Premier League preview: Bolton v Wolves

With their FA Cup campaign over, Wolverhampton return to the business of staving off relegation with a trip to Bolton on Wednesday.

Wolves cruelly fell 1-0 at home to Stoke City in the fourth round of the cup on Sunday, with Serbia international Nenad Milijas blowing a chance to equalise from the penalty spot in the shadows of full time.

With that disappointment fresh in their minds, Wolves must now attempt to turn around their English Premier League campaign, which is in dire need of resuscitation.

Wolves are wallowing at 19th on the table with a mere 21 points from 23 fixtures, ahead of bottom-placed West Ham United only by goal difference.

Mick McCarthy’s men were soundly beaten 3-0 by Liverpool last Saturday – their third loss from the past four games.

Milijas believes his side can draw confidence from their performance at home to Stoke, even though it ended disastrously.

“We need to turn things around and we need to think about the Bolton game and taking points there to stay in the Premier League,” the Serbian midfielder told The Express and Star.

“That’s the most important thing for us, the fans – everyone. We have good players and I hope we can win it.”

“If we play like we did against Stoke but keep a clean sheet and don’t make a mistake to allow them to score, I think we’ll be okay because I’m convinced we will score.”

Bolton, meanwhile, have slid to 11th after taking just one point from their past five fixtures.

It has been an incredibly disappointing run for Owen Coyle’s side, who were comfortably in the top 10 in the earlier half of the season.

On Monday, the Trotters bore the brunt of Chelsea’s stunning return to form, going down 4-0 in a thoroughly lopsided display.

That loss was just the second time this season Bolton had failed to take a point at home, and with Wolves losing nine of their past 10 on the road the Trotters will surely fancy their chances of getting one up over McCarthy’s men.

But the Wolves boss may have an ace up his sleeve in the form of Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara, who has signed on loan at the West Midlands club until the season’s end and could make his season debut on Wednesday.

Kevin Doyle missed the clash with Stoke due to illness but is expected to be fit for Bolton, though Stephen Hunt is in major doubt with a calf strain.

Croatian striker Ivan Klasnic watched Bolton’s loss to Chelsea from the bench and could be handed some time on the pitch by Coyle after recovering from a groin strain.