New boy Eden Hazard

In doesn’t seem three months ago that Chelsea made history winning the Champions League in Munich but it is. Didier Drogba scored the winning penalty, his last kick for the club and now a new dawn is about to begin. Roberto Di Matteo has taken the helm permanently and the first big test of this season’s campaign is Sunday’s Community Shield.

Pre-Season has been far from convincing but with signings including Brazil’s Oscar and Eden Hazard, RDM has spent the cash where he thinks it is required. Premier League Champions Manchester City lie in wait for the Blues in what is bound to be an intriguing encounter.

Oscar

RDM has only one player who is unavailable for selection, German international Marko Marin who missed last week’s pre-season trip to Brighton. While Romelu Lukaku has moved to West Bromich Albion on a season long loan. The manager told www.chelseafc.com: “It’s certainly going to be a strong team, keeping in mind the stage where the players are, they are at different stages, but it will be a strong team.

“There is always competition for places and I try to keep it as open as possible for people fighting for places. We’ve only had some of the players back this week from the Olympics and it will take a bit of time to find the right players in the right positions. We have a couple of new players but a lot of them have been here before and know each other.”

Chelsea have had mix fortunes in the Community Shield in their previous encounters but RDM believes that whatever the outcome anything can happen in the season. He added: Traditionally this match doesn’t give a big clue to what kind of season you will have, but it will be competitive and both teams will want to win. But whoever wins doesn’t necessarily go on to win the Premier League or anything else [but] it’s always better to win.”

The Blues will take part in seven competitions this year with their inclusion in European Super Cup and Club World Cup and RDM may need to lean on his entire squad. RDM said: “There won’t be radical changes, certainly with the influence of new players it will be different because they have different characteristics and ability but it will take a bit of time, and I know we need to win games as well.”

With poor ticket sales for the game, Chelsea were allocated just over 13,000 but the tickets eventually went on general sale, the poignancy of the tournament is debateable. Will both teams be full strength? Probably not but they will want to go out and win because it puts them one step ahead both statistically and mentally.

My Prediction 1-1 then penalties where Chelsea lose (we couldn’t have a winning penalty streak could we).

Kristen Hardy

After overcoming Barcelona in the Semi-Final I had a feeling deep inside that there was a strong chance we could do it.

Then on 82 minutes in the final we went a goal down and I thought all hope had gone.

Our opposition Bayern Munich were on home turf and they had already had countless chances to score.

When it eventually went to penalties I believed we were going out, I had seen us suffer in penalty shoots many times before.

From Manuel Neuer’s save to Ivica Olic’s miss my heart was in my mouth and then Drogba had the chance to seal Champions League glory.

It was a magical moment.

Since Roman Abramovich took over at Stamford Bridge this is what he aimed for and for many of the players it was the ‘greatest night’ of their careers.

Frank Lampard told www.chelseafc.com: “’In football terms this is the one we wanted to win, it’s the biggest club competition in the world and we’ve won it tonight.

“Barcelona was tough as well, but after the situation we were in at the start of the season nobody would have expected this which makes it even more incredible.

“It’s the most amazing feeling in football. We’ve been very close before and reached quarter-finals, semi-finals and the final, so the fact we’ve come so close makes it all the more exciting.”

For many of the players a long-term ambition has been achieved and the future of several them will be in doubt.

Hero of the night Didier Drogba is one player in which much speculation has been focused upon.

Has he done what he has set out to do? Has he done everything he can at Chelsea FC? Only time will tell.

Fernando Torres’s future is also in doubt after his alleged unrest at the club, he has had a torrid time but he has improved greatly.

The main individual whose future has been scrutinised is ‘Interim manager’ Roberto Di Matteo.

When he took over I was hopeful but I never believed that he would be the man to bring us European glory.

What he has achieved in such a small amount of time is remarkable and I believe he has to be given a chance to take Chelsea further over the next few years.

Abramovich apparently wants four more Champions League trophies, a tough ask for any manager but I hope Di Matteo will be the man to give it a go.

Kristen Happy

Even though when addressing the Old Trafford faithful it is unlikely the legendary Manchester United manager truly believed his side could overturn drastic odds to win the Premier League. There is no doubt he will demand United complete their end of the bargain.

The Red Devils travel to the Stadium of Light hoping one of the worst travellers in the Premier League take an extremely unlikely point at Manchester City.

