Tuesday, April 26, 2011

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27.04. (Wed) 21:00 Fulham - Bolton Wanderers



DID YOU KNOW?

* These sides have already met once at Craven Cottage this season, in February’s FA Cup fifth round. A 1-0 victory for the visitors thanks to Ivan Klasnic (pictured right) would eventually see Bolton play a Wembley semi-final, in which they which they were handed a 5-0 drubbing at the hands of Stoke City.

* Their previous three meetings in the Premier League have all been draws, the most recent two both being goalless.

* The season before that, Fulham did the double over Bolton, with a 2-1 home victory followed by a 3-1 win at the Reebok.

* Both have a positive goal difference this season, Bolton with four and Fulham on one, with the Cottagers having only conceded 36 this season.

* Bolton on the other hand have bagged 48 so far in the campaign, however, only 15 of those have come on the road.

* Fulham have the joint second best home form with Manchester City and Liverpool, having won five and drawn one in their last six games.

* Something which may be ominous for Bolton, who have the joint worst away record, along with Blackpool, Blackburn and Stoke, having lost five and drawn one.

* In the fair play leagues Fulham have the eighth best record in the Premier League with no red cards and 40 cautions, whereas Bolton players have seen red four times and yellow 60, giving them the second worst record.

PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Fulham (4-2-2): Schwarzer; Salcido, Hangeland, Hughes, Baird; Sidwell, Murphy, Dempsey, Davies; Zamora, Dembele.

Bobby Zamora could make his return to the starting XI, with the striker’s physical presence likely to be a key factor in Mark Hughes thinking as his side search for the three vital points that would ensure Premier League survival.

Bolton Wanderers (4-3-3): Jaaskelainen; Steinsson, Robinson, Cahill, Knight; Muamba, Taylor, Lee; Elmander, Davies, Sturridge.

Owen Coyle looks set to stick with the same starting line-up that ended Arsenal’s title hopes on Sunday with a 2-1 victory at the Reebok.

While loanee Daniel Sturridge has bagged seven goals in nine games following his January move from Chelsea, fellow striker John Elmander has only managed two goals in the league since the turn of year.

Prediction
With Bolton still in with an outside chance of qualifying for Europe next season and Fulham needing three vital points to provide a comfortable end to a stop start campaign, neither side should look to take their foot off the gas as we come to the tail end of the season.

Only three goals in the past four meetings between these two sides suggests it will be a tight affair at Craven Cottage on Wednesday, but with a buoyant Sturridge and a Fulham side in superb form at home, expect a score draw.

Fulham 2-2 Bolton