Bolton boss Owen Coyle bemoans loss of Gary Cahill

 

Pa
Friday 24 February 2012 12:11 GMT
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Gary Cahill (left) with Andre Villas-Boas at Cobham yesterday
Gary Cahill (left) with Andre Villas-Boas at Cobham yesterday (Getty Images)

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Bolton boss Owen Coyle has admitted his side's Barclays Premier League survival bid would have a better chance of success if he still had Gary Cahill in his defence.

With the Trotters travelling to Stamford Bridge tomorrow, Coyle and Chelsea recruit Cahill will meet up for the first time since the player's January switch.

Coyle said: "It is terrific to have that sort of player in your armoury - we wish we still had him, but we don't."

Coyle could not have hoped for a better time to face Chelsea, with Andre Villas-Boas' job seemingly hanging by a thread - but Coyle is adamant his counterpart remains the best man for the job.

Coyle said: "You can't come in, click your fingers and see everything fall into place, particularly at an elite club. Sometimes it takes time, but I do believe Chelsea have got the right man to bring it all to fruition."

Managerless Wolves head to Tyneside to face a Newcastle side determined to produce a backlash after seeing their European hopes hit by a 4-0 thumping at Tottenham a fortnight ago.

Magpies boss Alan Pardew said "We look where we are, and we are there by right. But our last game is a performance and scoreline that shouldn't happen at this club and we are determined to put things right."

Caretaker-boss Terry Connor looks set to lead Wolves into the game after the club's bid to secure a quick replacement for Mick McCarthy failed. Former Everton boss Walter Smith is the latest to turn down the Molineux job.

Fulham boss Martin Jol has shrugged off the importance of his reunion with Bobby Zamora, who will star in the Queen's Park Rangers line-up against the club he left in January.

Jol said: "He wanted to go to QPR and they were the only team that made a bid. The transfer market was almost dead and then QPR made a bid for him. We move on and that is what we've done."

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez takes his rock-bottom side into tomorrow's JJB Stadium clash with Aston Villa in buoyant mood after their hard-earned win at Bolton last time out.

Martinez said: "It is not a big gap but it is important we start being consistent. We showed how we have to play from now until the end of the season and it was a good mental boost looking at the challenge ahead."

Fraizer Campbell will look to underline the reasons for his shock England call-up and continue the Martin O'Neill-inspired Black Cats revival as Sunderland face West Bromwich Albion at The Hawthorns.

Meanwhile Blackburn prepare to face title-chasing Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.

PA

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