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Sam Allardyce's Trotters have not won since their 2-1 away win over Charlton Athletic on January 31st and know that getting points on the board at this stage of the season is vital having seen some of the sides below them hit form at what is the wrong time for Bolton.
Wanderers can boast an undefeated record against Chelsea at home in the Premiership having seen two draws and two wins since the 1995-1996 season, the last win came in October 1997 thanks to a first goal in Bolton colours for record signing Dean Holdsworth and Bolton will be hoping for more of the same tommorow as they face the prospect of Chelsea, Arsenal and Newcastle United in the next fortnight.
The Trotters go into the game without the services of Frenchman Youri Djorkaeff who will be missing for the next three weeks with a hamstring injury so either Stelios Giannakopoulos or Henrik Pedersen will deputise for the veteran. Defender Emerson Thome is expected to shake off an ankle injury which kept him out of last weeks game with Birmingham City to face his former club, whilst top goalscorer Kevin Nolan is expected to shake off a knock picked up in the game at St Andrews to be fit to play.
Chelsea suffered a late blow on Thursday evening as goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini was ruled out of the game with a broken hand so Scottish international Neil Sullivan is expected to replace the Italian with either Marco Ambrosio or youngster Yves Makabu-Makalambay on the substitutes bench. Former West Ham defender Glen Johnson will also miss the game having picked up an ankle injury during the midweek Champions League draw with Stuttgart so Mario Melchiot or Marcel Desailly could return to first team action. Ex-Wanderers favourite Eidur Gudjohnsen is named in the squad for the trip to Lancashire.
The Blues who currently lie in second place in the Premiership will be hoping to put some distance between themselves and Manchester United who lie on the same points in third place whereas Wanderers will be hoping to move back in the top half of the table having seen themselves slip down from 8th position to 12th position in recent weeks.
Former Chelsea chairman Ken Bates will begin his regular matchday column in the Bolton programme as of tommorow ironically against the team which he contraversially departed earlier in the month. The 72-year old who was at the Bridge for over 20 years has been allowed to continue his notes by Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside until he gets back into the game.
GAME LIVE ON SKY SPORTS KICK OFF 12:30PM
PLAYED FOR BOTH
ANTHONY BARNESS
JACK BRADLEY
ROBERT FLECK
EIDUR GUDJOHNSEN
GERRY PEYTON
EMERSON THOME
DAN WINTER
OTHER CONNECTIONS
IAN MCNEILL
IAN PORTERFIELD