Owen Coyle criticises Alan Shearer

Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle has hit back at Alan Shearer's criticism of defender Zat Knight.

Shearer highlighted Knight as a weak link for Wanderers on Match of the Day during their recent 2-0 loss to Manchester City.

"Like anyone else I sit in on Saturday night and watch Match of the Day and watch us get written off again, but so be it," Coyle told BBC Sport. "The other disappointing thing is for Alan Shearer to go and pick out one of our individual players - Zat Knight - which I thought was in really poor taste.

"Alan will know, because he had a tough job when he was at Newcastle, how important it is to stick together as a group.

"The lads are in the studio to give their opinion, but I think it's in poor taste to single out Zat."

Knight was dropped for Bolton's 2-1 win over Queens Park Rangers on Saturday.