If Queens Park Rangers don’t do the League champions a favour, they have to overturn a ten goal deficit on City away at one of the most resilient Premier League teams.

All this however is also dependent on victory at Sunderland. Since the arrival of Martin O’Neill only a last minute Thierry Henry goal has condemned the Wearsiders to league defeat under the Ulsterman.

Now, 71, Ferguson is likely to be seething at the way his side relinquished their stranglehold on the Premier League title. United looked certainties for title with just six fixtures left but defeats to Wigan and then their bitter rivals City, as well as a draw at home to Everton handed Roberto Mancini’s men the initiative. An initiative the Blue side of Manchester are unlikely to throw away if their impressive win away at Newcastle is anything to go by.

A sense of déjà vu marks the fixture two years ago a demoralised Manchester United edged Sunderland in a 1-0 win on Wearside, moments after victory in an earlier kick off for Chelsea at Anfield ended Ferguson’s men’s realistic title chances.

Nani was the match-winner that day but this year the Portuguese winger has been knocked down the pecking order by Antonio Valencia and Ashley Young, the latter shining in the Reds underwhelming 2-0 victory over Swansea last weekend.

The biggest miss-match may be Wayne Rooney and Javier Hernandez’s battle with Mathew Killgalon and Michael Turner, the two centre half’s were bullied by an aging Kevin Davies in a 2-2 draw with Bolton three weeks ago and must do better. Rooney was perhaps most affected by City’s firm grasp on the league championship. The 26 year old looked anxious and tired against Swansea but knowing it is likely to be his last competitive fixture before England’s final group game on June 19, is certain to give it his all.

Out of the ex Manchester United contingent now playing for the Black Cats only Phil Bardsley and John O’Shea are likely to start, with Wes Brown and Kieran Richardson side-lined while Frasier Campbell is likely to once again have to settle for a place on the bench. One boost to Sunderland is the return of Titus Bramble who’s been missing from first team action since January with an Achilles injury.

A foot injury means Danny Welbeck misses out on a return to the ground he was based at on loan last year, while Chris Smalling misses out with a groin injury that also ends his Euro 2012 chances. Injuries to Nemanja Vidic, Jonny Evans and Smalling mean Phil Jones is likely to be shifted to his favoured position of centre back. The re-shuffle is likely to give Rafael Da Silva a chance at redemption the young Brazilian full-back is perhaps as culpable as any one for the Reds late capitulation and has a real point to prove.

James Lowson

Coyle: You couldn't ask for better

Bolton make the trip to the Britannia Stadium on Sunday ahead of what is arguably the club’s biggest game in almost a decade.

The Wanderers’ last day escape against Middlesbrough back in May 2003 has gone down in football folklore, but the Trotters faithful know that they cannot rely on history when they travel to the Potteries.

Only a victory against Stoke City will give the Whites any chance of avoiding the drop, with 17^th placed Queens Park Rangers also being required to fall to defeat at title chasing Manchester City in order for Bolton to complete the great escape.

Owen Coyle’s side enter the game on the back of a draw with West Brom last weekend, but the manner in which his side threw away a two goal advantage will certainly be cause for concern for the Scot.

James Morrison’s last minute equaliser for the Baggies turned the relegation dogfight on its head yet again – coupled with Djibril Cisse’s late winner for QPR against Stoke, Bolton are now two points adrift with just a single game left.

The Whites will be backed by a sell out away following near 3,000 supporters for the game, but everybody associated with the club will be aware of the difficult task in hand.

Tony Pulis’ side have lost just four times on home soil in the league this season, with Sunderland being the last team to leave the Britannia victorious back in February. The Potters have won just one of their last four matches there however – a record that the Wanderers will be looking to extend on Sunday afternoon.

The hosts were defeated 1-0 at Loftus Road last weekend and are guaranteed a minimum finishing position of 14^th in the Barclays Premier League, but Pulis will no doubt be hoping to end the campaign on a high at the expense of the Trotters.

The two sides last met back in November where Bolton emerged 5-0 winners, with braces from Chris Eagles and Ivan Klasnic alongside a strike from Kevin Davies ensuring that it was sweet revenge for the Whites following their FA Cup semi-final defeat to the Potters.

In the corresponding fixture last season, Stoke ran out 2-0 winners in January 2011 thanks to goals from Danny Higginbotham and Matthew Etherington.

The Trotters will most definitely take inspiration ahead of the game from their last victory at the Britannia back in April 2010. With their Premier League safety still to be assured and a goal down with five minutes to go, two goals from Matthew Taylor meant that the visitors virtually secured their top flight status.

Having suffered relegation to the Championship last season with former club Burnley, Wanderers midfielder Chris Eagles this week expressed his determination that history will not repeat itself on Sunday.

Speaking to the official Bolton Wanderers website, the 26-year-old admitted that although the team are feeling the pressure, there is no reason why they cannot pick up three vital points.

He said: “With it being at the Britannia it’s not going to be easy. Hopefully we can try get off to a good start, as we did at the Reebok against them earlier this season. We went 2-0 up early on and were flying from there.

“Whether it’s home or away, I think in these last nine or ten games our form has been decent and we’ve picked up a fair few points. Other teams around us have also lifted their game.

“Most people will expect Manchester City to go out and beat QPR, but if that doesn’t happen you’ve got to applaud QPR.

“At the end of the day all we can do is concentrate on our own business. We had no idea of the QPR score last weekend until we were in the dressing room after the final whistle.

“It’s still all up in the air. All we can do is win on Sunday. It’s going to probably be one of the biggest games of my career. We have to win. It’s as simple as that.

“Personally, there will be some nerves. You don’t feel them throughout the week but as soon as match day comes around they’re very much there. I felt them on Sunday before the West Brom game.

“They’re not scared nerves. More excitement and wanting to go out and perform for the fans because they deserve Premier League football.

“You couldn’t ask for a better manager to get the players motivated ahead of a game like this. He’s been quite relaxed in training, but come the game it’ll be like every other week.

“We play our best when results are a must. We’ve done that on a number of occasions this season and I’m confident we’ll repeat that this weekend.”

In terms of team news, Bolton boss Coyle has been dealt yet another cruel injury blow with the news this week that central defender David Wheater will be sidelined for nine months after damaging his cruciate knee ligaments last weekend.

Martin Petrov will be available after having overcome a knock he picked up against the Baggies, but both Mark Davies and Nigel Reo-Coker will face late fitness tests having not trained all week.

Gretar Steinsson is unavailable due to a thigh injury, while Darren Pratley may be in contention should he be fully fit following a virus which has kept him sidelined for three weeks.

Pulis will definitely be without the services of Salif Diao and Mamady Sidibe who are sidelined with hamstring and knee injuries respectively, while Jermaine Pennant, Rory Delap, Andy Wilkinson and Marc Wilson all face a race to be fit for the clash.

With nothing but three points being enough for the Whites, the Trotters faithful will certainly be hoping that the Potters already have one eye on their summer holidays when the sides clash on Sunday afternoon.

Following their humiliation at the hands of Bolton back in November however, Stoke may be looking for payback and will no doubt prove to be stern opposition, despite arguably having nothing much of their own to play for as the season concludes.

Prediction:

I cannot remember a game where I have been so nervous in the build up – ever since Morrison equalised last week, I’ve not thought about much else.

It seems to be the case though this season that whenever we’ve needed a win, especially on our travels, we’ve managed to pull one out of the bag.

Stoke are an incredibly difficult side, especially at home, but I’ve got to go with the belief that we can stay up.

It will be far from pretty, but I’ve got a sneaky feeling we’ll get the points we need. Not many will bet against Manchester City beating QPR, and I just think that Owen will send the team out with the theory that we’ve got nothing to lose by going for it.

I’ll say 2-1 Bolton – Kevin Davies and Martin Petrov for us and Peter Crouch for Stoke.

Emma Norris

O'Neill's team need 4 points for top 10 finish

Sunderland’s season is coming to a grinding halt, defeat to Everton in the FA Cup quarter final stopped Martin O’Neill’s progress at the Stadium of Light, dead.

What’s followed have been six Premier League games without victory and now the evergreen Ulsterman will be desperate to give the Wearsiders something to cheer before the season’s conclusion.

By the 60 year old’s reckoning Sunderland need four points from six to secure their second top ten spot in a row in England’s top division but face a tough task at the Craven Cottage.

While it’s hard to pinpoint exactly where the North East club have gone wrong it is now what magic O’Neill does in the summer transfer market that’s likely to determine their future.

Teams sussing out O’Neill’s counter-attacking ploys, a lack of intensity following security of guaranteed survival, an overdependence on James Mcclean and Stephane Sessegnon or perhaps just a reality check. Whatever the reason for Sunderland’s decline, many that step onto the pitch in West London in red and white are playing to prove their good enough to continue on O’Neill’s revolution.

In stark contrast Fulham are enjoying a fine finish to their campaign. The Cottagers have won four of their last six and sit four points above their opponents in ninth.

Fulham’s recent excellence comes in spite of boss Martin Jol’s absence, the amicable Dutchman missed both Fulham’s Tuesday victory at Anfield and defeat at Everton with a chest infection.

Back in the dugout tomorrow the 56 year old will be confident of seeing another Fulham win, Sunderland have only once picked up three points at Fulham in the Premier League.

John O’Shea is a doubt for Sunderland with a foot injury perhaps giving Wayne Bride on last chance to make an impression before returning to Manchester City. A poor performance from Frasier Campbell against Bolton means a spot on the right of Sunderland’s midfield is up for grabs. Craig Gardner returning from suspension could be used their while Ahmed Elmohamady is pushing for a first start under O’Neill. Loanee Nicholas Bendtner is a doubt meaning Campbell could be utilised up front.

With Andy Johnson side-lined Damien Duff, Clint Dempsey and Moussa Dembele, are likely to support Pavel Pogrebnyak in a team full of quality in attacking areas.

James Lowson

The Whites slipped to a 4-1 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in midweek and as a result are still languishing in the relegation zone on goal difference with just two games remaining.

Although their fate may theoretically not be in their own hands, Owen Coyle’s side will be fully aware that victory this weekend is crucial if they are to secure a 12^th successive season as a Premier League team.

The Baggies make the trip to the Reebok Stadium just five days after the announcement that manager Roy Hodgson will depart the club at the end of the season to take up the role of England head coach.

West Brom themselves have enjoyed a comfortable campaign of their own and currently occupy tenth in the league standings. They enter the clash on the back of a stalemate with Aston Villa last weekend, but have won three out of their last five matches.

Hodgson’s men have also been fairly prolific on their travels this season picking up seven wins, but they have only managed two victories against the Whites in eleven top flight meetings.

West Brom did run out 2-1 winners when the sides met earlier in the campaign at the Hawthorns however – their first win in eight attempts against the Wanderers.

Jerome Thomas had opened the scoring in the 16^th minute, but Bolton were back on level terms just five minutes later when Ivan Klasnic slotted home from the penalty spot.

With both sides enjoying opportunities to snatch the victory, it was to be the hosts who would secure all three points with Shane Long grabbing the all important winner.

In the corresponding fixture last season, the Whites emerged victorious in a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Matthew Taylor and Johan Elmander.

Having only been in England for a matter of months, Bolton defender Tim Ream revealed this week that he is adamant that he made the right choice in January.

The 24-year-old enjoyed a trial spell with the Baggies over Christmas, but it was to be the Wanderers who finally secured his services for £2.5 million.

Despite the club’s current predicament however, Ream remains convinced that his current experiences will help his development as a player if nothing else.

Speaking to The Bolton News, the American said: “I don’t regret it (the move) for one second. For my wife and I, Bolton was the best option.

“You get a taste for the relegation battle right from the get-go, and so I will never wonder how I will react if I get into that position again in my career.

“I’m in there battling and fighting with the rest of the guys, so again, I can’t say I regret a second of the time I’ve been here so far.”

Despite eventually choosing to make the move to the Reebok, Ream admitted that Hodgson left a profound effect on him during his short spell at the Hawthorns.

“I sat down and talked with Roy just about every single day I was there. He made me feel really comfortable.

“I think he was happy with my ability, and knowing his history and pedigree as a coach, if the club had wanted me to come permanently then it would have been a very tough decision.

“It was a good experience for me, a first taste, and it gave me a decent idea of what to expect when I came to Bolton the following week. The rest is history.”

With the team having secured a number of crucial results in the recent weeks, Wednesday’s heavy defeat to Tottenham was something of a shock to the system. Regardless of this however, Ream is confident that the team can bounce back against the Baggies.

“They (Spurs) put a good whooping on us and that might have knocked us down a couple of notches,” he said.

“We’ve known the gravity of the situation for the last few weeks, so we have really tried to keep the same routines, not really going overboard, trying to kill ourselves.

“We know what trouble we are in but we have to stay even-keeled – not too high, or low – and go about our business.

“You are going to have games where you are broken down, and, unfortunately, ours came in the game in hand. We just have to get back to what we were doing before.”

“It’s (West Brom) such an important game. It has been such a crazy season.

“Since I have been here we had the whole Fabrice thing, in the bottom three, out of the bottom three, and results from teams around us that you could never have dreamed would happen.

“There have been a lot of twists and turns but hopefully they are done with now. We’ve just got to focus on the task on Sunday.

“They have changed their team a bit since I was there in December but I do have a better idea of the guys on the field,” he said. “Training with them was a valuable experience and hopefully it brings us the result we need. Any little advantage can help, so I’d like to think I’ve picked up a few things.”

In terms of team news, Nigel Reo-Coker looks set to face a late fitness test after he was forced off the pitch against Spurs with a knee injury.

Gretar Steinsson may return, but Darren Pratley is still sidelined through illness. Chung-Yong Lee may make his return to the match day squad after coming through a warm up game this week, but the manager could be wary of risking the youngster so soon.

Hodgson has no fresh injuries ahead of the clash, with both James Morrison and Shane Long in contention to return for the Baggies.

With a final day trip to the Britannia to face Stoke City on the horizon, it is certainly crunch time for the Wanderers. All eyes will also no doubt be on Loftus Road where QPR host the Potters before heading to title chasing Manchester City next weekend.

It could not be closer down at the bottom right now, with it looking increasingly likely that the fight to survive will go down to the last day of the season.

The Bolton faithful will no doubt take solace from their great escape of 2003, where a 2-1 victory over Middlesbrough in their final game secured their top flight status.

With the second worst goal difference in the league however, the Whites will have to do it the hard way if they are to remain a Premier League team come May 13.

Prediction

Although it has been said so many times this season, this is undoubtedly our biggest game of the campaign. It is so precarious at the bottom right now – if we lose and QPR win, we are effectively down; whereas if the tables are turned then Rangers would have to go to the Etihad needing an unlikely victory.

I really do think we will win this game, but I can see QPR doing the same so that it goes to the last game of the season. I’m going to say 2-1 Bolton – Mark Davies and Kevin Davies for us and Shane Long for the Baggies.

Emma Norris

RDM : Predicting the score?

Today will see Roberto Di Matteo step out at Wembley as a manager, and he will be looking to lift the FA Cup trophy.

RDM has scored twice in FA Cup finals as a player and is excited about the prospect of lifting the trophy once more.

The Italian told www.chelseafc.com: “I think it would be nice. I don’t think you will have many chances in your life to be able to play for a club and manage it and win a trophy, so it will be nice for everybody involved.

“What is important is the players still have the ambition to want to win another FA Cup.

“That’s very important motivation. It’s great for this club to be involved in another cup final. We’ve got a good tradition in this competition and hopefully we can continue this.”

Liverpool have already had cup success after winning the Carling Cup and RDM knows they will be tough opposition.

He said: “We always had difficult games against Liverpool. They’re a very good side with excellent players in their squad.

“It’s going to be an interesting game and it’s a one-off so we’ll have to be very good on the day.”

The game will see captain John Terry make his 50th cup appearance in the competition and Terry had the desire to lift the trophy.

He said: “’Their desire to keep winning things, once you get a taste of it you really want to be in the thick of it at the end of the season, which we are, and we’re delighted to be there.

“They realise the FA Cup is a huge thing even in the foreign countries as well.”

Chelsea will be without David Luiz and Gary Cahill for the match but RDM will have everyone else fit and ready.

With the Champions League Final a fortnight away RDM will be hoping that the pair can get back to full health sooner rather than later.

The interim manager said on Friday: “They are progressing, getting better but won’t be available for the final tomorrow.

“We have to see how it goes and hopefully next week they might be able to start training with the team.”

With a mixed bag of results recently Liverpool will be searching for another trophy to make their campaign more of a success.

For Chelsea this final is still important but maybe not as important as the game in Munich on May 19th.

Will a trophy give Di Matteo the permanent job? With just an FA Cup Final win I am doubtful.

With Torres finding his goal-scoring form Chelsea have become more prolific between the posts but anything can happen in an FA Cup Final.

My prediction is a 3-1 Chelsea win, Torres to score, if he plays.

Kristen Hardy

Torres finally finds his form

Newcastle are set to go head-to-head with Chelsea tonight at Stamford Bridge as both sides look to push on for that all-important top four finish.

Chelsea, who have found a rich vein of form in the league especially at home, are unbeaten in their last 16 Premier League games, finding the net on 13 occasions during that run. The Blues are also through to the FA Cup final which was then followed by an emphatic 2-2 comeback against Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final. Many Chelsea fans are now questioning whether Roberto Di Matteo will take the job full-time and I believe he deserves it.

But how many times do we see managers take jobs on full time and flop, on too many occasions.

Fernando Torres has also finally hit form having scored what possibly could be, the £50million winner to send the Blues to the final in Berlin. The Spaniard then bagged a hat-trick against struggling QPR in a 6-1 thriller at the weekend, as they continue to look threatening once again in the Premier League.

However, Newcastle will want to keep Torres at bay as they look to organise their back four after an appalling performance at the weekend against a revitalised Wigan side. The Magpies lost 4-0 as Wigan passed them off the park, beating defenders as if they weren’t there and scoring like they were the team aiming for a Champions League place next season.

This week is going to prove vital in Newcastle’s season with many Toon fans losing hope for Champions League qualification after the weekend’s display. The Geordie’s then travel to Manchester City on Sunday following their important 1-0 victory in the most entertaining and nail-biting Manchester derby for years as they turned the title-race on its head once again. City will not be lying down in that game and it is almost vital that Newcastle pick up a result tonight to determine that they will have the confidence to push on come Sunday.

But Chelsea’s record against Alan Pardew’s men bodes well for the Blues, as Newcastle haven’t won at Stamford Bridge since November 1986 with Di Matteo’s men also going nine games without defeat against the North East outfit.

The capital hasn’t been a lucky charm all season, with just two points taken from their last seven journeys south. It isn’t just London where they have struggled lately, with five of the last eight games on the road having resulted in defeat.

Pardew has admitted that this is the wrong time to be travelling to Stamford Bridge and will be looking for a positive response when they head to West London: “Chelsea have momentum and that’s a key ingredient of success, It has to be a bad time to be playing them

“(but) we’re not the only team to come unstuck, It happens from time to time and the most important thing is how you react.

“We’re looking for a big reaction against a good team, so I don’t think there will be any problem in the psychology of our players.

“With three games to go, we’re vying with Chelsea and Spurs for a top-four place and I don’t need to reflect too much on our season to know that isn’t bad.”

Meanwhile Chelsea interim first team coach, Di Matteo believes that this game is crucial for their Champions League hopes but is proud of his players after their fight back to come within touching distance of the rest of the pack: “It was a big effort for us to get to where we are now, and we’re in a good position to try and reach fourth spot.

“We always said that this game was crucial. We’ve tried our best in the league to gain the points we needed. The fact that we’ve been able to make so many points up is a credit to the players and the team. All the games are important but this is massive for us, although the last two in the league will be as well.

“They had a little slip-up at the weekend, but they’ve won six out of the last seven. They’re very dangerous on the break, they have big threats up front and players who can score goals, they’re a good side.”

Danny Simpson is Newcastle’s only fresh injury concern, after the defender picked up an ankle knock in the defeat to Wigan, but is expected to make the game at Stamford Bridge.

Gabriel Obertan (ankle) and forgotten man Sylvain Marveaux (groin) will travel after returning to training. But midfielder Sammy Ameobi (knee) and Steven Taylor (Achilles) remain on the sidelines.

Pardew will be relieved to hear that the home side have fresh injury concerns ahead of the game, with Gary Cahill and David Luiz ruled out of the tie, however their injuries are believed to be not serious as Di Matteo has not ruled them out of playing some part of the FA Cup final on Saturday.

Branislav Ivanovic returns from suspension and is likely to partner John Terry at the heart of the defence.

Score prediction:  I believe this is going to be a tense battle between two teams with everything on the line, Chelsea are unbeaten at home and won’t want to get anymore injuries ahead of the Champions League final, and Newcastle will want to push on following their set-back against Wigan.

I’m going for a 1-1 draw.

Laura Howard

Davies:Prolific scorer against Spurs

Bolton welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the Reebok Stadium on Wednesday evening looking for a result that would lift them out of the bottom three.

The Whites picked up a point against Sunderland at the weekend and coupled with defeats for both Blackburn Rovers and Queens Park Rangers, Owen Coyle’s side are now only occupying the final relegation place on goal difference with a game in hand on their rivals.

The original clash between the sides was due to take place last month, but due to Spurs’ involvement in the FA Cup semi-finals the game had to be postponed.

The match itself looks set to be an emotional affair as it was confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that Fabrice Muamba will make his first public appearance since suffering a cardiac arrest when the two teams met in the FA Cup quarter finals back in March.

The 24-year-old left hospital last month however and will support his team mates from the stands as they look to pull themselves away from the relegation mire.

Spurs enter the game having experienced a dip in form of late, suffering three defeats in five games in all competitions. Harry Redknapp’s side will no doubt be keen to tighten their grip on fourth place when they visit the Reebok, although they will be certainly aware of their torrid record there in recent years.

Since Bolton’s promotion to the Premier League back in 2001, Spurs have failed to record a single league victory and have managed just three draws in ten visits. Their only win came back in October 2004 when the sides met in the third round of the Carling Cup, with the visitors emerging victorious in a 4-3 thriller.

Regardless of their fine form in this fixture, Wanderers boss Coyle will be certain not underestimate his side’s opponents on Wednesday evening. The teams last met in the league at White Hart Lane back in December, where Spurs inflicted a 3-0 defeat on the ten men of Bolton with goals from Gareth Bale, Aaron Lennon and Jermain Defoe.

In the corresponding fixture last season, the Whites ran out 4-2 winners at the Reebok. A brace from Kevin Davies and a Gretar Steinsson strike looked to have given the Trotters a commandeering lead, but late goals from Alan Hutton and Roman Pavlyunchenko ensured a nervous end to the match for the hosts.

Despite a late rally from Redknapp’s men, Martin Petrov struck deep into second half injury time to secure all three points for the Wanderers.

Having notched nine times against Spurs since joining Bolton in 2003, club captain Davies revealed this week that he is convinced that the team have what it takes to secure a 12^th successive season in the top flight.

The 35-year-old has fallen out of favour in recent months, but his excellent displays against Aston Villa and Sunderland in recent weeks could earn him a starting berth against Tottenham.

Speaking to The Bolton News, the striker stressed that he and his team mates are more than dedicated to the cause, regardless of the pressure that is currently resting on their shoulders.

“I don’t think there are nerves,” he said. “One or two of the younger players haven’t been in this position but there are experienced players who have.

“We’ll see if it goes down to the wire. I’m sure we’ll want six points from the two home games to come. We can’t affect what goes on elsewhere, but the other teams do have tough fixtures. It’ll be interesting but we’ll take care of our own shop and, hopefully, that will be enough.

“It’s important we don’t bother with how the other teams are doing. We’re unbeaten in the last three games and it’s vital we keep picking up points.

“It’s a little bit frustrating feeling we could have picked up more, but you look at the table and a few weeks ago we were four points adrift and now we’re right up amongst it.

“It’s going to be tight but we normally do well at home to Spurs – so now it’s all hands to the pump for a massive game.”

Despite having experienced a hit and miss season on a personal level, Davies reiterated that he is determined to give his all as the campaign draws to its conclusion.

“It’s been a difficult time for me, a little bit frustrating since Christmas,” he said. “Now I’m fighting to get back in the side and fighting to stay in the league.

“Regardless of who we were playing, everyone knows what I feel about Bolton Wanderers.

“I’ll be doing everything I can to make sure we stay in this league, as everyone in there will be.

“There were conversations that went on (about a transfer) in January, it was all a bit last minute, but I don’t want to get into that. It’s in the past.

“I’ve been here for nine years and hopefully I can be around for one or two more years yet.”

In terms of team news, Coyle has a number of key players who could be missing for the crucial clash. Both Nigel Reo-Coker and Chris Eagles will face late fitness tests after picking up knocks against Sunderland, while Gretar Steinsson and Darren Pratley look set to miss out through respective illnesses.

Redknapp himself has a number of injury concerns with Aaron Lennon, Scott Parker, Louis Saha and Ledley King all major doubts ahead of the game.

Three points for the Whites could give them breathing space on the teams below them with just two games left, while a similar result for Spurs would be a real tonic as they look to secure Champions League football for the second time in three years.

Prediction

I’m not a massive believer in taking history into account, but Spurs’ record at the Reebok speaks for itself.

They’ve been far from comprehensive lately, and we seem to have found our feet at exactly the right time.

I think it will be a tough game, but I am sure that we can leave it with something. Although I have the belief that we could steal the three points, I’ll go for a realistic 1-1 draw – Kevin Davies for us and Gareth Bale for Spurs.

Emma Norris

Martin Petrov: Expected to score

Bolton travel to the North East this weekend to face Sunderland looking to build on their impressive midweek win over Aston Villa.

The Whites came from a goal behind to pick up three points at Villa Park on Tuesday evening to pull themselves within one point of 17^th placed Wigan Athletic with a game in hand.

They will come up against a Sunderland team enjoying a comfortable campaign after a rocky start to the season, but the Black Cats have not won in six games in all competitions.

Martin O’Neill’s side recorded a stalemate with the Villains themselves last weekend – their third in four league matches.

Currently occupying 11^th position in the Barclays Premier League table, the Sunderland faithful will no doubt be hoping that their side can secure a top half finish with just four points separating them from seventh placed Everton.

Bolton will be fully aware however that victory for them at the Stadium of Light could lift them out of the relegation zone and put them prime position for survival as the season draws to its conclusion.

With two crucial home matches with Tottenham Hotspur and West Bromwich Albion to come next week though, manager Owen Coyle looks set to face some tough decisions in terms of team selection.

The Scot will be forced to assess the fitness of a number of key first team players after Ryo Miyaichi, Chris Eagles and Mark Davies all picked up knocks in the Villa victory.

Darren Pratley also looks set to miss out yet again as he continues to recover from a virus, meaning that Coyle may be forced to hand youngster Josh Vela his first start for the club.

The 18-year-old was a late substitute in Wanderers’ game with Swansea last weekend, but may be handed a baptism of fire at the Stadium of Light as the Whites look to strengthen their survival hopes.

Having already lost three influential midfielders this season in the shape of Chung-Yong Lee, Stuart Holden and more recently Fabrice Muamba, the Bolton boss admitted this week that the club’s injuries have played their part in the Whites’ difficult campaign.

Despite their struggles however, the manager stressed the importance of momentum as his team face Sunderland this weekend.

Speaking to the official Bolton Wanderers website, the Scot revealed his delight at the manner in which his side secured maximum points at Villa Park, but called for a repeat performance against the Mackems.

He said: “For a number of weeks we had spoken about the two games we had in hand and it wasn’t great having to sit and wait whilst the other clubs played.

“We always knew our fate was in our own hands but we had to maximise those opportunities. We did that the other night but we have to continue in that vein.

“There are four matches left to play and we think there are points for us to achieve in every one of those.

“We have good players and we must continue playing in the same manner that we have.

“We’ve been on a good run of form, recording four wins and a draw from our last seven games. If we can replicate that form in the last four matches we will achieve our short-term aim.

“This isn’t the point of the season when we are four games in and there are 34 games to recover – this is now the business end of the season when there are nerves and anxious moments.

“But the great thing aside from the three points and the win on Tuesday was that we came back from a goal down.

“That shows the trust and belief the lads have in each other and they know that even though things might go against them from time to time that they can bounce back.

The Whites will no doubt be buoyed by the news that Sunderland will be without the services of Sebastien Larsson and Kieran Richardson after it was announced this week that the duo will be sidelined for the remainder of the season with respective injuries.

Craig Gardner will be forced to sit out the clash after picking up a red card in last Saturday’s clash against Villa, while O’Neill still has a number of long term absentees.

Lee Cattermole could feature for the hosts, but will face a late fitness test ahead of the clash.

In the corresponding fixture last season, Sunderland ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a Danny Welbeck strike just after the half hour mark.

Earlier in the campaign, the Black Cats picked up their first away victory of the campaign in a 2-0 victory at the Reebok Stadium, Stephane Sessegnon and Nicklas Bendtner securing all three points for Steve Bruce’s side late on in the game.

The Whites have struggled in this fixture in recent years, managing just one goal in their last six meetings with their opponents.

They did however record an emphatic 4-1 victory in the North East in November 2008, where goals from Matthew Taylor, Gary Cahill and a brace from Johan Elmander cancelled out Djibril Cisse’s early opener.

With confidence seemingly high after their crucial midweek win however, the Wanderers faithful will no doubt be hoping for a repeat performance come Saturday afternoon.

Prediction

Despite Sunderland’s hit and miss form of late, they are still an extremely dangerous team as has been proved with some of their impressive scalps this season.

Our win over Villa was huge – we need to capitalise on that and grind out another result this weekend.

It may be a case of the walking wounded for us with a number of midfielders missing, but I firmly believe we can get something at the Stadium of Light.

I’ll say 1-1 – Martin Petrov for the Whites and Bendtner for the home side.

Emma Norris