Bolton Wanderers vs Preston North End key men, likely line-ups, the referee, odds and all you need to know ahead of Championship clash

From likely line-ups to key men and the referee, all you need to know ahead of the game can be found below.

Likely line-ups

Bolton: Matthews, Lowe, Wheater, Hobbs, Taylor, Connolly, Connell, Noone, Vela, Ameobi, Magennis.

PNE: Rudd, Fisher, Storey, Davies, Hughes, Pearson, Gallagher, Potts, Browne, Maguire, Stockley

Key men

Luca Connell: The 17-year-old midfielder has become Wanderers’ bright new hope in tough times. The teenager has a great range of passing and real calmness on the ball which has seen him attract Premier League interest after just a handful of games.

Brad Potts: With two goals already to his name, the seven-figure sum paid to Barnsley is looking like an excellent piece of January business. A real athlete who knows when to break into the box, Potts should only go from strength to strength.

In the home dugout

Phil Parkinson: Chorley-born Parkinson has been at the Bolton helm since June 2016. He guided the Trotters to promotion from League One in his first season in charge. Last term, Parkinson helped Bolton fight-off relegation, with them surviving on the final day. He has previously managed Bradford, Charlton, Hull and Colchester. In 2006 he was in the running for the Preston job but Paul Simpson got it ahead of them. Parkinson was a PNE supporter as a child, attending games at Deepdale with his grandparents.

The referee

Andy Madley: The West Yorkshire referee is in charge of Preston’s clash with Bolton on Saturday. It is the fourth time Mr Madley has been in the middle for a PNE game this term, with him in the middle for the matches against Stoke in August, Blackburn Rovers in November and last month’s visit to Queens Park Rangers. The last two ended in 4-1 wins for Alex Neil’s men. Mr Madley has refereed one Bolton game this term, their 3-0 home defeat to Sheffield United.

Odds

Bolton 3/1

PNE 10/11

Draw 9/4

This week in PNE history

47 years ago: A crowd of more than 37,000 packed into Deepdale to watch Preston’s FA Cup tie with Manchester United on February 5, 1972. Two late goals from Alan Gowling gave United victory.

44 years ago: On February 8, 1975, Preston beat Halifax 1-0 at Deepdale thanks to a goal from Mel Holden.

38 years ago: Goals from Paul McGee and Gordon Coleman gave North End a 2-1 home win over Watford on February 7, 1981.

31 years ago: Gary Brazil found the net in Preston’s 1-0 win over Grimsby at Blundell Park on February 6, 1988.

22 years ago: On February 8, 1997, North End won 1-0 against Rotherham United at Millmoor thanks to a goal from David Reeves.