Barnsley vs Bolton Wanderers. Sky Bet Championship.
Oakwell StadiumAttendance14,138.
Friday 13 April 2018 13:23, UK
Barnsley defender Matt Mills and midfielder George Moncur will return to contention for the home game against Bolton.
Mills, sidelined since the end of February due to an ankle injury, could return to the substitutes' bench, while Moncur has recovered from illness. Forward Mamadou Thiam is also available again after missing the last three matches due to an unspecified injury.
On-loan Everton midfielder Joe Williams has returned to his parent club after his season was ended by a muscle problem and goalkeeper Nick Townsend is recovering from a broken bone in his hand.
Bolton boss Phil Parkinson is expected to make changes as his side bid to avoid a fifth straight league defeat. Jon Flanagan, Andrew Taylor, Derik, Craig Noone, Sammy Ameobi and captain Darren Pratley all returned to the starting Xl for the midweek home defeat to Millwall.
Midfielder Pratley will be assessed as he continues treatment for a nerve injury, while Jan Kirchhoff (hamstring) is still out. Mark Little, Antonee Robinson, Reece Burke, Jem Karacan, Will Buckley and Aaron Wilbraham are all pushing for recalls after dropping to the bench on Tuesday night.
Barnsley are on a 12-game winless league run against Bolton (D6 L6) since a 2-1 win in the Premier League in August 1997.
The Trotters have won each of their last three league visits to Oakwell, though this is their first trip there since December 2013.
Since Jose Morais' first Championship match in charge of the Tykes, only Sunderland (7) and Burton (6) have won fewer points than Barnsley (9).
Phil Parkinson has never won a Football League match at Oakwell (P7 W0 D4 L3), with his only previous Championship visit there a 0-0 draw in February 2009 as Charlton manager.
Bolton have won just one of their last 46 away Championship matches (D13 L32).
Barnsley haven't won back to back home Championship matches since August, when they beat Nottingham Forest and Sunderland.
Bolton will find themselves back in the bottom three if they lose to Barnsley on Saturday, which will be really disappointing for them as it looked a few weeks ago like they were away from danger.
The Tykes will have been really disappointed to lose at Ipswich on Tuesday night as it's the time of year you want to be facing mid-table sides with little to play for. This will be a nervy game, but I reckon Bolton will edge it.
David Prutton predicts: 0-1 (9/1 with Sky Bet)
