Stoke v Bolton

Last updated : 16 April 2010 By BBC Sport

Bolton's Ricardo Gardner is back in training following a leg problem and could be involved.

Stuart Holden and Chris Basham are nearing a return to action, although Saturday will come too soon.

Stoke

Doubtful: Etherington (knee), Fuller (ankle)

Injured: Shawcross (ankle), Sidibe (groin)

Bolton

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

MATCH PREVIEW

Bolton boss Owen Coyle has targeted two wins from their remaining four games to guarantee his side Premier League football for another season, starting at Stoke on Saturday.

I think everybody would agree, 38 points would guarantee you being in the Premier League... The sooner you get that, the better, and that starts on Saturday

Bolton boss Owen Coyle

A few weeks ago Wanderers looked to have hauled themselves out of the relegation mire, but four successive league defeats has seen them slip back into trouble.

Goals remain a major problem for Coyle's men - they have failed to find the back of the net in five of their last six matches and their joint-top scorer is centre-back Gary Cahill with seven.

Stoke, meanwhile, remain on course to achieve manager Tony Pulis's aim of bettering the very creditable 12th-place finish they managed in their debut Premier League campaign.

The Potters are unbeaten in their last three games, but have won just one of their last seven league meetings against Saturday's opponents.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• These sides have met 75 times in the league. Stoke City have won 28 to Bolton's 29.

• Stoke have lost just one of their last nine meetings at home to Bolton.

Have your say on this match

Stoke

• The Potters have lost just two of their 14 Premier League matches in 2010. Only Aston Villa (one) have lost fewer league games this calendar year.

• Stoke are looking for back-to-back wins at the Britannia Stadium for the first time since August.

• They celebrated three successive top-flight clean sheets for the first time in 28 years last time out. If they keep another on Saturday it will be their longest in the top flight in 36 years.

Bolton

• Bolton are on a run of four straight league defeats and have lost five of their last six matches without scoring.

• Wigan Athletic are the only home team to have failed to score against Bolton in 2009-10.

• Throw-ins have led to more goals for Bolton (six) this season than Stoke (five).

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Stoke

Fuller: 8 goals (3 league); Etherington: 6 goals (4 league)

Bolton

Cahill & K Davies: 7 goals (5 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Martin Atkinson

Assistant referees: Trevor Massey & Scott Ledger

Fourth official: Kevin Friend

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Stoke (D0-0 v Wolves, a): Sorensen, Huth, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Collins, Delap, Whitehead, Whelan, Etherington, Sidibe (Lawrence 72), Kitson (Sanli 69). Subs Not Used: Begovic, Pugh, Wilkinson, Lund, Moult.

Bolton (L0-1 v Chelsea, a): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, Knight, Robinson, Lee (Klasnic 82), Muamba, Ricketts, Taylor, Wilshere (Elmander 82), Kevin Davies. Subs Not Used: Al Habsi, Samuel, Mark Davies, Cohen, Weiss.

MOST RECENT MEETING

Bolton 1-1 Stoke (19 September 2009)

Bolton scorer: Taylor 89 (pen)

Stoke scorer: Kitson 53

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport