Muamba manager 'astonished'

London - Fabrice Muamba's manager at Premier League club Bolton, Owen Coyle, says he is "astonished" at the England under-21 midfielder's improvement since suffering an on-field cardiac arrest on Saturday.

Muamba's heart stopped beating for 78 minutes after he collapsed during an FA Cup match at Tottenham.

Coyle says the player "is still in intensive care and in a serious condition" at London Chest Hospital, but that he has improved dramatically.

Bolton will return to action on Saturday against Blackburn, and Coyle says he will let players upset at witnessing Muamba's collapse sit out the Premier League game if they feel unready to play.

Coyle said on Thursday that he "wouldn't ask anybody to play in these circumstances if they weren't in a position to do so."