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Match Preview: Wanderers v United
Manchester United Match Action
Wanderers' Kevin Davies (left) tussles with Manchester United's defender Rio Ferdinand (right) in last season's Barclays Premiership encounter at the Reebok Stadium.
WANDERERS' boss Sam Allardyce has told his play to go out and play without fear, when Manchester United visit the Reebok Stadium for the top of table clash in the Barclays Premiership this weekend.
The match is monumental for the Wanderers and a win would see Big Sam's men leapfrogging the table toppers and if Chelsea fail to beat Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, Wanderers could be top of the Premiership come five o'clock on Saturday.
Despite the potential of being at the helm of English football at the close of the weekend, Allardyce is realistic enough to know that a first home victory over Manchester United in the Premiership would be of miracle proportions and he wants his players to go out at the Reebok and enjoy themselves.
"We have a big, big challenge on our hands but all I do for games like these is to tell the players to go out and enjoy themselves, because they are not expected to win," explained Allardyce
"It's an attitude that I've always had in the Premiership and in the past stood us in good stead.
"It's such a big game for us that the players will drive themselves to their very limits to try and upset one of the big boys again.
"The Reebok is now a stadium people don't like coming to any more and we are proud of the record we've got here. If we can keep up that record of not conceding goals here I'll be very happy. If we got a nil-nil I'd be very, very happy and I'd be ecstatic if we managed to beat one of the best teams in the world here on our own patch for the first time in the Premiership."
Stelios
Stelios (left) challeges for the ball with United's Cristiano Ronaldo (right) at the Reebok Stadium.
Manchester United come to Bolton chasing their eighth victory in 10 Premiership outings, and fourth on the bounce.United have dropped only five of the last 30 points away from home, winning eight of the last 10 on their Premiership travels.
Allardyce knows, even after his excellent start to the season, that Saturday's test will be his biggest to date and will give some indication on how far his squad have come this term.
He added:
"You look at our squad and loom at their squad, their power and our power, in every department of the football clubs, and it is so very difficult to compete at their level - even though we are in the same division.
"You can do it now and again, which is what we've done during our time in the Premiership, when we've had some fantastic results, home and away, against the big boys.
"Once in a while you can do it and I hope it's one of those tomes tomorrow, but we've just beaten Liverpool here and to go and beat Manchester United as well in such a short space of time would be something of a miracle for us.
"There are so many players at Manchester United playing well at the moment.
"Ruud van Nistelrooy may have left but you see the way Saha is contributing. Giggs and Scholes are still having a major influence on the team.
"They have both been top players for United and still are."
Meanwhile, former Manchester United star Quinton Fortune looks unlikely to feature after breaking down in training with a calf problem. Skipper Kevin Nolan is suspended while the fitness of Abdoulaye Faye (concussion), Nicolas Anelka (knee) and El-Hadji Diouf (ankle) will continue to be monitored.
"Kevin Nolan is such a big player for us and a big loss but we can't do anything about that," said Allardyce.
"We've just got to try to get the others fit to give ourselves the best opportunity to get a result against United.
"Having Abdoulaye Faye available would be a big bonus for us. The back five is not necessarily the best we've got but they have done exceptionally well f
Manchester United Match Action
Wanderers' Kevin Davies (left) tussles with Manchester United's defender Rio Ferdinand (right) in last season's Barclays Premiership encounter at the Reebok Stadium.
WANDERERS' boss Sam Allardyce has told his play to go out and play without fear, when Manchester United visit the Reebok Stadium for the top of table clash in the Barclays Premiership this weekend.
The match is monumental for the Wanderers and a win would see Big Sam's men leapfrogging the table toppers and if Chelsea fail to beat Sheffield United at Bramall Lane, Wanderers could be top of the Premiership come five o'clock on Saturday.
Despite the potential of being at the helm of English football at the close of the weekend, Allardyce is realistic enough to know that a first home victory over Manchester United in the Premiership would be of miracle proportions and he wants his players to go out at the Reebok and enjoy themselves.
"We have a big, big challenge on our hands but all I do for games like these is to tell the players to go out and enjoy themselves, because they are not expected to win," explained Allardyce
"It's an attitude that I've always had in the Premiership and in the past stood us in good stead.
"It's such a big game for us that the players will drive themselves to their very limits to try and upset one of the big boys again.
"The Reebok is now a stadium people don't like coming to any more and we are proud of the record we've got here. If we can keep up that record of not conceding goals here I'll be very happy. If we got a nil-nil I'd be very, very happy and I'd be ecstatic if we managed to beat one of the best teams in the world here on our own patch for the first time in the Premiership."
Stelios
Stelios (left) challeges for the ball with United's Cristiano Ronaldo (right) at the Reebok Stadium.
Manchester United come to Bolton chasing their eighth victory in 10 Premiership outings, and fourth on the bounce.United have dropped only five of the last 30 points away from home, winning eight of the last 10 on their Premiership travels.
Allardyce knows, even after his excellent start to the season, that Saturday's test will be his biggest to date and will give some indication on how far his squad have come this term.
He added:
"You look at our squad and loom at their squad, their power and our power, in every department of the football clubs, and it is so very difficult to compete at their level - even though we are in the same division.
"You can do it now and again, which is what we've done during our time in the Premiership, when we've had some fantastic results, home and away, against the big boys.
"Once in a while you can do it and I hope it's one of those tomes tomorrow, but we've just beaten Liverpool here and to go and beat Manchester United as well in such a short space of time would be something of a miracle for us.
"There are so many players at Manchester United playing well at the moment.
"Ruud van Nistelrooy may have left but you see the way Saha is contributing. Giggs and Scholes are still having a major influence on the team.
"They have both been top players for United and still are."
Meanwhile, former Manchester United star Quinton Fortune looks unlikely to feature after breaking down in training with a calf problem. Skipper Kevin Nolan is suspended while the fitness of Abdoulaye Faye (concussion), Nicolas Anelka (knee) and El-Hadji Diouf (ankle) will continue to be monitored.
"Kevin Nolan is such a big player for us and a big loss but we can't do anything about that," said Allardyce.
"We've just got to try to get the others fit to give ourselves the best opportunity to get a result against United.
"Having Abdoulaye Faye available would be a big bonus for us. The back five is not necessarily the best we've got but they have done exceptionally well f
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