Match Preview: Bolton Wanderers vs Wolverhampton Wanderers

Our penultimate home game of the 2017/18 campaign sees us ‘welcome’ Wolves to the Macron which is sure to be a party atmosphere for some. The clubs’ fortunes could not be further apart with one lot of Wanderers flying high and the other clambering to get away from the relegation trap door.

The visitors come to town needing just a point to clinch the Championship title, having guaranteed promotion to the holy land against their local rivals Birmingham City last weekend - in turn doing us a favour and moving us up a place in the table. Wolves are unbeaten in seven and have won their last two games away from home. A poor run of four successive defeats for the Trotters was halted last week with a point at Oakwell but the Whites remain just two points outside the bottom three, and with Barnsley still snapping at our heels and with a game in hand against Forest next Tuesday, it’s getting a tad nervy.

Many will see this as a foregone conclusion with Wolves ripping right through the Whites like they did at Molineux back in November, but these things have got a funny way of turning out. Since time began Wolves have won 55 rimes against the Whites where as we have beaten them 54 times so a Wanderers win will level it up.

It’s going to be a tough ask but some good teams have come to the Macron this year and found it harder than expected – other teams have found it somewhat easier! – but I’m thinking we could get something from the game. Wolves’ fans are going to pack the away end I’m not looking forward to the smug away fans lapping it up, so we need to start with a high tempo and nick an early goal. The referee in charge is Keith Stroud who reffed the game at Molineux too so the omens are not too promising. On the back of this, he’s dished out 130 yellow cards and 7 Red cards in only 30 games.

Team News

Bolton have an unchanged squad to choose from but the names on the team sheet and the formation we will be playing are any ones guess. My money is on Alnwick in net and Alfie running his socks off up front. I think we’ll revert to a flat back 4 with our merry men marauding forward on the counter (at a breathtaking pace) – we can but hope.

Ivan Cavaleiro injured his hamstring last week for Wolves so ex Wanderer Benik Afobe could start.

Match Odds

Bolton 3/1, Wolves 19/20 and the draw is 23/10.

Karl Henry to get booked in the first half against his former club is 1/10,000

Match Prediction

They need a draw to clinch the title. We would take a draw before kick off, so obviously. it’s going to be a draw. 1-1 Le Fondre 18’, Neves ’32.