England Premier League Media

Barclays Premier League
Venue: Upton Park Date: Saturday, 6 March 2010 Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio, Final Score & highlights on Match of the Day

West Ham’s Benni McCarthy is still ruled out with the knee injury he picked up on his debut against Burnley.

The Hammers have injuries in defence, with Herita Ilunga (knee), Danny Gabbidon (hamstring) and Calum Davenport (leg) all still out.

Bolton’s Stuart Holden fractured his leg on international duty with the USA and will be out for six weeks.

The Trotters remain without Sean Davis, Mark Davies, Gavin McCann, Chris Basham, Joey O’Brien and Gary Cahill.

West Ham

Injured: Boa Morte, Hines, Ilunga & McCarthy (all knee), Davenport (leg), Dyer & Gabbidon (both hamstring)

Bolton

Injured: Basham, M Davies, Davis & J O’Brien (all knee), Cahill (blood clot), Holden (fractured leg), McCann (thigh)

West Ham’s recent resurgence predictably hit the buffers with a visit to Old Trafford, but back within the confines of Upton Park they are a different proposition altogether.

They are now unbeaten in their last five matches at home and face a Bolton side with a severe case of travel sickness.

It is now seven hours and two minutes since the Trotters managed to score a league goal away from the Reebok, and they last won on the road back in September.

They are in the midst of a crucial run of fixtures against the sides they are battling relegation with, and got off to a good start with victory over Wolves last week. After Saturday’s vital match they then face further proverbial ’six-pointers’ against Sunderland and Wigan.

Manager Owen Coyle knows his side must pick up some points from these matches as after that their fixture list takes on a frightening look, with Everton, Manchester United, Aston Villa and Chelsea lying in wait.

The Hammers have lost 3-1 twice this season at the Reebok, but they have improved markedly since then and the return to fitness of England striker Carlton Cole has significantly enhanced their bid to avoid relegation.

Head-to-head

Bolton have won the last five matches with West Ham in all competitions.

Three of the last four meetings in all competitions have finished 3-1 to Bolton and the other ended 2-1 to the Trotters.

The sides have met on 64 occasions in the league; West Ham have won 22 games, Bolton 32 and there have been 10 draws.

West Ham

The Hammers have not conceded a goal at Upton Park in their last four Premier League matches.

Gianfranco Zola’s men have only lost twice in the league in seven matches in 2010 (v Burnley and Manchester United).

They have only earned one point after conceding the first goal this season, losing 11 times and drawing once. They last came from behind to win a league match in December 2008, beating Stoke 2-1.

Bolton

Bolton have not won away from home in 10 league fixtures, failing to score in the last four of these.

The Trotters have scored the highest proportion of goals in the league this season from set plays (67% of their total goals scored) and the highest proportion of left-footed goals (also 67% of goals scored).

Kevin Davies has committed more fouls (80) than any other player in the league.

West Ham

Cole: 9 goals (9 league); Diamanti: 7 goals (6 league)

Bolton

Cahill: 7 goals (5 league); Klasnic: 6 goals (6 league)

Referee: Lee Probert

Assistant referees: Stuart Burt & Robert Madley

Fourth official: Trevor Kettle

West Ham (L0-3 v Manchester United, a): Green; Faubert, Upson, Tomkins, Spector, Kovac, Noble, Behrami (Collison 63), Franco (Mido 46), Cole, Diamanti (Dyer 75). Subs not used: Stech, Da Costa, Daprela, Dyer, Collison, Ilan, Mido.

Bolton (W1-0 v Wolves, h): Jaaskelainen; Steinsson, Ricketts, Knight, Robinson, Muamba, Lee (Weiss 90), Wilshere (Taylor 81), Holden, Elmander (Klasnic 64), K Davies. Subs not used: Al Habsi, Riga, Cohen, A O’Brien.

Bolton scorers: Lee 64, Klasnic 77, Cahill 88

West Ham scorer: Diamanti 69

Bolton midfielder Stuart Holden has been ruled out for six weeks after suffering a fracture to his right leg.

