MX23RW : Thursday, December 26 02:45:46| >> :120:67372:67372:
[monks data]
Bolton logo
Championship
Mar 15, 2014 at 3pm UK
 
Brighton logo

0-2

FT(HT: 0-1)
Buckley (13', 65')

Preview: Bolton Wanderers vs. Brighton & Hove Albion

Sports Mole previews Saturday's Championship clash between in-form Bolton and playoff hopefuls Brighton.

Brighton & Hove Albion will be looking to keep their playoff hopes alive when they travel to the Reebok Stadium to take on Bolton Wanderers on Saturday.

The Seagulls are currently just two points adrift of sixth-placed Reading with a game in hand over the Royals, although they are also two points behind Wigan Athletic having played a game more than the Latics.

A victory on Saturday could be enough to see them climb into the top six depending on results elsewhere, while it would also extend their unbeaten streak to four games.

Indeed, only in-form Wigan have beaten Brighton since the start of February in the league, and if they can continue that form then they will give themselves a real chance of sneaking into the playoffs.

Oscar Garcia's side boast the league's joint-best defensive record this season having conceded just 28 goals, but it is as the other end where the main problems lie.

They have only found the back of the net 37 times in their 34 matches, which is the lowest total in the top 17 of the table.

The Seagulls have been solid away from home in terms of results, but only Barnsley have scored fewer than the 12 goals they have managed on their travels.

Garcia will welcome Gordon Greer back from suspension and could put him straight back into the starting lineup, but he will still be without Andrew Crofts and Craig Mackail-Smith.

Bolton, meanwhile, have embarked on a fine run of form that should have ended their relegation worries once and for all this season.

Big wins over Blackburn and Leeds were followed up by a decent goalless draw with Derby on Tuesday, extending their unbeaten streak to five games and lifting them up to 16th in the table.

That puts them 11 points clear of the bottom three and, while they have played a game more than a number of the teams below them, it would take a freak set of results for them to be dragged back into the relegation mire.

That should allow Dougie Freedman to start planning for next season, when he will be hoping to launch a bid for the playoffs and potentially promotion back into the Premier League.

The Trotters have only lost one of their last eight league games at the Reebok, while they have won the last two without conceding a goal.

Freedman is still without Marc Tierney and Stuart Holden, who are both long-term injury absentees, but he could bring Joe Mason back into the side.

Recent form

Bolton: LDWWWD

Brighton: DLLWDW

Possible starting lineups

Bolton: Bogdan; Hutton, Knight, Ream, Baptiste; Medo, Spearing; Mason, Danns, Davies; Jutkiewicz

Brighton: Kuszczak; Bruno, Upson, Greer, Ward; Stephens, Andrews; Buckley, Lingard, Lua Lua; Ulloa

Sports Mole says: 1-1


ID:144100: cacheID:144100:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:5185:
Written by
Barney Corkhill
No Data Analysis info

Previews by email

Click here to get Sports Mole's daily email of previews and predictions for every major game!


Restore Data
Share this article now:
Oscar Garcia of Brighton looks on during the FA Cup fifth round match between Brighton & Hove Albion and Hull City at Amex Stadium on February 17, 2014
Read Next:
Preview: Brighton vs. Reading
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Birmingham CityBirmingham19143235161945
2Wycombe WanderersWycombe20135243222144
3Wrexham21126331141742
4Huddersfield TownHuddersfield20123534181639
5Stockport CountyStockport21106534221236
6Lincoln CityLincoln218762825331
7Reading209473030031
8Bolton WanderersBolton199462829-131
9Barnsley218672930-130
10Mansfield TownMansfield198472322128
11Charlton AthleticCharlton207672319427
12Blackpool207672931-227
13Exeter CityExeter208391922-327
14Stevenage197571517-226
15Leyton Orient207492320325
16Peterborough UnitedPeterborough2073103837124
17Wigan AthleticWigan206681918124
18Rotherham UnitedRotherham196581921-223
19Bristol Rovers2064101829-1122
20Northampton TownNorthampton2156102134-1321
21Crawley TownCrawley2054112033-1319
22Cambridge UnitedCambridge2045112035-1517
23Burton Albion2026121732-1512
24Shrewsbury TownShrewsbury2033142141-2012


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!