while UEFA Europa League hopefuls Fulham also won.
Man City took another notable stride towards a top-four finish in the Premier League with a 2-0 triumph over Bolton Wanderers. City lost 2-1 at Bolton’s fellow strugglers Hull at the weekend but never looked like suffering a similar fate on home soil once Paul Robinson’s clumsy tackle on Adam Johnson allowed Carlos Tévez (31) to register his 11th goal in as many league games from the penalty spot.
Emmanuel Adebayor rubber-stamped the three points with 17 minutes remaining, consummately controlling Patrick Vieira’s pass on his chest before producing a superb volleyed finish.
Bolton stay fourth bottom, a place below Burnley, who remain without an away win all season after losing 3-0 at Fulham. Goals from Danny Murphy, David Elm – his first for the club – and Bobby Zamora fired the Cottagers into ninth.
Meanwhile, Sunderland’s poor form shows no sign of stopping. They drew 1-1 with bottom-of-the-table Portsmouth in a game that saw three players plus Portsmouth manager Avram Grant shown red cards. And finally Wigan and Stoke drew 1-1.