Holden was injured during the United States’ 2-1 friendly defeat by the Netherlands on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old, who joined Wanderers in January, started Bolton’s last two matches – against Wolves and Tottenham.

And Bolton boss Owen Coyle told the club website: “In both games we saw his quality so it’s a blow, the important thing is he returns bigger and better.”

After leaving Houston Dynamo, Holden signed for Bolton in January on a deal until the end of the season – and Coyle confirmed on Thursday he would be taking up an option to extend the deal until the end of next season.

Coyle is also hopeful the injury will not damage Holden’s prospects of playing in the World Cup, with the United States playing England in their opening group game on 12 June.

“We’re erring on the side of six weeks, and if that is the case then he will be capable of playing the last part of the season for us and putting himself in the frame for the World Cup,” said Coyle.

“We’ve already spoken with him and his representative to assure him he will be here for longer because of the belief I have in him, and the quality he has shown since he came to the club.”

Holden picked up the injury in a tackle with Manchester City midfielder Nigel de Jong.

De Jong was booked for the challenge, but he insisted there was no malice intended.

“Such offences are part of football,” he said on the Netherlands website.

“I went for the ball and got the opponent at the end.

“I had no evil intent. If the ball is between me and the opponent, you have to go in full. If you do not then the opponent takes you.

“And if you’re scared in a game you get injured yourself.”

The loss of Holden will be a blow to Wanderers’ survival hopes – with the club two points clear of the relegation zone after 27 games.

Bolton defender Gary Cahill could be back in action in four weeks, despite earlier fears he could miss the rest of the season because of a blood clot.

The centre-back had an scan on his arm on Thursday and Wanderers boss Owen Coyle says he is making good progress.

“Gary will go another two weeks without any contact but from that point he’ll join in with the group,” added Coyle.

Cahill, 24, who was taken ill on 5 February, had been tipped to make the England squad for the World Cup.

Coyle added: “Gary had an operation and the blood is now free-flowing, the clot is totally dissolved and the vein is in perfect order.

“I’m envisaging, fingers crossed without getting too far ahead of ourselves, that possibly Gary could be back within four weeks.”

The Bolton boss also played up Cahill’s chances of making Fabio Capello’s England squad for the World Cup in South Africa this summer.

“Ideally I’d like him back earlier but we have to make sure Gary is fine,” said the former Burnley boss, whose team are third from bottom of the Premier League and face fellow strugglers Wolves on Saturday.

“I have no doubt that if he gets back to the level he is capable of – without putting too much pressure on him – then I think he will be a real candidate.”

Cahill, a former England Under-21 player, had been in excellent form for Wanderers before the blood clot and was linked with a move from the Reebok Stadium during the January transfer window.

He was part of the England squad for the World Cup qualifying victory against Kazakhstan in June 2009 but has yet to win a senior cap.

The defender joined Bolton from Aston Villa for 5m in January 2008.

Meanwhile, Wanderers striker Kevin Davies has been charged with improper conduct by the Football Association.

It follows his comment that referee Mark Clattenburg had “something personal” against him after ruling out what would have been his late winner against Fulham on 6 February.

The 32-year-old has until 12 March to respond to the charge.

Barclays Premier League
Venue: Reebok Stadium Date: Saturday, 27 February 2010 Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 Live, local radio, Final Score & highlights on Match of the Day

Bolton duo Vladimir Weiss and Jack Wilshere are back in the squad having missed the FA Cup defeat at Tottenham.

Defender Gretar Steinsson has returned to training and may be available, but Mark Davies remains sidelined.

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy plans to name an unchanged team for the third game in a row.

The Molineux club are boosted by the surprise return of striker Andy Keogh, who has been sidelined since undergoing ankle surgery in December.

Bolton

Injured: Basham, M Davies, Davis & J O’Brien (all knee), Cahill (blood clot), McCann (thigh)

Wolves

Injured: Edwards & Kightly (both ankle), Ward (knee)

The Wanderers of Wolverhampton and Bolton share a rich history as founder members of the Football League, but their future as Premier League rivals hangs in the balance.

Only one point separates the sides, with Bolton marooned in the relegation zone following last weekend’s meek surrender at Blackburn.

