Bolton v Man Utd

Last updated : 26 March 2010 By BBC Sport

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has denied claims Wayne Rooney is struggling with a knee problem.

Owen Hargreaves is continuing his recovery from major knee surgery but is not yet ready for a first-team return.

Bolton

Suspended: Steinsson (one match)

Injured: Basham & J O'Brien (both knee), Davis & McCann (both ankle), Holden (leg)

Man Utd

Injured/unavailable: Anderson (knee), Brown (metatarsal), Hargreaves (fitness), O'Shea (thigh), Owen (hamstring)

MATCH PREVIEW

Owen Coyle has already outwitted Sir Alex Ferguson once this season, but the odds are heavily stacked against the Bolton manager repeating the trick on Saturday.

We know that we are going to have to be at our very best, but if we are, then it's a game we can take points from

Bolton boss Owen Coyle

Coyle was in charge of Burnley when the newly-promoted club humbled the champions in only the second game of the season, a result that led to many experts writing off Manchester United's title credentials there and then.

Fast forward seven months and United head to the Reebok Stadium on a run of four successive victories, with a record 19th league title within their grasp.

Wayne Rooney continues to bulldoze all before him, hitting a remarkable 17 goals in his last 13 appearances. Ominously for Bolton, the England striker has hit six goals in his last four games against them, including a hat-trick on his last visit to the Reebok.

While United pursue a fourth consecutive title, Bolton look to have secured their Premier League status for another year, with a run of three wins in their last five games lifting them clear of the drop zone.

Coyle's immediate ambition will be to improve his side's woeful record against Saturday's opponents - Bolton have lost nine of their last 10 meetings with Ferguson's men.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• Wayne Rooney has scored six goals in his last four league matches against Bolton, including a hat-trick in his last visit to the Reebok Stadium (a 4-0 victory in October 2006).

• Man Utd have won nine of the last 10 meetings against Bolton, and lost only one of their 10 Premier League games at Wanderers.

Have your say on this match

Bolton

• Bolton are the only team in the Premier League who have not taken a single point off a team from the 'Big Four' this season.

• Wanderers have kept four consecutive home clean sheets, having not kept any in their previous 12 league games at the Reebok.

• They have scored the joint-highest number of goals from set-pieces in the Premier League this season (21).

Man Utd

• United have conceded the fewest number of set-piece goals in the league (seven).

• They have lost just once in the last 13 in all competitions, scoring 35 goals.

• Wayne Rooney has netted 18 times in 17 games in 2010, with 17 in his last 13 appearances.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Bolton

Cahill: 7 goals (5 league); Klasnic: 6 goals (6 league); Taylor: 6 goals (6 league); K Davies: 6 goals (3 league)

Man Utd

Rooney: 33 goals (26 league); Berbatov: 10 goals (10 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Assistant referees: Peter Kirkup & David Richardson

Fourth official: Stuart Attwell

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Bolton (L0-2 v Everton, a): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Andrew O'Brien, Knight, Robinson, Lee, Muamba, Cohen (Mark Davies 84), Wilshere (Taylor 81), Kevin Davies, Elmander (Ricketts 71). Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Cahill, Riga, Weiss.

Man Utd (W2-1 v Liverpool, h): Van der Sar, Neville, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Valencia, Fletcher, Carrick, Park (Scholes 87), Nani (Giggs 79), Rooney. Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Berbatov, Rafael Da Silva, Evans, Obertan.

MOST RECENT MEETING

Man Utd 2-1 Bolton (17 October 2009)

Man Utd scorers: Knight 5 (o.g.), Valencia 33

Bolton scorer: Taylor 75

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport