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Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor were on target as Manchester City overcame a stubborn Bolton 2-0 at Eastlands and move into fifth place in the Premier League.

Adam Johnson, on his home debut for City, produced an incisive run cutting in from the right wing before weaving past Paul Robinson to win a penalty for the hosts, which Tevez dispatched in unconvincing fashion. It was the Argentine's sixth goal in five matches at Eastlands.

Bolton refused to be dictated to and fought valiantly into the second half, but Adebayor lashed an emphatic finish past Jussi Jaaskelainen to give the hosts a two-goal cushion in the 73rd minute, and any lingering tension at Eastlands was eased.

Manchester City came into the match with an unblemished home record and in the knowledge that a win would lift them above Tottenham into fifth place and, despite fleeting periods of slight lethargy, Roberto Mancini's side had enough class to brush Bolton aside.

Patrick Vieira and Johnson were handed their first Premier League starts at the expense of Stephen Ireland and Shaun Wright-Phillips, while Jack Wilshere was given a midfield berth in Owen Coyle's Bolton side as Matthew Taylor was confined to the bench.

Johnson ravaged the visitors' defence as early as the sixth minute with an immaculate touch to bring the ball down and whip over a devilish delivery, but Tevez scuffed his shot tamely at Jaaskelainen in the Bolton goal.

After a commanding display in the opening 10 minutes, City's pressure petered out with the home fans growing slightly restless as Bolton redressed the balance of play with some incisive breaks to keep the hosts honest.

But then the winger, signed from Middlesbrough in the January transfer window, came to life once more to inject some urgency into City's play, and his surging run past Robinson yielded the spot kick on the half-hour mark.

Tevez stepped up confidently, but struck his effort straight at Jaaskelainen who, slightly wrong-footed, could only deflect the ball into the bottom corner of the net as the Argentine wheeled away with a combination of relief and jubilation.

Bolton were then left feeling very aggrieved as they felt a penalty should have been awarded their way four minutes later. Kolo Toure and Johan Elmander jostled for the ball inside the City box before the Ivorian stumbled over and took the striker with him, only for referee Mike Jones to penalise the bewildered Swede.

The Trotters ended the half in promising fashion, with the enterprising play of Wilshere at the forefront of everything, but it was a rasping volley from Fabrice Muamba which deflected viciously off Vincent Kompany to warm the palms of Shay Given.

Tevez came agonisingly close to netting his brace in the 53rd minute as Jaaskelainen left a 25-yard free-kick which fizzed against his crossbar.

Johnson continued to dazzle at one end while Wilshere oozed confidence and invention at the other and, while Mancini cut a composed figure on the City bench, it belied his side's anxiety as they sought a second goal to ease the pressure.

Toure was forced off midway through the second half after the defender sustained an injury. Joleon Lescott embraced his role as an enforced substitute, and Wright-Phillips followed shortly afterwards at the expense of Wayne Bridge, but the changes did little to alter the balance of play.

City finally alleviated the pressure on their goal with a clinical second as Vieira delivered a raking pass over the head of Sam Ricketts, and Adebayor took the ball down neatly in his stride before hammering a stunning strike past Jaaskelainen to make it two with his third goal in as many games.

Lee Chung-Yong squandered a glorious opportunity to haul his side back in the contest with 10 minutes remaining, but he lacked conviction as he side-footed the ball tamely at Given after being slipped through by a pinpoint pass from substitute Taylor.

Man-of-the-match Johnson received a standing ovation as he departed late on and Mancini was a contented man as his side preserved their clean sheet to the close.

City have now scored in their last 22 games at Eastlands and won their last six as they draw level with Liverpool on 44 points with a game in hand on the Merseyside club, while Bolton precariously lie one point above West Ham in 17th spot.

Dan Quarrell / Eurosport