Middlesbrough Preview

By Mark Heys
December 28 2005

Bolton Wanderers will be hoping to bounce back from a week of frustration as they take on Middlesbrough tommorow evening at the Reebok Stadium.

The Everton game ten days ago left the Wanderers on a mid-season high but a defeat in the Carling Cup to local rivals Wigan Athletic and a goalless draw at bottom club Sunderland deflated that elation somewhat.

Now the Trotters have a good chance to put that right at home against a Middlesbrough side looking for their first ever three points at the Reebok Stadium.

Steve McClaren's side lost to Blackburn Rovers on Boxing Day and have lost four out of the last six league matches despite an encouraging spell in the previous month of November.

Boro like Wanderers are in the latter stages of the UEFA Cup but McClaren will be disappointed that his side is not challenging the Trotters in the top half of the Premiership table.

Bolton are expected to continue their rotation policy for the festive games so Kevin Davies and Abdoulaye Diagne-Faye could return to the fold after missing the match at the Stadium of Light yesterday.

Wanderers manager Sam Allardyce must also decide whether or not to stick with Nicky Hunt at right back or recall the impressive teenager Joey O'Brien. Khalilou Fadiga and Martin Djetou may also be involved against Boro at some stage after making rare starts in the last game.

Striker El-Hadji Diouf sits out the game against the Teesiders due to suspension

Boro are missing influential midfielder George Boateng after the former Aston Villa star injured ankle ligaments in the Carling Cup game against Blackburn Rovers a week ago

Quartet Ray Parlour, Stewart Downing, Tony McMahon and Malcolm Christie are still on the long term injury list and should be back sometime in the later part of January.

Boro skipper Gareth Southgate will have a fitness test after picking up a dead leg against Blackburn.

PREMIERSHIP RECORD

09/09/1995 BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (McGinlay) MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Hignett)

17/02/1996 MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Pollock) BOLTON WANDERERS 4 (Blake, Coleman, De Freitas, Lee)

21/08/2001 BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (Ricketts) MIDDLESBROUGH 0

19/01/2002 MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Whelan) BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (Hansen)

05/10/2002 MIDDLESBROUGH 2 (Ehiogu, Geremi) BOLTON WANDERERS 0

11/05/2003 BOLTON WANDERERS 2 (Frandsen, Okocha) MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Ricketts)

13/09/2003 BOLTON WANDERERS 2 (Davies, N'Gotty) MIDDLESBROUGH 0

03/04/2004 MIDDLESBROUGH 2 (Nolan OG, Greening) BOLTON WANDERERS 0

07/11/2004 MIDDLESBROUGH 1 (Boateng) BOLTON WANDERERS 1 (Pedersen)

12/02/2005 BOLTON WANDERERS 0 MIDDLESBROUGH 0

PREMIERSHIP FORM GUIDE:

Played: 10

Won: 4

Drawn: 4

Lost: 2

CONNECTIONS

Ian Bailey, Anthony Barness, Andy Campbell, Simon Coleman, Neil Cox, Andy Dibble, Allan Johnston, Alan Kernaghan, Gary Parkinson, Jimmy Phillips, Jamie Pollock, Kevin Poole, Michael Ricketts, Bruce Rioch, Stuart Ripley, Walter Rowley, Colin Todd, Andy Todd, Tom Woodward

IT HAPPENED WHEN BOLTON PLAYED BORO

Ricardo Vaz-Te made his Bolton league debut in a 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough in April 2004.

French defender Florent Laville suffered a serious knee ligament injury against Boro just over two years ago and never played for the Wanderers again. He left the club in May 2005 to return to his native France with Bastia.

Wanderers legend John McGinlay scored his first ever Premiership goal against Middlesbrough in September 1995 as he lobbed the ball over visiting goalkeeper Gary Walsh.