The Owen Coyle rescue mission has yet to materialise, with just one win in eight Premier League matches. His side have failed to score a league goal in over seven hours, with Wednesday’s FA Cup defeat at Tottenham the latest example of their toothlessness in attack.

Wolves, too, have struggled for goals and, along with Portsmouth, have the league’s most ineffective attack.

Mick McCarthy’s side have managed just one league win in eight, but a new-look 4-5-1 formation reaped three points against Tottenham and impressed against Chelsea.

Wolves continue to struggle away from Molineux, however, and are without a league win on their travels in 2010.

Head-to-head

Wolves and Bolton have met 113 times in the league. Wolves have won 49, Bolton 43 and there have been 21 draws.

Wolves have beaten Bolton only twice in their last 12 attempts.

Bolton

Bolton have failed to score in their last five Premier League matches – they have never gone six without scoring in their top-flight history.

It is eight hours and 25 minutes since Chung-Yong Lee got their last league goal in the 1-0 win against Burnley on 26 January.

Wanderers have suffered just one defeat in their last six Premier League matches at the Reebok. The Trotters have not conceded in their last two league home games.

Wolves

Wolves, along with Portsmouth, have hit 21 Premier League goals this season – fewer than anyone else in the division.

They have won just one of their last 11 league games on the road.

Wolves have won just one of their last eight in the Premier League.

Bolton

Cahill: 7 goals (5 league); Klasnic: 6 goals (6 league)

Wolves

Doyle: 6 goals (6 league); Craddock: 4 goals (4 league)

Referee: Andre Marriner

Assistant referees: Patrick Keane & Adam Watts

Fourth official: Russell Booth

Bolton (L0-3 v Blackburn, a): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Ricketts, Knight, Robinson, Lee, Muamba (M Davies 59), Gardner, Taylor (Weiss 59), Elmander (Klasnic 69), K Davies. Subs not used: Al Habsi, Cohen, A O’Brien, Wilshere.

Wolves (L0-2 v Chelsea, h): Hahnemann; Zubar, Craddock, Berra, Ward, Foley (Halford 76), Guedioura, Henry, D Jones (Ebanks-Blake 76), Jarvis (Mujangi Bia 76), Doyle. Subs not used: Hennessey, Elokobi, Vokes, Milijas.

Wolves scorers: Craddock 3, Milijas 63

Bolton scorer: Elmander 79

Roman Pavlyuchenko continued his recent resurgence with two more goals to earn Tottenham an all-London FA Cup quarter-final away to Fulham.

Pavlyuchenko tucked in the opener for Spurs from Luka Modric’s flicked pass.

Jussi Jaaskelainen was at fault for the first of two Bolton own goals, the ball deflecting in off his leg as he failed to deal with a Wilson Palacios centre.

Gareth Bale’s cross later went in off Andrew O’Brien before Pavlyuchenko drilled in a Danny Rose centre late on.

For the often-overlooked Pavlyuchenko, who made a strong case for his inclusion with two goals at Wigan on Sunday, the evening added further lustre to an impressive record in the domestic cups.

Pavlyuchenko has played second fiddle to Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch this season, but on a night when Tottenham were rarely required to be at their flowing best, the Russian’s second brace in three days brought his Spurs cup tally to 13 goals in 13 matches.

With his side locked in a Premier League relegation battle, there is little that the Bolton manager Owen Coyle would not give for that level of return just now.

For all Tottenham’s first-half superiority – and this was without doubt a deserved victory for Harry Redknapp’s side – Bolton, energised by the second-half arrival of Mustapha Riga, were at times the better side after the break.

But the Trotters could not translate that intermittent superiority into goals, and their lack of a clinical finisher – combined with some abysmal defending – meant they never achieved a foothold in the game.

In mitigation, Coyle, mindful of Bolton’s parlous Premier League plight – they currently lie 18th, a point adrift of safety – rested five members of the relegation resistance.

Coyle had insisted that his side would compete with Tottenham regardless of his selection decisions but, with the notable exception of Riga, Bolton’s second string rarely looked capable of causing an upset.

