Bolton to play on for Muamba

Bolton manager Owen Coyle has revealed that he will not force players to feature against Blackburn Rovers if they do not feel ready.

The fixture at the Reebok Stadium will go ahead on Saturday but with Fabrice Muamba still in hospital after suffering a cardiac arrest against Tottenham last weekend, Coyle acknowledged the match would be a ‘difficult’ task.

Coyle did add, however, that no Bolton player had asked to be omitted from the squad so far.

“I wouldn’t ask anybody to play who felt they couldn’t,” Coyle said.

“So far, no-one has told me they don’t want to be involved. There comes a point that we have to play our games and move forward.

“You don’t move on. We have a game to play and we have to go and play it.

“Will it be difficult? Absolutely. Our thoughts are still with Fabrice Muamba.”

Muamba’s father, Marcel, and fiancee Shauna, have urged Coyle to ensure that Bolton complete their upcoming fixtures, the Scot said.

“I spoke to them for over an hour and they were adamant, Bolton had to play their games,” Coyle said.

“Everything does pale into insignificance alongside Fabrice’s recovery. But we will go out there and do our best.”

Coyle described Muamba’s progress on Monday – a ‘big day’ in the midfielder’s recovery – as ‘unbelievable’ but emphasised that the 23-year-old remains seriously ill.

“Monday was a big day,” Coyle said. “The hospital had cooled him down to try help him and on Monday morning at 8am, they started to warm him back up again.

“That is when Fabrice had to kick in and do things of his own accord to have any chance. He did because we know the fighter he is and how strong he is.

“The way he came through that was incredible. Monday was an unbelievable day. We are all astonished with how far he has come.

“But we have to stress he is still in intensive care and he is still seriously ill. He has a long way to go.

“But what has happened is encouraging and we have to keep that in our thoughts.”