Bolton will hope to end a run of four successive defeats on Sunday when they entertain Manchester City. That poor sequence of results has come on the back of a heavy defeat by Stoke in the FA Cup semi-final at Wembley, and Bolton are now struggling to finish in the top 10 after at one stage appearing on course for Europe. However Coyle, who arrived from Burnley in January 2010, believes they are making great strides. He said: "We have improved enormously from the team we inherited in the bottom three. "We want to win this game against City to finish as high up the league as we can - top 10, maybe even top eight. "That would be on merit, considering how hard we have worked, even though a couple of recent results slipped away from us. "If anyone comes into a season thinking it is always going to be smooth at this level they will be sadly mistaken. But that serves to make you better at your job. "I know I am a better manager than I was last year and I will be looking again for further improvement for myself and my club next season." While Coyle has nothing but admiration for managerial counterpart Roberto Mancini he is determined they end the season with a positive result in front of their own supporters. The Italian, backed the considerable financial muscle of owner Sheikh Mansour, has steered City into the Champions League for the first time and delivered the FA Cup. Coyle said: "Roberto Mancini is someone I have a lot of time for. He is a real football man, very humble, very likeable. I am delighted they have that silverware to back up a terrific season and they will be looking to cement third place. "We would all love that funding and finance to be at your disposal but then you have to deliver. Manchester City have done that. They are going on the right lines. "Is it not a mismatch?. They have spent £300million, we have spent £3million. My answer is "no" because when you cross the white line it is 11 v 11. "I know my players are more than capable of winning this match. They have shown that all year. We have been in terrific form at the Reebok. I want us to finish the season in style and we have improved no end." Midfielder Fabrice Muamba faces a race to be fit after suffering a hamstring injury at Blackpool. Mark Davies, Stuart Holden, Sam Ricketts and Sean Davis are all long-term absentees.
