Skip to content
Full Time After Extra Time This is a live match. Extra Time Half Time

Bolton Wanderers vs Sunderland. Premier League.

University of Bolton StadiumAttendance22,597.

Bolton Wanderers 1

  • I Klasnic (87th minute)

Sunderland 2

  • B Zenden (46th minute)
  • Z Knight (93rd minute own goal)

Bolton v Sunderland preview

Image: Henderson: Just one of a number of players pushing to be fit to play at the Reebok

Two injury-hit sides meet as Bolton face Sunderland in a key clash in the fight for a top-10 finish.

A number of players in fitness race

Two injury-hit sides meet as Bolton face Sunderland on Saturday in a key clash in the fight for a top-10 finish. Five points and six places separate the two sides, both of whom will look to rebound from losses last time out as they scrabble for points in a highly congested league table. Bolton and Owen Coyle have seen a run at the Europa League blunted by a stuttering second-half of the season, a disappointing period that has seen the Trotters beaten in their last two by sides beneath them in the table. Sunderland snapped an unwanted winless streak against Wigan at the end of April, only to see their injury crisis deepen and lose again against Fulham. It was Steve Bruce who was the happier manager back in December as the Black Cats edged out a 1-0 win at the Stadium of Light courtesy of a first-half strike from Danny Welbeck.

Bolton news

While much has been made of the injury crisis on Wearside, Bolton were forced to cope without the likes of Daniel Sturridge, Gretar Steinsson, Sam Ricketts, Stuart Holden and Sean Davis last time out. With an experimental side not producing the desired result at Blackburn, Coyle may look to shuffle his pack again. Influential defender Steinsson is hopeful he can feature in the game after shaking off his injury, while Jussi Jaaskelainen is set to return to the fold after being rested in the previous game. Daniel Sturridge is also hoping to return to training but Coyle admitted the Saturday kick-off may come too soon for Mark Davies to feature.
Sunderland news
Steve Bruce was dealt another blow on Friday with the news that midfielder Kieran Richardson has been ruled out for the remainder of the season following a stress fracture of his shin. A number of the Black Cats squad are embarking on a race against time to be fit for the game, with Bruce waiting on tests for Jordan Henderson and Lee Cattermole. Ryan Noble could make a return to the fold after bagging a brace in the reserves following a knee injury, while John Mensah is touch and go following his adductor tear.
Possible starting XIs:
Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Robinson, Knight, Cahill, Steinsson, Taylor, Gardner, Muamba, Cohen, Davies, Elmander. Sunderland: Mignolet, Turner, Bardsley, Onuoha, Malbranque, Cattermole, Muntari, Henderson, Colback, Elmohamady, Sessegnon.

Around Sky