Bolton v Wolves

Last updated : 31 January 2011 By BBC Sport

Wolves could hand a debut to new loan signing Jamie O'Hara if his fitness holds up after a reserve team run-out.

Neither Kevin Foley or Sylvan Ebanks-Blake are expected to feature although both are closing in on a first team return.

Bolton

Doubtful: Chung-Yong Lee (fatigue), Klasnic (groin), Steinsson (knee)

Injured: S Davis & J O'Brien (both knee), Gardner (thigh), Samuel (calf)

Wolves

Doubtful: O'Hara (fitness)

Injured: Ebanks-Blake (calf), Edwards (illness), Guedioura (broken leg), Kightly & Mancienne (both knee)

MATCH PREVIEW

Both Bolton and Wolves have endured erratic form in recent weeks that has left their fans wondering what the second half of the season holds in store for their beloved Wanderers.

The club has always had great games against Wolves... for the duration of the match we will both be going hammer and tong to get the right result

Owen Coyle, Bolton manager

Bolton are on a run of five league games without a win for only the second time since Owen Coyle took charge in January 2010. The Trotters boss has his work cut out to revive any European ambitions this season as his side have slipped from fourth position into the bottom half of the table in little over 10 weeks.

This poor run has coincided with a goal drought for strikers Kevin Davies and Johan Elmander who have both scored only once during this period, having previously plundered 14 goals between them in Bolton's opening 14 games. That said, Elmander has scored two goals in three games against Wolves.

The visitors have conceded seven goals in their last two Premier League fixtures to damage confidence built up around the Christmas period, when they accrued 12 of their season's total of 21 points.

Mick McCarthy knows that if his side are to have any genuine hopes of Premier League survival they need to start winning away from Molineux. Wolves have emerged with just four away points from a possible 33 to date, four fewer than any other club.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Bolton are looking to complete a Premier League double over Wolves for the first time. It is a decade since they last beat Wolves both home and away, doing so in the second tier during the 2000/01 campaign.

• Wolves have won only one of their last eight league matches against Bolton - a 2-1 Premier League home victory in December 2009, with Jody Craddock and Nenad Milijas supplying the home side's goals.

• Wolves have not won in their last seven league visits to Bolton, since a 3-1 victory in the second tier in March 1994. Guy Whittingham scored twice for the visitors that day.

Who will win the battle of the Wanderers?

Bolton

• The Trotters have lost six of their last nine league games. This run of seven points from a possible 27 has seen them slump from sixth to 11th place.

• Owen Coyle's men are yet to lose to a side currently in the bottom half of the table. Pld 11, W3, D8.

• They have kept just two league clean sheets this season, both at the Reebok Stadium.

• If selected, Kevin Davies will be making his 400th Premier League appearance. He will become only the fifth striker to reach this landmark, after Emile Heskey, Alan Shearer, Teddy Sheringham and Andrew Cole.

Wolves

• Just one of Wolves' six league wins have come against sides currently in the bottom half of the Premier League table.

• Defeat for Wolves would signal three successive league defeats for a third time this season.

• Wolves have lost more matches (14) this season than any other club in the Premier League.

• Mick McCarthy's men have drawn just three games so far this season. Their last came at home to West Ham during October, some 15 matches ago.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Bolton

Elmander: 10 goals (9 league); K Davies: 8 goals (7 league)

Wolves

Fletcher: 6 goals (4 league); Doyle & Milijas: 5 goals (2 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Peter Walton

Assistant referees: Andy Garratt & Adam Watts

Fourth official: Michael Oliver

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Bolton (L0-4 v Chelsea, h): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Robinson, Cahill, Knight, Muamba (Davies 63), Taylor, Holden (Blake 87), Petrov (Moreno 63), Elmander, Davies. Subs not used: Bogdan, Ricketts, Wheater, Davies, Cohen, Moreno, Blake.

Wolves (L0-3 v Liverpool, h): Hennessey, Zubar, Stearman, Berra, Ward, Jarvis, Henry, Milijas, Hunt (Hammill 72), Doyle, Fletcher. Subs not used: Hahnemann, Craddock, David Jones, Vokes, Mouyokolo, Davis.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport