Match Preview

Last updated : 13 May 2011 By INOIT

Bolton_Wanderers_crestBolton will be without midfielder Mark Davies, who had surgery on Thursday to remove bone fragments in his ankle.

Spanish defender Marcos Alonso is expected to be unavailable after his involvement in a fatal car accident in Madrid two weeks ago.

Blackpool

Injured/unavailabe: Basham (broken leg), Carney (shoulder), Harewood (fitness)

Bolton

Doubtful: Alonso (personal reasons)

Injured: M Davies (ankle), Davis & Holden (both knee), Ricketts (Achilles)

MATCH PREVIEW

By Steve Wilson

Match of Day commentator

If your final match of the season is at Old Trafford against Manchester United, you really don't want to go into it stuck in the relegation zone. That's why Blackpool's game against Bolton is one that The Seasiders must win if they want to avoid a last day mission (almost) impossible.

If Blackpool pull this off, Ian Holloway must be a contender for manager of the year

The bad news for Blackpool is that winning has become a bit of a problem; only two since New Year. The good news for Blackpool is that their Lancashire rivals Bolton seem to be playing like a side already enjoying the feel of warm sand trickling through their toes.

There's no such luxury for Ian Holloway, whose season started as it would go on: a 4-0 win followed by a 6-0 defeat. It has included an offer to resign after the Premier League fined the club for fielding a weakened side at Villa, the Charlie Adam will-he-or-won't-he transfer saga, two wins over Liverpool and a 2-0 lead over Manchester United.

It's been the best of times and the worst of times. Through it all, Holloway has enhanced his reputation and maintained his sense of humour. If they pull this off he must be a contender for manager of the year.

It's been a wonderful season for Bolton too. They should finish in the top half for the first time since Sam Allardyce upped sticks and headed for Newcastle. Their thumping defeat at the hands of Stoke in the FA Cup semi-final must have been a bitter pill, but better to have fought and lost than never to have fought at all. Isn't it?

Blackpool will fight, that's for sure. Their defence has begun to look less leaky with the return of Matt Gilks in goal, and defeats have been turned into draws. But can they turn draws into a win?

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• The last time Bloomfield Road hosted these sides was in February 1993 in the third tier. The match ended 1-1.

• Their last top-flight meeting at Bloomfield Road came in March 1964 when Blackpool won 2-0. The season ended in relegation for Bolton.

• Bolton's last league victory in Blackpool was a 2-0 win in December 1977.

Blackpool

• Blackpool are seeking a first victory in 10 games. They have not won since beating Tottenham at home on 22 February.

• The Seasiders have picked up more points on their travels (19) than at home (17).

• Blackpool have conceded 71 goals this season - more than any Premier League club.

Bolton

• Bolton have lost 10 of their last 11 away league games. Their last Premier League win on the road was against Wolves in November.

• The Trotters have been in the top half of the table since the beginning of October.

• Ivan Klasnic has scored as many Premier League goals as he has made Premier League starts (12).

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Blackpool

Campbell: 12 goals* (12 league); Adam: 11 goals (10 league)

*Includes 1 goal (1 league) for Leicester

Bolton

Elmander: 12 goals (10 league); Sturridge: 11 goals* (7 league)

*Includes 4 goals (0 league) for Chelsea

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Andrew Marriner

Assistant referees: Glenn Turner & Ceri Richards

Fourth official: Stuart Attwell

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Blackpool (D1-1 v Tottenham, a): Gilks; Crainey, Eardley (Beattie 90), Kornilenko (Puncheon 46), Evatt, Southern, Vaughan, Baptiste, Adam, Taylor-Fletcher (Cathcart 77), Campbell. Subs not used: Kingson, Ormerod, Phillips, Reid.

Bolton (L1-2 v Sunderland, h): Jaaskelainen; Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Lee (Moreno 76), Elmander, Muamba (Gardner 46), Taylor (Klasnic 76), K Davies, Sturridge. Subs not used: Bogdan, Petrov, Cohen, Wheater.