• Premier League

Coyle coy on Bolton's survival chances

ESPN staff
March 9, 2010
Owen Coyle is refusing to let his players get complacent about their survival prospects © Getty Images
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Sunderland v Bolton
Bolton manager Owen Coyle insists nobody at Bolton is getting carried away despite the team recording back-to-back victories in their last two games, ahead of their crucial relegation clash at the Stadium of Light.

Wanderers moved five points clear of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win at West Ham at the weekend, their first away victory since September after a 1-0 victory over Wolves seven days earlier.

"It's always nice to win matches, but there is certainly no leaping about,'' Coyle said. "We've won two games back-to-back and it's given us six valuable points, but that's all it is.

"We have got so much hard work ahead of us, starting at Sunderland, and we have to be at our best, as we have been in our last couple of games, to go and earn points. We are delighted to get those points on the board, but we are certainly not getting carried away.''

Sunderland are without a win in 14 league matches, and Steve Bruce will be without the injured Kieran Richardson, Lee Cattermole, Andy Reid and Jordan Henderson. David Meyler is suspended following his red card against Portsmouth, but Steed Malbranque returns to the squad following a breach of club discipline.

Frederic Piquionne has scored four goals in his last three matches © Getty Images
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Portsmouth v Birmingham
Birmingham return to Fratton Park, where they were dumped out of the FA Cup by Portsmouth on Saturday, and Blues boss Alex McLeish wants three points to put the disappointment of Saturday's defeat behind them.

Avram Grant's side are already five points adrift of safety at the foot of the table and are facing a further nine-point penalty from the Premier League having slipped into administration last month.

However, Pompey are chasing their first back-to-back league victories of the season, and striker Frederic Piquionne has scored four goals in his last three outings, notably two against Birmingham.

Portsmouth will be without midfielders John Utaka and Hassan Yebda, and Ricardo Rocha is suspended, while the club confirmed they have released Serbian defender Dusko Tosic.

McLeish has hinted he may hand a first start to Spanish midfielder Michel. The £3 million signing is yet to make his full debut for the Blues since his transfer from Sporting Gijon in January.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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