Middlesbrough v Bolton Wanderers
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Sam Allardyce, the Bolton Wanderers manager, is expected to recall Jay-Jay Okocha, Bruno N'Gotty and Nicky Hunt to the side for the Carling Cup final against Middlesbrough at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium tomorrow afternoon.
The trio were all rested and named on the bench last Saturday for the 3-1 defeat at home to Manchester City. Allardyce's options are further increased by the return of the defender Emerson Thome and the midfielder Stelios Giannakopoulos after suspension and a hamstring injury respectively. However, the on-loan John Otsemobor and Steve Howey are unavilable as they are cup-tied.
Bolton have not won major honours since 1958 when they beat Manchester United at Wembley to win the FA Cup. They got to the League Cup final in 1995 but lost 2-1 to Liverpool, and Allardyce is determined to break that run.
"This time around we have to make sure we go one step further and bring that trophy back to the Reebok Stadium," he said. "Let's hope the nerves don't kick in. It would be a major achievement to lift this cup and secure a place in Europe."
Middlesbrough welcome back Franck Queudrue to their squad for the final after the French full-back missed last weekend's 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United through suspension. Queudrue is expected to replace Stuart Parnaby at left-back.
Gareth Southgate, hoping to become the first Middlesbrough captain to lift a trophy in their 128-year history, is in line to play the 600th game of his career tomorrow.
Middlesbrough (from): Schwarzer, Jones, Mills, Queudrue, Parnaby, Murphy, Southgate, Ehiogu, Riggott, Cooper, Davies, Mendieta, Boateng, Doriva, Zenden, Downing, Juninho, Job, Maccarone, Nemeth, Ricketts.
Bolton Wanderers (from): Jaaskelainen, Hunt, Thome, N'Gotty, Charlton, Barness, Campo, Giannakopoulos, Frandsen, Okocha, Nolan, Djorkaeff, Pedersen, Davies, Poole, Ba, Moreno, Vaz Te.
Referee: M Riley (W Yorks).
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