Bolton v Fulham preview

Trotters aiming to add to Hodgson's woes

Last updated: 5th February 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Bolton v Fulham preview

Coyle: Basement battle

PREDICTIONS:

Skysports.com prediction: 1-0

SKY BET odds: Bolton 5/4, Draw 23/10, Fulham 9/4

One to Watch: Lee Chung-yong

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Bolton will be looking to edge their way clear of trouble when they face injury-ravaged Fulham on Saturday.

The Trotters have clambered out of the Premier League relegation zone of late, but remain level on points with third-from-bottom Hull City.

Just two wins in their last 13 top flight outings have prevented them from steering a course to safety, with three defeats in their last four games keeping them firmly entrenched in the basement battle.

They have lost only one of their last five fixtures on home soil, which bodes well, but have kept just one clean sheet in their last 24 games, which does not.

The Trotters have also failed to overcome Fulham in their last five meetings, with the Cottagers doing the double over them last season.

Roy Hodgson will be hoping his side can come out on top once again at the Reebok Stadium this weekend, but has seen his plans severely disrupted by a lengthening injury list.

A midweek victory over struggling Portsmouth has helped to raise morale within the camp, but that was their first success in seven outings.

They had suffered five consecutive defeats in the league prior to seeing off Pompey and have lost their last four away from Craven Cottage.

Their winless run on the road stretches back 11 games, with their one and only success on their travels this term coming on the opening day against Portsmouth.

Team news

Bolton manager Owen Coyle could recall striker Johan Elmander for the crunch contest.

The Swedish striker may be handed another opportunity to prove his worth as Ivan Klasnic remains sidelined with an ankle injury.

Coyle looks set to include young on-loan midfielders Vladimir Weiss and Jack Wilshere in his squad while Stuart Holden remains doubtful with a thigh problem.

Fulham will once again be without the services of Andrew Johnson, with Hodgson admitting that a niggling knee problem may have ended the striker's season.

Paul Konchesky (ankle) is also set to be sidelined for the foreseeable, with Nicky Shorey having been brought in on loan from Aston Villa to provide cover at left-back.

Zoltan Gera is nursing a knee injury, but is not expected to be out of action for long, and Clint Dempsey looks set to be missing until April after damaging knee ligaments.

John Pantsil (knee) is also some way off a first-team return but Simon Davies is tipped to shake off an ankle complaint in time to feature.

Possible starting XIs

Bolton: Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Lee, Wilshere, Cohen, Mark Davies, Taylor, Kevin Davies.

Fulham: Schwarzer, Kelly, Baird, Hughes, Hangeland, Shorey, Greening, Murphy, Duff, Zamora, Okaka.

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