English Premier League: Sunderland vs. Bolton Wanderers preview
The first game of the weekend kicks off at the Stadium of Light when Sunderland host the Bolton Wanderers on Saturday. Both teams currently reside in the top half of the Barclays Premier League table, with the Trotters one spot
ahead of the Black Cats. Steve Bruce’s side have had concrete defence this season, while the Trotters have been lauded for their goal scoring abilities in this year’s Premier League campaign. Steve Bruce, the Sunderland manager took the reins last season at
the Stadium of Light with a victory over the Trotters and will be looking to repeat history to ensure his team of a spot above Bolton and possibly a spot next season in the Europa League. A win for Bolton will push the Trotters above possible title challengers
Tottenham, (provided the London team lose their away match to Blackpool) and subsequently into the top five in the table.
Owen Coyle, who will have spent a year in charge of his team next month, will be looking to forget the loss his side endured in March of last season, when Bolton were trampled on at Wearside, in a match which ended 4-0, with Darren
Bent scoring a hat-trick. Sunderland may be the runner-up team this season with the most impressive home record, not having yielded to a single loss at the Stadium of Light all season, but the Black Cats may succumb to their worrisome injury list of defenders
at the hands of the Trotters. Reports suggest that Anton Ferdinand is the latest injured central defender, and Nedum Onuoha may find himself at the back again for this fixture, after serving the role of a center back in the previous game. The North East based
club have benefitted immensely from the Ghanaian player, John Mensah’s input this season, with fellow player Onuoha and manager Bruce acknowledging his efforts.
Bolton have accumulated twenty six points this season after playing seventeen matches, two more than the Black Cats. Steve Bruce’s team have won five matches this season, one less than the Trotters. Both sides have lost three fixtures,
and the Wanderers have eight draws to Sunderland’s nine. Bolton are in an unstoppable goal scoring form, having slotted home thirty times in this season’s campaign so far, with the Black Cats finding the net twenty times this season. Steve Bruce’s side have
conceded eighteen goals, six less than Coyle’s team have let in.
The two teams have faced fixtures against each other 128 times in the English Premier League, with Sunderland reigning supreme, as the Black Cats have triumphed over the Trotters 53 times. Bolton have secured 46 wins over the Black
Cats. Sunderland have a further statistical advantage over Bolton, as Coyle’s team have not managed to score against their opponents of Saturday in 305 minutes concerning English Premier League games and last season saw Sunderland twice accomplish a victory
over Bolton. Steve Bruce has not conceded a defeat to the Trotters in his previous five fixtures in a managerial position and Bolton have not managed to hit home once whilst playing against Bruce’s side. Sunderland have seen just two losses from their previous
fifteen fixtures, although the Wearside team have drawn a majority of eight games out of those fifteen. Sunderland have improved significantly in their defensive record, considering they managed to maintain only seven clean sheets last term and have already
accomplished eight clean sheets this time around so far.
All hope is not lost for the Trotters, as Bolton have tasted victory in four of their previous seven games, and succumbed to a single loss in these seven matches. The match at the Stadium of Light may see the Wanderers score a
late goal, as they have netted the ball home in or after the 88th minute of the match, in three matches from their previous four English Premier League fixtures.
The Trotters injury list includes Sean Davis and Joey O'Brien who both suffer from knee injuries. Ricardo Gardner is also reported to be out with a thigh problem. Jlloyd Samuel faces a calf injury that has rendered the player unavailable.
Sunderland’s injury worries include Titus Bramble, Fraizer Campbell and Michael Turner who all face knee injuries. Trevor Carson is out with a shoulder problem and Anton Ferdinand with an injured hamstring.
Tags: