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Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce has told his players to reach the safety mark in the next few weeks to ensure Premiership football is guarenteed for another season whilst Villa will be travelling to Lancashire hoping to gain revenge for their Carling Cup Semi Final exit in January and move themselves further into the top half of the league hoping to make a late push for UEFA Cup qualification.
The good news for Bolton is that injured trio Youri Djorkaeff, Simon Charlton and Bruno N'Gotty have all returned to training this week to provide a welcome boost for manager Sam Allardyce in what is usually a busy period of the season. If selected in the starting eleven both N'Gotty and Charlton are expected to come in for Steve Howey and Anthony Barness who deputised during the dismal showing at Boro.
Villa boss David O'Leary has been rocked by the news that top goalscorer Juan Pablo Angel will be missing for three weeks with a knee injury so either youngster Luke Moore, beanpole striker Peter Crouch or the fit again Marcus Allback could get an opportunity to replace the Colombian on Saturday. Welsh international Mark Delaney made his comeback for the reserves in midweek following nearly two months injured but it is expected that the full back will not be in contention for a first team return.
Earlier on in the season the two teams fought out an end to end contest at Villa Park which ended all square at 1-1 but both sides will be gunning for three points for very different reasons on Saturday. Bolton have won their previous two meetings against the Villa at home and will be hoping that they can make it three wins in what is the first of two meetings against Midlands opposition over the Easter period with a Monday trip to relegation battlers Wolverhampton Wanderers to come. Trotters manager Sam Allardyce has promised to use his squad to the full over the holiday period and knows his side must be prepared to battle in both matches.
PLAYED FOR BOTH
FRANZ CARR
NEIL COX
SASA CURCIC
GARETH FARRELLY
STUART GRAY
JOHN GREGORY
KEVIN POOLE
BRYAN SMALL
ALAN THOMPSON
OTHER CONNECTIONS
BRUCE RIOCH