Fabrice Muamba has no doubt that Bolton will secure survival - and Owen Coyle deserves the credit.
Midfielder pours praise on Coyle after Reebok revival
Fabrice Muamba has no doubt that Bolton will secure Premier League survival and believes Owen Coyle should take all the credit.
The Trotters were in the relegation zone when Coyle was lured from Burnley in January to succeed Gary Megson and the former Bolton striker has overseen a revival at the Reebok Stadium.
Muamba feels Coyle is getting the best out of his players, steering them eight points clear of the bottom three with seven games remaining.
The 21-year-old midfielder reckons he is at the top of his game and offered a blunt assessment of Bolton's survival prospects.
"We'll definitely stay up," said Muamba. "Another two wins and we should be fine.
Confidence
"Since the gaffer has come in things have changed, and you can see the way we have been playing and the confidence in the team.
"That's credit to the manager and the staff, and hopefully we can continue this way for the rest of the season.
"I know I've enjoyed playing under him so far. I would say I've been in the best form of my career.
"That's down to the manager and the confidence he has instilled in me. I'm just so happy he is here."
In the 13 league matches since Coyle's arrival, Bolton have kept five clean sheets after failing to manage one under Megson in the first half of the season.
"It's the way he speaks to the players, the way he goes about his business as a manager, which is different to the previous regime," Muamba added.
"He talks to everybody, he gives them confidence, so when you get a chance you make sure you take it.
"I've been fortunate to play every game under him, and I now hope to carry on the way we have been playing, and finish higher than we did last year."
Bolton came 13th last year although their run-in continues with the visit of defending champions Manchester United on Saturday.
Yet Muamba summed up the confidence Coyle has instilled in the Bolton side, which is unbeaten in their last six at home, conceding just one goal.
New mentality
"We believe we can win," said the England Under-21 international.
"This game will be a real test as to how far we have come under Owen Coyle, but I'm sure we'll rise to the occasion.
"Since he came in we think we can beat anybody right now. We've got this mentality which we can take into the game to get a result.
"Manchester United might be on top of their game, but we're a Bolton team on top of our game at home.
"If we play the way we've been playing, we know we can give anybody a game on any given day."
