By Mark Heys
March 29 2007

Bolton Wanderers and Sheffield United need the three points for different reasons when they go head to head at the Reebok Stadium in Saturday afternoon's battle of the roses.

Wanderers need to halt an alarming recent run of form which has seen them put their hopes of qualifying for Europe in jeapordy, whilst the Blades will want to edge further away from the Premiership relegation zone after being sucked back into the scrap in recent weeks.

The recent international weekend has given both teams ample time to prepare for only their second meeting at the highest level since the top flight reformed fifteen years ago. The fixture at Bramall Lane ended all square in November with Bolton squandering what seemed like a comfortable two goal advantage.

Sheffield have done relatively well on their few visits to the Reebok Stadium with a record reading two draws and a defeat from three previous visits to the ground in the old Division 1 days.

Bolton know they can ill afford any more slips ups in the league from now until the end of the season and manager Sam Allardyce will be hoping his leading striker Kevin Davies has shaken off a recent foot problem to face the Blades and help get the season back on track.

Boyhood Blades supporter Davies lasted just under fifty minutes of his comeback game against Manchester United the last time out and he will be eager to make an appearance against his home city this coming weekend.

Veteran midfielder Ivan Campo will serve the first game of a two match suspension after picking up his tenth yellow card of the season in the game at Old Trafford so Iranian favourite Andranik Teimourian could be poised to play from the start.

United have top scorer Rob Hulse sidelined for the rest of the season with a broken leg and former Bury captain Chris Lucketti is doubtful after suffering a recent foot injury.

Jamaican international striker Luton Shelton may target a starting role after finding the target for his country in midweek. Ex-Leeds United centre half Matthew Kilgallon will hope to make his debut after appearing for the reserves in midweek following a two month foot injury.

PREMIERSHIP RECORD

11/11/2006 SHEFFIELD UNITED 2 (Hulse, Kazim-Richards) BOLTON WANDERERS 2 (Diouf, Davies)

PREMIERSHIP FORM GUIDE:

Played: 1 Won: 0 Drawn: 1 Lost: 0

CONNECTIONS

Malcolm Barrass, Nathan Blake, Andy Campbell, Franz Carr, Aidan Davison, Bob Hatton, David Holdsworth, Garry Jones, Andy Kennedy, Mark Patterson, Tony Philliskirk, Martin Pike, Terry Poole, Billy Russell, Andy Walker.

IT HAPPENED WHEN BOLTON PLAYED THE BLADES

Nathan Blake scored on his return to Sheffield United when these two sides met at Bramall Lane in November 1996. The Welshman had joined Bolton for a club record £1.5 million one year previously in a deal which also included midfielder Mark Patterson.

Ex-Sheffield United captain David Holdsworth had a short spell at Bolton with twin brother Dean in the 2002-2003 season, playing one league cup match against Bury.

Dean Holden broke his leg when these two sides met in the old Division 1 in March 2000. The young full back spent over a year out of the game following a clash with Lee Sandford and his return game ironically came against the Blades.

Former Wanderers favourite Scott Sellars is now coaching at the Sheffield United youth academy

Kevin Davies was released by the Blades as a schoolboy before carving out a career with the likes of Chesterfield, Southampton (twice), Blackburn Rovers, Millwall and the Wanderers