Premier League preview: Blackburn v Bolton

Both Owen Coyle and Steve Kean potentially have their jobs on the line when Premier League cellar-dwellers Blackburn host Bolton on Tuesday.

Blackburn and Bolton have been the big disappointments in the English Premier League this season, with just 19 points between them so far, and a loss for either side will no doubt bring their managers one step closer to the axe.

Kean is perhaps in more danger than Coyle, given his lack of support from the fans since taking over as full-time boss at Ewood Park from Sam Allardyce.

The fact Rovers have won just once in their last 11 league matches does not help his cause either, but they will never have a better opportunity to put three points on the board than at home against struggling Bolton.

Coyle’s side have won just three times in league this season, but disturbingly have lost all 10 of their other matches as they continue to leak goals at the back.

Neither side has had too many problems scoring, with Bolton’s 20 goals equal to that of sixth-placed Liverpool.

Rather it has been at the back where the problems have lay, with Blackburn’s horrible defensive record of 36 goals conceded only better than Bolton’s, who have let in 38.

Admittedly both sides have long injury lists, with Bolton missing the likes of Stuart Holden, Ricardo Gardner and Chung-Yong Lee, while Blackburn have been without Junior Hoilett, Michel Salgado, Martin Olssen and Gael Givet.

But injuries alone cannot explain the defensive frailties of both sides, with Blackburn not having kept a clean sheet since their last match against Bolton, in May this year.

Wanderers have managed to keep three clean sheets this season, but have also conceded three or more goals on seven occasions.

With just nine points for the season, Bolton sit one point behind Blackburn at the bottom of the table, and are already five points adrift of safety.

The Christmas period could prove crucial for both teams chances of survival, with Bolton facing Newcastle and Wolves as well as Blackburn in the next two weeks.

“There’s no doubt that we have to go to Blackburn on Tuesday and play Newcastle and Wolves after Christmas and take points,” Coyle told Bolton’s official website.

“If we do that it will give us a foothold back into those five or six teams.”

“Make no mistakes, we are in a real dogfight now with where we are. We know all the problems we have had but we also know the group we have are capable of giving bigger performances to what they have at this point. Collectively, we all know we can do better.”