Tottenham were frequently lackadaisical when Bolton were in possession, and both Matt Taylor and Ivan Klasnic should have punished early mistakes by Bale, whose impressive work on the overlap was on more than one occasion marred by a lack of defensive focus.

Culpable too was Ricardo Gardner, who should have done better than head tamely behind from Sam Ricketts’ precise cross early on.

Coyle cut a distraught figure on the sidelines in the wake of that miss, and when Modric fed Pavlyuchenko on the edge of the area, it became clear why.

Skipping over a flimsy challenge from Zat Knight, the Russian calmly balanced himself before tucking a low shot across Jaaskelainen for his third goal in 40 minutes of playing time since his late appearance at Wigan.

One became two soon afterwards when Tom Huddlestone fed a corner to Palacios on the right-hand side of the box.

Electing to tackle the Honduran’s cross with his legs, the normally reliable Jaaskelainen – who had pulled off a fine save from Defoe only moments earlier and was again under pressure from the England man – failed to make contact and the ball rebounded in off his standing leg.

Further Bolton embarrassment followed shortly after the break when Bale capped a surging run down the left with a near-post cross that the stretching O’Brien could only divert into his own net.

Coyle responded with a double substitution, introducing Riga alongside fellow striker Johan Elmander.

The result was a sudden injection of urgency, with Riga – clearly intent on making the most of a rare chance to impress – offering Heurelho Gomes his first real tests of the night.

The most notable of those chances came when the Ghana-born Dutchman’s close-range header produced a fine reflex save from the Tottenham keeper.

But there was to be no fairytale turnaround for Bolton, and instead Spurs – who were themselves energised by the half-time introduction of the lively Eidur Gudjohnsen – put the gloss on the win with a late fourth.

Danny Rose, on as a 70th minute replacement for David Bentley, broke down the right before finding Pavlyuchenko, who slotted in the fourth from eight yards.

It capped a fine night for Spurs, who will travel to Craven Cottage in the last eight with hopes high that Redknapp can mastermind a repeat of his 2008 Cup final win with Portsmouth.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp:

“It’s great to see Pavlyuchenko score four goals in two games, he’s in great form and let’s hope he can keep that up to the end of the season.

“It’s difficult for Bolton, because Owen has obviously got the league on his mind, but things are going well for us.

“It will be a difficult game at Craven Cottage, but we can only focus on the next game, and that’s Everton in the league.

Bolton manager Owen Coyle:

“Anyone who thinks that was a four-nil performance was watching a different game from me.

“We lost the game, but 4-0 isn’t a fair reflection.

“We had chances to score, but we didn’t take them.

“I put out a team to win an FA Cup tie, and they could have done that.”

Glynn Snodin and Fred Barber have verbally accepted new contracts to continue as Northern Ireland assistant manager and goalkeeping coach.

The Irish Football Association has revealed that the deals will take in the Uefa Euro 2012 qualifying series.

Snodin is currently a first team coach at Leeds United while Barber is goalkeeping coach at Bolton Wanderers.

“I’m delighted that the backroom staff will be as it was,” said Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington.

Blackburn pulled 11 points clear of struggling Lancashire rivals Bolton with a fine win at a snowy Ewood Park.

The hosts went ahead just before half-time when Junior Hoilett nodded the ball on for Nikola Kalinic to score via a deflection off Zat Knight.

Amid blizzard conditions in the second half, substitute Jason Roberts side-footed in the second.

Gael Givet glanced in a header to wrap up the win, which leaves Bolton without a league goal in more than eight hours.

Rovers boss Sam Allardyce will be a contented man after a convincing win against his former club – their fourth home win on the trot and their biggest of the season.

His old side, though, remain rooted in the bottom three, with Owen Coyle having managed only one victory in eight games since taking over from Gary Megson.

Despite his side failing to score in their last four league games, Coyle kept faith with his misfiring attack, while Allardyce brought 19-year-old Hoilett in for Brett Emerton.

Rovers, playing their first game in 11 days, began with a spring in their step and had the ball in the net after six minutes, but Morten Gamst Pedersen’s long throw-in did not touch anyone before it sailed over keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen’s head.

During the course of the first half, Bolton’s Premier League goalscoring drought passed the seven-hour mark and Fabrice Muamba summed up their recent struggles when he curled a shot over from a good position.

But the midfielder more than made up for it when he blocked Keith Andrews’ header on the line, and then diverted Kalinic’s follow-up onto the post.

Bolton worked a good opening after 41 minutes, Chung-Yong Lee’s cross reaching Matt Taylor at the far post only for Paul Robinson to block the shot.

Two minutes later, however, the visitors were behind as Hoilett’s crossfield ball left Blackburn with a two-on-one, which led to Pedersen nodding down for Kalinic to run on and slot in via Knight’s desperate block.

The second half became a battle of the keepers in increasingly difficult conditions as the heavy snow made visibility almost impossible.

Robinson dived bravely at the feet of Ricardo Gardner, but Jaaskelainen bettered that moments later when he kept out Hoilett’s header after the young midfielder had laid the ball off to Pedersen and burst into the box to meet the resulting cross.

Jaaskelainen made his best save of the match by clawing Steven Nzonzi’s header from under the bar, but that was soon forgotten when Blackburn scored their second from the resulting corner.

Bolton’s defence again fell apart, allowing Givet to hook the half-cleared corner back in for Roberts to slot the ball under Jaaskelainen’s body.

Givet completed a poor day for Bolton’s defence – missing long-term injury victim Gary Cahill – when he rose highest to get the slightest of touches onto El Hadji Diouf’s cross.

Rovers almost scored a fourth when Kalinic and Diouf narrowly failed to get a vital touch on Pedersen’s dangerous ball across the box.

A 4-0 defeat would have been harsh on Bolton, but with his defence creaking and his strikers continuing to struggle, Coyle will have left Ewood Park with plenty to think about.

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce:
“It was a fantastic day for us and a very important three points.

“It’s our biggest win of the season. We’re making everyone sit up and think what a game they’re going to get here – and they certainly are.

“The second goal knocked the stuffing out of Bolton and we just opened them up if and when we saw fit.”

Bolton boss Owen Coyle:
“It’s no excuse to say you’ve played a lot of games, we still expect better that what we offered today.

“I think there was a 20-minute period at the start of the second half where we looked like ourselves and could have had an equaliser.

“The goals we lost, I wouldn’t expect to lose those in the school playground. That was really disappointing.”

Wigan and Bolton cancelled each other out in a goalless draw at the wrong end of the Premier League table.

The hosts had the better of it on a difficult pitch, but Charles N’Zobgia’s fine left-foot shot hit the post after he burst in from the right.

Hugo Rodallega headed a chance wide and then saw his overhead kick fly over.

Bolton could have snatched it late on but Matt Taylor missed a hat-trick of chances, firing wide from outside then box and then twice from close range.

The Latics stay 14th in the Premier League, now two points above the drop zone, while Bolton go above Burnley but remain in the relegation places.

A thoroughly miserable Lancashire evening saw snow, hail and rain at various intervals, and the bog of a pitch did nothing to help either side play the football they aspire to.

Since Roberto Martinez arrived at Wigan last summer and since Owen Coyle turned up at Bolton last month, both have tried to get their teams playing passing football, but in these wretched conditions it was nigh-on impossible.

Even Barcelona and Arsenal would have struggled as the ball continually got stuck in the turf and the consistently inconsistent bounce was causing mayhem for the players.

Wigan, perhaps better used to the appalling conditions on their own patch which is also used by town’s rugby league side, tried to do the majority of the pressing and they did look the better team for long spells.

Having handed a first start to Bolivian striker Marcelo Moreno, a deadline day loan signing from Shakhtar Donetsk, Wigan had a focal point for their attack, with Rodallega cutting in from the left and N’Zogbia from the right.

Colombian Rodallega fashioned the first opening by bursting between two defenders inside the box, but he miskicked his shot and Jussi Jaaskelainen gathered.

Moments later N’Zogbia sprung into life with a flash of star quality, ghosting past two Bolton players and driving into the box, only to see his crisp left-foot shot strike the inside of the far post and fly away to safety.

