Premier League preview: Bolton v West Brom

Roy Hodgson

Not only have Bolton got to overcome their Premier League rivals in the battle to stay up, but they’ve got to get the better of England now too.

Well the England manager at least, as the first of Roy Hodgson’s final two matches in charge of West Bromwich Albion before he takes on “The Impossible Job” takes him to the Reebok Stadium, where it is possible that they won’t be seeing top-flight football for much longer.

Bolton blew their big chance to determine their own fate in the relegation scrap when they went down 4-1 to Tottenham on Wednesday night, a result which had the other four of five still struggling against the drop cheering as every Spurs goal went in.

Owen Coyle typically put on a brave face after the loss – the sight of an emotional Fabrice Muamba waving to the crowd before kick-off put mere relegation into perspective anyway – but the manager will know that this could well be win or bust for Wanderers in their battle to stay up.

With Blackburn looking Championship-bound three points below them, Bolton and Queens Park Rangers are joined together on 34 points, with only the thin line of the relegation zone separating them.

QPR host Stoke on Sunday, at the same time that Bolton face this clash with West Brom. Both are must-win matches, but then if both taste victory then both will be back to where they were before. Perhaps “must-not-lose” matches is a better description.

Bolton will have to improve on the home form they showed against Spurs to earn victory, but QPR’s recent Loftus Road displays should be filling them with confidence. The Rs have won their last four home matches, but boss Mark Hughes will be eager for last weekend’s 6-1 drubbing at Chelsea not to affect the confidence of his players.

It shouldn’t do, and given that both QPR and Bolton are facing mid-table sides with not much left to play for – and in West Brom’s case, a manager with a lot on his mind – then both look likely to pick up the wins which would take their relegation scrap down to the final day.

That relegation issue become a lot clearer when Blackburn play Wigan on Monday night, and it’ll also be given a helping hand if Aston Villa can beat Tottenham on Sunday.

A win would see Villa safe, but in a week in which they’ve found themselves in the news for the wrong reasons following a night out that went wrong – a metaphor for their season – then they look likely to struggle against a top four chasing Spurs, who should have gathered enough momentum from that Bolton win to earn victory.

They could even leapfrog third-placed Arsenal if the Gunners have slipped up at home to Norwich in the only Premier League match taking place on Saturday, but the hosts will surely pick up a win in their final home match of a season which has had its ups and downs, but crucially still has Robin van Persie and Arsène Wenger.

Back on Sunday, already relegated Wolves round off their Molineux season against Everton, and Fulham take on Sunderland in a mid-table battle.

Mark Jones – follow me on twitter

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