Blackburn Rovers-Bolton Wanderers Preview - 7M sport

Blackburn Rovers-Bolton Wanderers Preview



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Posted Friday, March 23, 2012 by YAHOO Sport

LONDON (SE) - A huge clash at the bottom of the Premier League will be overshadowed when Bolton Wanderers host Blackburn Rovers at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

The game will be the first return to action for Bolton since the collapse of Fabrice Muamba at White Hart Lane and manager Owen Coyle is aware of how difficult it will be for his team.

“You don’t move on,” said Coyle. “We have a game to play and we have to go and play it. Will it be difficult? Absolutely. The thoughts are with Fabrice to make sure he continues that recovery.

“I wouldn’t ask anybody to play who felt they couldn’t. So far, no-one has told me they don’t want to be involved. There comes a point that we have to play our games and move forward.

“Monday was a big day,” continued Coyle when asked about the recovery of Muamba. “The hospital had cooled him down to try help him and on Monday morning at 8am, they started to warm him back up again.

“That is when Fabrice had to kick in and do things of his own accord to have any chance. He did because we know the fighter he is and how strong he is. The way he came through that was incredible. Monday was an unbelievable day. We are all astonished with how far he has come.

“But we have to stress he is still in intensive care and he is still seriously ill. He has a long way to go. But what has happened is encouraging and we have to keep that in our thoughts.”

Visitors Blackburn have pulled five points clear of the relegation zone, thanks in part to excellent recent performances by Yakubu and Junior Hoilett.

Rovers manager Steve Kean is hopeful that the 21-year-old Hoilett will stay at the club beyond this season.

“We hope we can get ourselves to a position of safety and make him (Hoilett) an offer,” said Kean. “We want him to stay here. He is playing out of his skin.

“He likes playing wide, especially on the left when he can cut in on his right foot. But when he is playing just off the front he has got good feet, good movement and can provide service for Yak and score himself.

“Yakubu and Hoilett are causing all sorts of problems for centre-backs. I think it will be hard not to play that partnership because they are scoring goals and putting each other in.”

Bolton are without Tyrone Mears (knee), Ricardo Gardner (thigh), Chung-Yong Lee (broken leg) and Stuart Holden (knee), while Blackburn are expected to remain without Michel Salgado (rib) and Vince Grella (thigh).

The Trotters have lost nine games at home this season, with only Wolverhampton Wanderers losing more in the Premier League. Rovers have seven points from their last three league games and have scored 20 goals on the road - a tally that only five teams in the division can better.



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