Bolton looked a pale imitation of the side that so entertained in their FA Cup game against Tottenham on Sunday, their lethargy at odds with the precarious nature of their league position.

Only Chung-Yong Lee down their right seemed capable of upping the tempo and his dangerous cross was crucially headed away by Gary Caldwell, with Johan Elmander all set to nod home from three yards.

The 10m Swedish striker Elmander has scored only four times this season and he failed to impress once more, a right-wing cross that Caldwell sliced into his own side-netting the closest he came to making an impact.

Still Wigan ploughed forward, cheered on by the majority of the 18,089 fans complete with the free flags the club were giving away for the evening, but Rodallega could only head wide from eight yards from Mario Melchiot’s pinpoint right-wing cross.

As the match wore on and the conditions seemed to sap the life out of the players, the game appeared anyone’s to win.

Bolton went close twice, both times Taylor firing wide of Chris Kirkland’s right-hand post, once from 25 yards and then from close-range, before Rodallega’s audacious overhead kick flew just over Jaaskelainen’s bar at the other end.

Taylor’s best chance was still to come, but he screwed badly wide from 10 yards on his favoured left foot, the game’s last chance to break the stalemate.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez:
“It’s the same pitch for both sides. We must adapt and be ourselves and not use it as an excuse.

“We got into some great positions but maybe we got a bit anxious at times. We need to show a little composure and arrogance when we get these chances.

“I felt we did everything apart from score. We looked a threat and we have a great platform for our next game.”

Bolton boss Owen Coyle:
“It was a very hard-fought game and we both tried to win it. We showed desire and hunger and felt we had the better goalscoring chances.

“Matt Taylor is disappointed he missed three chances near the end, but he’s putting himself in those positions and if we bang on that door it’ll open.

“We feel we should have got more than a point, but it could be important.”

Bolton manager Owen Coyle says defender Gary Cahill is “in a good place” after being assured the blood clot that threatened his health has dissolved.

The central defender was admitted to hospital after complaining of tightness in his arm before Bolton’s match against Fulham on 6 February.

But Coyle, who held a meeting with the 24-year-old on Monday, said: “He knows he’s going to be fine long-term.

“The biggest thing in all this was Gary’s well-being.”

The initial prognosis suggested Cahill could miss the remainder of the season, ending his outside hopes of forcing his way into the England squad for this summer’s World Cup finals in South Africa.

But Coyle suggested the outlook was now much brighter following Cahill’s visit to see a specialist.

“The specialist saw Gary on Monday and he’s in a good place at the moment in terms of he’s been assured that the clot’s dissolved,” added Coyle.

“It’s certainly a brighter outlook for him than it was two weeks ago, and let’s hope that in two weeks’ time it’s even brighter.

“It’s always nice when you can see somebody physically and get to have a chat to them face to face, so my primary concern was that he was going to be OK.

Cahill will face another scan towards the end of February and Coyle added: “He knows from speaking to the specialist that he’s going to be fine long-term in terms of the blood clots.

“When he gets the green light he can be re-energised and go and get on with his career again, and there’s no doubt he’s going to have a wonderful career in football.

“If and when he gets that green light I know that mentally he’ll be ready and it will be just a matter of making sure he’s ready physically. The biggest thing in all this was Gary Cahill’s well-being, and I’m reassured by the top people in that field he will be.”

Bolton’s Gary Cahill is making good progress in his recovery from a blood clot, according to manager Owen Coyle.

The clot was feared to have ended the 24-year-old defender’s hopes of a place in England’s World Cup squad.

“We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves but the clot has dissolved. We’ll revisit it in two weeks and we’ll see what the picture is,” said Coyle.

“But there should be some news in two weeks and hopefully it will be of the better variety.”

Cahill was treated in hospital after being taken ill last week but is now recuperating at home.

Former England Under-21 international Cahill, a 5m signing from Aston Villa two years ago, had been one of Bolton’s most consistent players this season.

He was part of England’s squad for the World Cup qualifying victory over Kazakhstan in June 2009 but is yet to win a senior cap.