Aston Villa vs Bolton Wanderers - Match Preview
The very definition of a six pointer...
Match preview ahead of Aston Villa vs Bolton Wanderers tonight in the Premier League. Kick-off time is at 7.45pm. The very definition of a six pointer. Aston Villa currently sit five points above the relegation zone but should they lose to Bolton Alex McLeishs team will only be three points above the Wanderers, having played a game more. What is more, their rivals for survival are all entering relative good periods of form. Wigan have picked up the scalps of Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool in recent weeks, QPR have four in a row at home, Blackburn picked up a vital win and Bolton have games in hand on all those teams above them. After this game Villa face a midlands derby at West Brom, host a struggling Tottenham that nevertheless is full of quality, and a final day trip to Norwich which could go either way. If Villa need a result at Carrow Road they might struggle as Paul Lambert has done wonders with his side this season. Lamberts fellow scot, McLeish, has struggled badly at Villa. As the chairman Randy Lerner has tightened the budget and star men like Stewart Downing and Ashley Young have been sold and Darren Bent and Stiliyan Petrov have been ruled out with injury, McLeish has had to rely on the clubs academy players to make the numbers. Andreas Weimann, Eric Lichaj, Nathan Baker and Chris Herd have all featured in the last month and while the run of six place finishes achieved under Martin ONeill are understandably out of reach no one in the Holte End expected a relegation battle. Players like Shay Given, James Collins, Alan Hutton, Stephen Ireland, Charles NZogbia and Gabby Agbonlahor should see the club battling happily in mid-table. Regardless of where Villa finish, McLeishs future should be questioned. Owen Coyle, on the other hand, is probably secure no matter what happens to Bolton. Losing Lee Chung-Yong and Tyrone Myers before the season started was not a good omen, and the absence of Stuart Holden has only added to Bolton woes. The shocking incident with Fabrice Muamba at least appears to have a light at the end of the tunnel and renewed the sense of togetherness. However the Wanderers still need wins if they are to survive. After the trip to Villa Park they travel to Sunderland, then host Tottenham and West Brom, before a final day visit to the Britannia. Coyle has reason to be optimistic as the latter four teams have struggled to find form as the season reaches its end, but if they can drag Villa into the relegation dogfight Bolton will improve their chances of finishing outside the bottom three. Both teams have found goals hard to come by and Bolton have struggled to keep goals out at the other end. Villa have one win in the last ten, Bolton have five defeats. This game does not bode to be a classic and one goal could be the difference between the two teams. If there ever was a time to through caution to the wind and go for win that time must surely be now, but the fear of defeat may have to too a grip on both sides.