Nedum Onohua has played in every one of Manchester City’s last six games - a sequence that has returned three clean sheets away from home in the Premiership. Prior to the first of those, at Sheffield United on Boxing Day, City had lost seven on the road and fallen victim at League One side Chesterfield in the Carling Cup.

Against Bolton just before Christmas, City boss Stuart Pearce changed the formation to 3-5-2 after watching his side go 2-0 behind at home inside the first 45 minutes. Onohua played alongside club captain Richard Dunne and Sylvain Distin in a back three for the remainder of the festive period, then with Dunne and Micah Richards in Saturday’s goalless return at the Reebok. The experience has placed the Nigerian-born youngster back among good company - and he’s simply thrived on the boss’s tactical switch.

Bolton’s Kevin Davies had to be withdrawn because of injury shortly after the hour mark, but up until then Onohu had marked the forward out the game, as City held on for a point against the team that Pearce decribed as the best team in the Premiership this season.

City assistant manager Steve Wigley said: “Eighteen months ago, Onuoha was the young North West player of the year, and he broke in just like Micah’s done. He’s returned to play the last five (Premiership) games and he’s got better in each of them. He’s looked like what he is, a top-class defender.”

While Sam Allardyce’s transfer activities usually involve capturing star players from across Europe as they enter their swansong years – the Bolton manager tried to land David Beckham this month – City have owed a lot to their successful academy for producing players capable of making the grade at Premiership level. Onuoha, Richards, as well as Stephen Ireland, Joey Barton and Ishmael Miller have all arrived via that route.
However, it was a more experienced cohort in Dunne who Pearce was particularly thankful to for subduing the threat of Nicolas Anelka. The Blues boss was left munching his own words three weeks ago after Kevin Keegan's record signing consigned City to only their second home defeat of the season.

Pearce has compared Anelka to Georgios Samaras, his own big-money signing at half the price 12 months ago, as strikers who are always capable of achieving more. Despite scoring three goals in the last two games, Samaras was only on the bench at the Reebok, although he was introduced midway through the second half after Bernardo Corradi had missed a sitter.