Bolton Wanderers v Fulham,
Barclays Premier League,
Saturday 6 February, 2010,
Reebok Stadium, 3pm Kick-Off.

Live commentary and pre-match build-up is available on Wanderers Player from 2.30pm. Don't forget to send your emails on all things Bolton Wanderers related to matchday@bwfc.co.uk and the broadcast team will endeavour to read them out on air.

Bolton Wanderers versus Fulham is just one of eight Premier League fixtures in a busy afternoon of football on Saturday.

Owen Coyle's side are back on home soil after the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool last weekend, and they will be looking to make it three successive victories at the Reebok Stadium following the recent wins over Sheffield United and Burnley.

The visit of the Cottagers kick-starts a testing month for the Whites, with further games against Manchester City, Tottenham, Wigan Athletic, Blackburn Rovers and Wolverhampton Wanderers to come before the end of February.

But Owen Coyle has stressed the importance of taking each match as it comes, stating that Wanderers will have to 'be at their best' if they are to take anything from Saturday's encounter.

The Cottagers sit in tenth position in the Premier League table and still have a two-legged Europa League tie against Shakhtar Donetsk to look forward to in the second-half of the season.

The corresponding fixture at Craven Cottage in November ended 1-1 with Damien Duff cancelling out Ivan Klasnic's opening goal in the first-half. However, Owen Coyle will be without the services of the Croatian international, who is sidelined with a calf injury.

Johan Elmander is pressing for a recall to the first eleven while new signings Vladimir Weiss and Jack Wilshere are also in contention to make their first starts since joining on loan from Manchester City and Arsenal. Stuart Holden has returned to light training following a thigh strain but Saturday's game comes too early for the American striker to make his debut.



Roy Hodgson will have to wait to see whether Zoltan Gera and Simon Davies are passed fit. The Fulham boss is predicting a tough test, but he believes that the midweek victory over Portsmouth, which ended a five-game losing streak in the Premier League, will stand them in good stead.

Speaking to Fulham's official website, the former Switzerland and Finland boss said: "Wednesday's result will give us momentum but it's always a difficult game. It's another away game and even the top two or three teams in the country, without any injury problems, don't find it easy going to places like Bolton.

He added: "We'll prepare for whatever Bolton throw at us. All Premier League teams are well organised and have a fighting spirit. Most teams have quite good players even if they're near the bottom of the league so basically speaking there are no easy games and every game you play away from home is a difficult one."

It is the 11th season in succession that Wanderers have played host to Fulham. Historically, Bolton hold the slight edge of their opponents having recorded 27 victories compared to Fulham's 25. The first meeting between the clubs took place in the 1908/09 season when an old Second Division fixture finished goalless.

The referee for Saturday's match is Mark Clattenburg, who last took control of a game at the Reebok when Wanderers drew 3-3 with Manchester City back in December.