Preview - Bolton v West Brom

Christmas isn't Christmas without a Boxing Day game and the Baggies travel to the Reebok to take on a Trotters team that is very closely matched to their own. This is the first of two games in three days so team selection for both clubs has to be considered very carefully. The festive period will go a long way to determining clus eventual league positions with several games in a short period of time that will test squads to the limit. This game will be seen as winnable for both teams and so I expect to see the strongest teams for both teams play.

'The importance of the Christmas period is that you have so many games in a short period of time.

That stretches squads and demands that you have a good squad.

But you need to be good before (Christmas) and good afterwards, otherwise there is no point.'

Mark Davies is available suspension but Joey O'Brien, Sean Davis, Ricardo Gardner and Jloyd Samuel remain sidelined.

Davies causes problems for every team he faces and I expect no difference this afternoon.

Jonas Olsson is again out but it is a clean bill of health for everybody else.

The Nigerian international has missed several games through injury so he will be champing at the bit to get back onto the score sheet.

World Cup referee takes charge of the game.

1-1

At home to Blackburn Rovers on 28 December.

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