Prediction: Newcastle vs Bolton

25th February 2011

Newcastle remained in the top part of the table as they surprised Birmingham at St Andrew’s with the Magpies now looking for 10th league win of the season. Bolton not only beat Everton in the Premiership but also triumphed over Wigan and Fulham in the FA Cup, so the Trotters could be forgiven for feeling they can win this one as well.

After selling Andy Carrol to Liverpool, Newcastle again face a real battle to keep hold of their star players, which is definitely a testament to team’s performances this season. The Magpies have managed to tie Cheick Tiote to a long-term deal, but Jose Enrique and Joey Barton could still leave at the end of the season. As far as the Premier League campaign is concerned, the amazing comeback against Arsenal proved to be a major confidence boost as Newcastle went on to bring one point from Blackburn and three from Birmingham, although they now face a tough task against high-flying Bolton. Selection headaches are nothing new for Alan Pardew, who is still without Shola Ameobi, Hatem Ben Arfa, Dan Gosling, Stephen Ireland, Danny Guthrie and Alan Smith but good news is that Ryan Taylor and Steven Taylor return to contention, whereas Peter Lovenkrands is a doubt with a thigh problem.

I have to say I’ve been impressed by Bolton this season and they are definitely the side that progressed the most when compared to last season. Following the impressive start to the season, the Trotters suffered a big dip in form when the fixtures started piling up, but they are now back to their best. After winning two of their last three league games, Bolton recorded narrow wins over Wigan and Fulham to reach the FA Cup quarter-finals, with the players now brimming with confidence. The arrival of Daniel Sturridge from Chelsea proved to be a major boost, while few fringe players also showed a lot of potential, giving Owen Coyle a lot of options before the decisive battles in the season. After missing the two FA Cup games, Daniel Sturridge is set to return to the starting line-up, while Gretar Steinsson could be available after recovering from a knee injury. Davis, Knight, O’Brien, Gardner, Ricketts and Samuel remain sidelined.

Conclusion

Free betting experts know it is hard to predict the outcome of the match between the two in-form sides, although both managers would probably settle for draw. Newcastle and Bolton will be looking for a win but could easily end up canceling each other out, so my advice is to bet on draw.

Verdict: Draw (X)

Best Odds: 12/5

Bookmaker: Victor Chandler