Bolton v Man Utd

PREMIER LEAGUE
Venue: Reebok Stadium Date: Saturday, 17 January Kick-off: 1500 GMT
Coverage: Full commentary on BBC Radio 5 Live, coverage on BBC Sport website & highlights on Match of the Day; featured game on Final Score

Bolton's Gary Cahill (hip) and Gretar Steinsson (ban) may return, but Kevin Nolan (ban), Gavin McCann (toe) and Johan Elmander (hamstring) are out.

On-loan Zenit St Petersburg defender Sebastien Puygrenier is in the squad after getting international clearance and new man Ariza Makukula may play.

United duo Carlos Tevez and Jonny Evans limped off against Wigan and face fitness tests.

Wayne Rooney, Patrice Evra and Rio Ferdinand are sidelined.

Bolton (from): Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Shittu, Cahill, A O'Brien, Samuel, Riga, Muamba, Taylor, Davies, Gardner, Obadeyi, Bogdan, Smolarek, Fojut, Basham, Puygrenier.

Man Utd (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Foster, Neville, Rafael, Vidic, Evans, Chester, O'Shea, Ronaldo, Nani, Scholes, Gibson, Anderson, Carrick, Fletcher, Giggs, Park, Berbatov, Tevez, Welbeck.

Bolton manager Gary Megson: "We are down to the bare bones, but we've always known that.

"I spoke to my staff and asked them to write down what their strongest team would be and we are all more or less of the same opinion.

"From that strongest team, we are then only three players down - we've got a decent Premier League team but we have to get a better Premier League squad."

Man Utd manager Sir Alex Ferguson:
"The other night (against Wigan) was the best centre-half performance I've seen for years from Nemanja Vidic.

"He was absolutely magnificent and that gives us a hope that we can go to Bolton and deal with the issues of playing against their aerial attacks.

"They're good at it and hopefully we can navigate that particular problem."

BIG-MATCH FACTS

Manchester United take on Bolton in a Greater Manchester derby, looking for the three points that will put the double Premier League champions top of the table for the first time this season. (Current table toppers Liverpool do not play Everton until Monday.)

United are pursuing a fifth straight Premier League win; Bolton are attempting to avoid fourth consecutive league loss.

The Red Devils are aiming to gain their 175th Premier League victory on the road, to spoil Gary Megson's 50th top-flight match in charge of the Trotters.

The Old Trafford club lead the Premier League's "Last Six Current Form" table with 16 points; Bolton are bottom but one (three points).

A clean sheet will see Manchester United equalling Chelsea's top-flight record of 10 consecutive shut-outs.

Bolton have not scored in three games, or 357 minutes (five hours 57 minutes) of Premier League football, since Ricardo Gardner got their second in the 2-1 home win over Portsmouth on 20 December.

Manchester United have won seven of their last eight Premier League meetings with Bolton, but the Trotters gained their first home win over the Red Devils in nine attempts last season.

Distance between the clubs: 18 miles (28 kilometres)

CLUB FORM

BOLTON WANDERERS
Club stats:
12th 23 points
Highest realistically achievable after Saturday's matches: 10th
Lowest could fall: 16th
Best & Worst categories in 2008-09 Premier League

1. Lost the last three Premier League matches against Liverpool (a), Wigan (h) and Arsenal (a).

2. In danger of their longest losing league run since suffering five on the spin between 24 February and 19 March last season; the fifth defeat in that sequence being 2-0, away to Manchester United.

3. Their only points in the last six games came from a 2-1 home win over Portsmouth on 20 December.

4. Need to score three times to total 4,000 goals in top-flight football.

5. On the Premier League's longest current run of 21 matches without a score draw; the most recent being the 1-1 stalemate, away to Chelsea, on the last day of last season, 11 May.

6. Failed to score in six of the last nine top-flight matches at the Reebok.

7. Lost all six Premier League matches against the 'Big Four' clubs this season, and 10 of 11; the exception being a 1-1 draw with Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on 11 May.

8. Lost the last three North-West Premier League derbies, and won one of 15; that being 2-0, home to Manchester City on 2 November - their only win in eight such matches at the Reebok.

MANCHESTER UNITED
Club stats:
2nd 44 points
Highest achievable after Saturday's matches: 1st
Lowest could fall: 3rd
Best & Worst categories in 2008-09 Premier League

1. Lost just one of 17 in all competitions.

2. Won the last four Premier League matches, against Stoke (a), Middlesbrough (h), Chelsea (h) and Wigan (h).

3. Unbeaten in nine league games; won seven and drawn two since losing 2-1 away to Arsenal on 8 November - their only loss in 17 top-flight outings.

4. Boast the tightest defence in the Premier League. More details

5. One defeat short of 150 in league football under Sir Alex Ferguson.

6. One point down on last term and six points down on the previous season (both title-winning campaigns), but on the same 44 points mark after 20 games as in 2005-06, when they only went on to finish runners-up.

7. Not conceded in nine games, or 852 minutes (14 hours 12 minutes) of Premier League football since Samir Nasri scored Arsenal's second in the Gunners' odd goal in three home victory on 8 November.

8. One clean sheet shy of equalling Chelsea's top-flight record run of 10, set from 12 December 2004 and broken by Norwich on 5 March 2005.

KEY PLAYER NOTES

BOLTON WANDERERS

Goalkeeper Jussi JAASKELAINEN is the only remaining player to have been on the field for every minute of every one of Bolton's league and cup matches this season.

JAASKELAINEN is one of two Premier League ever-presents in the Bolton squad. The other is Andy O'BRIEN.

Matthew TAYLOR is a hat-trick shy of 50 career league goals.

Suspended:-

Kevin NOLAN (one match)

MANCHESTER UNITED

The newly crowned Fifa World Player of the Year, Cristiano RONALDO has scored six goals in six Premier League appearances against Bolton.

Edwin VAN DER SAR is leading the race for the Barclays Golden Glove with 13 clean sheets.

If selected:-

Ryan GIGGS will be making his 550th Premier League appearance - all for Manchester United.

Rio FERDINAND will be making his 200th Premier League appearance in United colours.

HEAD TO HEAD

Manchester United are looking to do the double over Bolton for the fifth time in the Premier League.

Bolton have conceded more Premier League goals to Manchester United than to any other club (44).

United have also inflicted on Bolton their biggest home defeat in the Premier League; 0-6 on 25 February 1996.

Home and away
League (inc PL): Bolton 41 wins, Man United 46, Draws 24
Prem: Bolton 3 wins, Man United 12, Draws 4

at Bolton only
League (inc PL): Bolton 25 wins, Man United 16, Draws 14
Prem: Bolton 1 win, Man United 5, Draws 3

LAST SEASON'S CORRESPONDING GAME

Bolton Wanderers 1-0 Manchester United
24 November 2007 - Ref: Mark Clattenburg
Bolton scorer: Anelka 11

THIS SEASON'S REVERSE FIXTURE

Manchester United 2-0 Bolton Wanderers
27 September 2008 - Ref: Rob Styles
Man Utd scorers: Ronaldo 60 pen, Rooney 77

REFEREE

Andre Marriner (West Midlands)

Resource: BBC SPORT