By Mark Heys
March 14 2008

Bolton Wanderers will be hoping to secure nothing less than three points when going head to head with their near neighbours and relegation rivals Wigan Athletic at the JJB Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The Wanderers dropped into the bottom three last weekend due to the results of the other teams around them and that, coupled with their UEFA Cup exit at the hands of Sporting Lisbon, should make the Trotters that bit more determined to net their second successive win at the JJB.

Last April two Andranik Teimourian goals and a further effort from Nicolas Anelka helped Wanderers secure their first win at Wigan in fourteen years and Gary Megson will be hoping his side can repeat that feat.

In December the Wanderers convincly demolished the Latics by 4-1 but Wigan are now much improved under the stewardship of Steve Bruce and will be looking for their third win in four at home.

Bolton have had to go through the mill since the turn of the year with only wins against Reading and Derby County to cheer about in the league, so three points is very much a must if they are to keep their heads above water going into a week of fixtures which sees them play three games in six days.

Megson will recall all his big hitters for the short trip across the North West with El-Hadji Diouf, Andy O'Brien, Gretar Steinsson, Matthew Taylor, Kevin Davies, Ricardo Gardner and Ivan Campo set to feature.

Goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen and skipper Kevin Nolan missed the two European ties against Lisbon with back injuries but both stand a good chance of making the game at Wigan.

Midfielder Gavin McCann will be returning from a one match suspension after missing the secong leg of the Wanderers match in Lisbon.

Wigan have a doubt over striker Marcus Bent but fellow forward Emile Heskey is likely to play after suffering with a foot injury recently.

Swedish defender Andreas Granqvist has rejoined his former club Helsingborgs on loan this week and will therefore not be playing on Sunday afternoon.

LAST TIME WE MET:

BOLTON: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Nicky Hunt, Andy O'Brien, Abdoulaye Meite, Ricardo Gardner, Kevin Nolan (Stelios Giannakopoulos), Ivan Campo (Gary Speed), Danny Guthrie, Kevin Davies, Nicolas Anelka, El-Hadji Diouf (Gavin McCann)

SUBS NOT USED: Lubomir Michalik, Ali Al-Habsi (GK)

WIGAN ATHLETIC: Chris Kirkland, Emmerson Boyce, Titus Bramble, Andreas Granqvist, Kevin Kilbane, Antonio Valencia, Paul Scharner, Denny Landzaat, Jason Koumas, Emile Heskey (Michael Brown), Marcus Bent

SUBS NOT USED: Ryan Taylor, David Cotterill, Josip Skoko, Mike Pollitt (GK)

PLAYED FOR BOTH:

John Ball, Malcolm Barrass, Brian Bromley, Paul Comstive, Walter Crook, Ernie Corfield, Wayne Entwistle, Simon Farnworth, Gareth Farrelly, Dave Felgate, Per Frandsen, Scott Green, Ken Grieves, Ralph Gubbins, Derek Hennin, John Higgins, Paul Jones, Tony Kelly, David Lee, Paul Lodge, Dave McKearney, Tommy Neill, Neil Redfearn, Bruce Rioch, Ian Seddon, Geoff Sleight, Stuart Storer, Greg Strong, Steve Taylor, Emerson Thome, Chris Thompson, David Thompson, Gavin Ward, Stuart Whittaker, Roy Wilkinson, Tom Woodward.

DID YOU KNOW:

Bolton manager Gary Megson and Wigan midfielder Jason Koumas both worked together at West Bromwich Albion.

Prior to this seasons away win at Reading, the Wanderers last win away from the Reebok in the league was against Wigan.

Midfielder Denny Landzaat, now of Feyenoord, scored the Latics goals in their last two visits to Bolton whilst Nicolas Anelka, now of Chelsea, scored in the last two league meetings against Wigan.

Wigan manager Steve Bruce was considered for the Bolton job when Sammy Lee left the club but his then club Birmingham City refused the Wanderers permission to discuss a move.