BOLTON manager Gary Megson will be without skipper Kevin Nolan for the visit of Tottenham after the midfielder joined Newcastle.

The Trotters have no new injury concerns following their midweek 2-2 draw at Blackburn but Johan Elmander, Joey O’Brien, Nicky Hunt and Gavin McCann all remain sidelined through injury.

Meanwhile, Megson said his outburst in midweek was aimed at only five per cent of the club’s fanbase.

Megson was subjected to a torrent of abusive chants from the Bolton fans after the Trotters surrendered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 at Blackburn on Wednesday.

The experience was not new to Megson, who freely admits he will never win over a section of supporters who have been opposed to him ever since his appointment on October 25, 2007.

Megson went on the attack after the Ewood Park clash and hit out at those who targeted him. Yet the former West Brom boss believes a significant proportion of Bolton fans are firmly behind him.

“I had a bit of a dig but it wasn’t a generalisation of the fans because they weren’t all singing abusive songs about me,” said Megson.

“But some of them were, and they were the kind of people I was having a dig at.

“The reason I got the hump on Wednesday is that it’s happened to me before here.

Blame

“Anything that goes wrong, the blame seems to laid at my door.

“It was ’Megson, Megson give us a wave’ at Blackburn and then 40 minutes later I’m being abused.

“I don’t know what happened in that period where they think it was down to me what was going on.

“I accept my part in it, I make substitutions and I tell the team how to play. But we made mistakes for their goals.

“The only thing I regret is that I’ve given the impression I’m having a go at all the supporters.

“I’m not. I’m probably having a go at five per cent."

When Megson was appointed 15 months ago, the Trotters were bottom of the Premier League after collecting just five points from their opening 10 games.

Megson steered them to safety and said a number of key victories last season were achieved with the backing of the fans.

He added: “When I first came here we were going down and yet we stayed up.

“During the course of that relegation battle I took the club further that it has ever been in Europe.

“We got some really good results along the way and the football club is now in profit.

“The wage bill is also way down on what it was when I arrived.

“There are a lot of good things that have gone at the club while I have been here.

“We’ve got eight games remaining at home and we need everyone on our side."

New Tottenham midfielder Wilson Palacios could make his debut.

Spurs are level on points with Wanderers, three points above the relegation zone after Tuesday’s 3-1 win over Stoke.

Former Chelsea goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini is likely to be handed his second start between the posts while defender Pascal Chimbonda looks set for his first appearance back in a Spurs shirt after rejoining the club from Sunderland.

Aaron Lennon is expected to be fit after opening the scoring against the Potters despite a groin injury, while fellow midfielder Jermaine Jenas is also closing in on a return after a calf problem. Alan Hutton (foot) remains sidelined.

Bolton Wanderers (from): Jaaskelainen, Steinsson, Cahill, A O’Brien, Samuel, K Davies, Basham, Muamba, Gardner, Taylor, Makukula, Puygrenier, Obadeyi, Al Habsi, Bogdan, M Davies, Smolarek, Riga, Shittu.

Tottenham Hotspur (from): Cudicini, Gomes, Alnwick, Corluka, Dawson, Woodgate, Assou-Ekotto, Chimbonda, Lennon, Huddlestone, Jenas, Zokora, Modric, Bentley, Pavlyuchenko, Campbell, Defoe, Bent, Bale, Taarabt, Rocha, Giovani, Gilberto, Gunter.

Bolton league form: LLLLD

Tottenham league form: DLLDW

Key opponent: Jermain Defoe - always a goal threat

Prediction: Bolton 1 Tottenham 1 - neither side has been in the best form of late and a draw could be on the cards

Agree with the prediction? Have your say.

You can get 6/1 on a 1-1 draw with Betfred. For this and more odds, click here.

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