KEVIN Keegan blasted his side's poor effort on Saturday, insisting: "Performances like that get managers the sack."

The Manchester City manager compared his City slackers with Big Sam's battling Bolton and was clearly envious.

"When Bolton went a goal up they played some good stuff, they looked confident and like they really wanted to stay in the Premiership.

"We got a good effort for the first 20 minutes but not over the whole 90 minutes."

City should have been 2-0 up in that opening period when they ran the show and had Bolton chasing shadows.

When Shaun Wright-Phillips pulled the ball across the face of goal Nicolas Anelka somehow managed to side foot over the crossbar from six yards with the goal at his mercy.

Minutes later the French striker, looking miles offside, was put clean through on goal but was unconvincing in the one-on-one showdown with Jussi Jaaskelainen who saved at the second attempt.

Suddenly the game changed and when Wanderers applied the pressure City crumbled to leave Keegan frustrated at how easily his side caved in.

"For the first 20 minutes we looked like a team that wanted to get the 5-0 Chelsea defeat in our last game out of our system," he added.

"Nicolas Anelka had two great chances and then they got a dubious penalty.

"It was a disappointing performance by us once we conceded the first goal.

"It was one of those games in which the first goal would always be crucial.

"I would still like to see a more professional effort from my team to get back into the game when they go a goal down.

"We missed Marc-Vivien Foe but Joey Barton played well on his debut.

"There are six games left and we have a lot of work to do. There is still a real job to be done if we are going to see this season out properly.

"I have to carry the can for finishing lower than we wanted to.

"We will look at whatever else we can do.

"Mikkel Bischoff deserves a chance and there are others on the fringe of the team who should be given a go now."

On the inability of his £20 million strikeforce of Anelka and Robbie Fowler to make an impression, he added: "Robbie Fowler was looking much better a few weeks ago but has been struggling with a shoulder injury and I think he just needs a good week's training inside him.

"Certainly he and Nicolas Anelka are going to get better together. Everything tells me they should cause defences problems.

"It is not all their fault that they didn't cause too many problems today. The service up to them was putrid.

"We are not giving them enough of a chance. If you serve them well those two will be a terrific partnership."