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Two sides currently in poor form meet at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday as Bolton host Arsenal. Wanderers are currently a point adrift of safety and without a win in their last six Premier League games, while the Gunners have failed to win in their previous five outings, seeing their title chances quickly fade away. Archie Knox was in temporary charge of Bolton when the two sides met in October, with goals from Kolo Toure and Tomas Rosicky handing Arsene Wenger's side a 2-0 victory. Gary Megson is now in charge and he has huge selection problems ahead of the game, with the club's three longest serving players all ruled out. Jussi Jaaskelainen is out for the rest of the season with a back injury, which means Ali Al-Habsi will continue in goal after impressing over recent weeks. Ricardo Gardner picked up a broken rib last time out and is looking at around a month on the sidelines, where he will be joined by Kevin Nolan who sits out the first of a two game suspension. Abdoulaye Meite has fallen out of favour with Megson over the last couple of weeks, but Ivan Campo is expected to play despite an outburst of his own after being substituted against Man City. Otherwise, Bolton aren't expected to make too many changes, with Kevin Davies spearheading an attack which has caused Arsenal so many problems in past times. The visitors also have selection problems of their own, with right-back Bacary Sagna out for three weeks after picking up an ankle injury against Chelsea last Sunday. Emmanuel Eboue is the most likely replacement for the Frenchman, possibly giving Theo Walcott the opportunity to impress on the right wing. Rosicky, who scored against Bolton earlier in the season, is out with a hamstring injury, while Eduardo da Silva is missing with a broken leg. Leading goalscorer Emmanuel Adebayor is expected to start on the bench, with Nicklas Bendtner and Robin Van Persie pushing for starts in the side. Squads: Bolton Wanderers: from: Al Habsi, Davies, Taylor, Diouf, Campo, A O'Brien, McCann, Steinsson, Hunt, Samuel, Cahill, Giannakopoulos, Helguson, J O'Brien, Rasiak, Cohen, Walker. Arsenal: from: Almunia, Eboue, Toure, Gallas, Clichy, Walcott, Fabregas, Flamini, Hleb, van Persie, Bendtner, Lehmann, Adebayor, Diaby, Senderos, Hoyte, Gilberto, Denilson. Referee: Chris Foy Burnden Aces prediction: 1-2 |
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