Bolton will see this game as a must win given that they have lost their last two games.

Bolton Wanderers v Derby County
Premier League
2nd January, 2008, 8:00 PM
Reebok Stadium, Bolton

They were away however and they have won their last three home games.

We may be as good as relegated already however Bolton will be keen to pick up the points - especially as everyone seems to think that Nicolas Anelka will be away in the transfer window. Gary Megson makes no bones about it; "Anybody who achieves anything always has a strong home record. Our poor away record is making games at the Reebok vitally important. And, at the moment, haven't won enough games at home."

Current Bolton Squad
No. Position Player
12 Keeper Ian Walker
22 Keeper Jussi Jääskeläinen
26 Keeper Ali Al Habsi
30 Keeper Przemyslaw Kazimierczak
34 Keeper Adam Bogdan
2 Defender Nicky Hunt
3 Defender Jlloyd Samuel
5 Defender Abdoulaye Méïté
11 Defender Ricardo Gardner
15 Defender Gérald Cid
28 Defender Lubomír Michalík
31 Defender Andy O'Brien
43 Defender Nathan Woolfe
4 Midfield Kevin Nolan (captain)
6 Midfield Gary Speed (vice-captain)
7 Midfield Stelios Giannakopoulos
8 Midfield Iván Campo
10 Midfield Christian Wilhelmsson (on loan from Nantes)
16 Midfield Andranik Teymourian
17 Midfield Danny Guthrie (on loan from Liverpool)
18 Midfield Mikel Alonso (on loan from Real Sociedad)
19 Midfield Gavin McCann
23 Midfield Blerim Dzemaili
24 Midfield Joey O'Brien
36 Midfield Matt Cassidy
38 Midfield Robert Sissons
46 Midfield Scott Jamieson
9 Striker Heiðar Helguson
14 Striker Kevin Davies
20 Striker Ricardo Vaz Té
21 Striker El-Hadji Diouf
27 Striker Daniel Braaten
29 Striker Zoltán Harsányi
37 Striker James Sinclair
39 Striker Nicolas Anelka

Last 5 games
Bolton 4-1 Wigan
Man City 4-2
Bolton 3-0 Birmingham
Everton 2-0 Bolton
Sunderland 3-1 Bolton

Danger Men
Anelka is the key man for Bolton and if he performs to his best the Rams will have a lot of difficulty containing him.

Nicky Hunt could be missing if he fails to shake off a foot injury.

The Rams
The first post Steve Howard game will see Paul Jewell choosing from Kenny Miller, Jon Macken, Craig Fagan or a 50:50 Rob Earnshaw. Fact No. 1 is that we haven't scored when Steve Howard hasn't been on the pitch and nor have we looked likely to. I know that the Leicester deal was good business but it looks like we've given up on this game and the FA Cup game on Saturday and are hoping to have players in by the time we take on Wigan. Any old lashed together team will do.

Not a good way to treat the fans at all. Especially after our capitulation against Blackburn.

Possible team: Price, Edworthy, McEveley, Moore, Mears, Barnes, Feilhaber, Teale, Oakley, Miller, Macken.

What the bookies think
William Hill are offering 6/1 on us to break our losing streak. You can only get 1/2 on Bolton which isn't very generous. The draw is at 3/1.

Information for travelling fans

Mick's Prediction
Bolton have never won in the Premier League on the opening game of any year. We've not lost there in the Premier League. Bolton haven't lost at the Reebok under Megson. We haven't won for 15 games.

I reckon 0-0.

Photo: Action Images

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