Bolton v Newcastle
PREMIER LEAGUEVenue: Reebok Stadium Date: Sunday, 1 March Kick-off: 1300 GMT
Bolton manager Gary Megson could name an unchanged side.
Striker Johan Elmander looks likely to retain his place in the team after his comeback from a hamstring injury.
Newcastle will be without Kevin Nolan, who is suspended after being sent off against Everton and misses the game against his former club.
Striker Andy Carroll is available after recovering from an ankle injury, but Danny Guthrie is expected to stay sidelined with a hamstring problem.
Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, A O'Brien, Samuel, K Davies, McCann, Basham, Muamba, Gardner, Taylor, Cohen, Makukula, Puygrenier, Obadeyi, Al Habsi, M Davies, Smolarek, Riga, Hunt, Elmander.
Bolton manager Gary Megson:"We are pleased that we have won our last two home games and that was something that we need to do.
"We have six home games left, starting from Sunday, and we know that with our fans' backing we can put on a good performance.
"With their help our home games can have a huge impact on our season. Attendances have been really strong this season.
"Make no mistake, the players can benefit from that extra push the Bolton crowd in full voice can give them."
Newcastle assistant manager Chris Hughton: "We have had weeks where the results have gone very well for us and we have been able to get that gap.
"But we know it won't always be that way and there will be games when we are going to lose and the teams around us are going to win and it is not going to go so well."
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BIG-MATCH FACTS
Premier League survival is all that remains from this season for these two mid-table sides.
These are two of the Premier League's most inactive clubs. This is Bolton's 29th game of the season and Newcastle's 31st. By comparison, the Carling Cup final will be Manchester United's 46th fixture of the campaign.
Newcastle were the fifth of 10 clubs Gary Megson represented in his playing career. The Bolton manager made 21 league appearances for the Magpies in the 1984-85 season.
Newcastle gained their first points in six Premier League visits to Bolton with a 1-3 victory last season. The Magpies have not recorded back-to-back league victories at Bolton since 1911 and 1912.
Distance between the clubs: 152 miles (245 kilometres)
CLUB FORM
BOLTON WANDERERS
Club stats
Going into this round of matches: 12th 30 points
Best & Worst categories in 2008-09 Premier League(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)
1. Won two of three Premier League matches, and lost seven of 11.
2. Five points up on this same stage last season, when three places lower in the table at 15th.
3. Completed 14 top-flight games since a clean sheet; the longest such sequence currently in the Premier League. Their last shut-out was a 0-1 win at Hull on 8 November.
4. Failed to score in five of the last eight league games.
5. Won the last two home league games; not won three in a row at the Reebok since the last two of last season and the first of this. Not won three successive home league games in a single season for over a year. That was when the chalked up four in a row between 24 November 2007 and 2 January 2008.
6. The only club not to have scored a penalty in the Premier League this season.
7. Won the last two top-flight matches against North-East clubs; 1-3 against Middlesbrough and 1-4 against Sunderland, both away.
8. Won four of the last five league games against clubs from the region.
9. Only two of their 11 remaining Premier League fixtures after this are against current top five clubs; away to Chelsea and home to Aston Villa.
Fixtures
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Club stats
Going into this round of matches: 15th 28 points
Best & Worst categories in 2008-09 Premier League(all statistics are ahead of this weekend's round of Premier League fixtures)
1. Won one of eight Premier League matches; 2-3 against West Brom in their most recent match on the road.
2. The current tally of 28 points after 26 games is on a par with last season, when they were two spots higher in 13th.
3. Not lost a league game in which they have opened the scoring; won six and drawn three of nine.
4. Not won a league game in which they have conceded the opening goal; drawn four and lost 10 of 14.
5. Conceded nine penalties in Premier League matches this term; more than any other club. Eight have been converted.
6. The victory at the Hawthorns on 7 February ended a run of three successive away league losses.
7. Not won consecutive away league games since Middlesbrough (1-2) and Sunderland (1-4) were defeated in North-East derbies on 9 and 17 April 2006 respectively.
8. Drawn four and lost five of the last nine against North-West clubs, and won only one of the last 10 against clubs from the region this season. That victory was against Bolton.
9. Three of their next four fixtures after this are all home to so-called 'Big Four' clubs; Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea.
Fixtures
KEY PLAYER NOTES
BOLTON WANDERERS
Squad profiles
Goalkeeper Jussi JAASKELAINEN is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Bolton's league and cup matches this season.
Kevin DAVIES is the club's top Premier League scorer with 10 goals; his best ever return in a top-flight season.
If he scores:-
DAVIES will total 50 goals in Bolton colours.
Matthew TAYLOR will reach the milestone of 50 career league goals.
If selected:-
Andy O'BRIEN will be facing a former club. The 29 year old Republic of Ireland international made 172 appearances (120 in the league) and scored seven goals (six league) for Newcastle between March 2001 and June 2005.
NEWCASTLE UNITED
Squad profiles
Fabricio COLOCCINI is the only remaining player to have started every one of Newcastle's Premier League matches this season.
Michael OWEN is the club's top Premier League scorer with eight goals.
If selected:-
Jose ENRIQUE will be making his 50th appearance for Newcastle.
Danny GUTHRIE spent a season-long loan with Bolton last term, making 35 appearances (25 in the league) and scoring one Carling Cup goal.
Suspended:-
Kevin NOLAN (three matches)
HEAD TO HEAD
The last corresponding fixture opened the season and was Sam Allardyce's first match in charge of Newcastle. It resulted in a 1-3 victory over Allardyce's former club.
These clubs have never conjured up a score draw in Premier League games against each other.
The Magpies are aiming to complete a third Premier League double over the Trotters, and first since 2001-02.
Home and awayLeague (inc PL): Bolton 39 wins, Newcastle 50, Draws 18Prem: Bolton 7 wins, Newcastle 10, Draws 2
at Bolton onlyLeague (inc PL): Bolton 27 wins, Newcastle 14, Draws 12Prem: Bolton 6 wins, Newcastle 3, Draws 0
LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME
Bolton Wanderers 1-3 Newcastle United12 August 2007 - Ref: Chris Foy Bolton scorer: Anelka 50Newcastle scorers: N'Zogbia 11, Martins 21, 27
THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE
Newcastle United 1-0 Bolton Wanderers23 August 2008 - Ref: Steve Bennett Newcastle scorer: Owen 71
REFEREE
Alan Wiley (Stafforshire)
