Bolton v Man United preview

Cahill back for hosts while Rooney ruled out for United

By Richard Bailey   Last updated: 16th January 2009   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Bolton v Man United preview

Rooney: Ruled out for three weeks

PREDICTIONS
Skysports.com prediction: Bolton 0 Man Utd 1
Sky Bet odds: Bolton 7/1 Draw 11/4 Man Utd 1/2
One to watch: Sebastien Puygrenier

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Manchester United will top the Premier League if they take all three points against Bolton at the Reebok on Saturday.

With league leaders Liverpool not playing until Monday, Sir Alex Ferguson's men could cap a significant week in the title race by going top of the pile.

After the demolition of Chelsea on Sunday, United came through a stern test against Wigan on Wednesday with a 1-0 win despite not producing the flowing football that tore apart their title rivals three days earlier.

Meanwhile Bolton are in the midst of a slump having lost five of their last six league games.

Gary Megson's side are 12th in the Premier League table but are still just three points off the relegation places.

Bolton team news

Defender Gary Cahill should return after missing the team's last three matches with a hip injury.

Right-back Gretar Steinsson also returns to the side after his ban but captain Kevin Nolan remains sidelined through suspension.

Midfielder Gavin McCann (broken toe) and Johan Elmander (hamstring) are both missing after picking up knocks in the 1-0 defeat to Arsenal last week.

Loan signing Sebastien Puygrenier from Zenit St Petersburg has been given international clearance and should slot into the Trotters' back four for the United clash.

Bolton failed to fill their bench for their recent league match with Arsenal due to injury and suspension and Megson has hinted this could again be the case for Saturday's game.

Man United team news

The win against Wigan came at a cost for the Red Devils with Wayne Rooney the latest to be sidelined.

Rooney scored what turned out to be the winner against Wigan but hobbled off minutes later with a hamstring injury and is expected to be out for at least three weeks.

Defender Jonny Evans and forwards Carlos Tevez and Cristiano Ronaldo all picked up minor knocks against the Latics and their fitness will be assessed ahead of the game.

Defenders Rio Ferdinand (back) and Patrice Evra (ankle) both miss the game through injury, joining long-term absentees Wes Brown (ankle) and Owen Hargreaves (knee) on the treatment table.

Possible starting XI's

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, O'Brien, Samuel, Cahill, Puygrenier, Taylor, Muamba, Gardner, Cohen, Davies, Riga

Man Utd: Van der Sar, Neville, Evans, Vidic, O'Shea, Park, Ronaldo, Fletcher, Anderson, Berbatov, Tevez

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