NICOLAS ANELKA scored twice on the return to one of his old clubs as Bolton Wanderers overcame Manchester City at the City of Manchester Stadium.

The visitors piled on the pressure early on and it was no real surprise when they went in front after just seven minutes. Hunt flicked the final pass of a neat four-man move into the Frenchman's path, and he slammed home his fifth goal of the season.

City were desperate for an equaliser and Dickov's header might well have crossed the line before Jussi Jaaskelainen got across to palm it out.

On 25 minutes, Anelka was on target again. Pedersen was given far too much room to run at the City defence and rolled a pass beyond the offside Diouf to Anelka, who stroked the ball into virtually the same part of the net he had done earlier. Vassell nodded wide from Joey Barton's corner as City were booed off at half-time for the second week running.

Barton went close with a curling free-kick in the seond half as City made more of a game of was sent off in the 87th minute when he was shown a straight red card for a wild lunge on Faye.