KEVIN Nolan believes a trip to Liverpool on Sunday could be just what Bolton need to lift them out of their mini-slump.
Bolton's 1-0 defeat at Birmingham City on Tuesday night made it three straight Premiership defeats for Sam Allardyce's side, damaging their prospects of European qualification.
But skipper Nolan sees the Liverpool game and visit of Chelssea next Saturday as opportunities to get back on course.
"We're all looking forward to Liverpool on Sunday and I'm especially looking forward to it," said the Merseysider.
"Last year we played really well over there and they scored in the last five minutes. I thought we were hard done by so hopefully it will go the other way this time.
"Right now were not playing as well as we were last season, but if we put in a good solid performance, hopefully we'll get a result.
"The lads are really confident they can get themselves out of this run.
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"I'm certain well be celebrating at the end of the season, even if right now it is a bad time for Bolton Wanderers."
Nolan is still confident Bolton can do enough in the last few weeks of the campaign to qualify for Europe for the second season on the trot.
He added: "We have to grind out results now, and, if there is a team that can do that, it's us.
"I'm still confident we'll be celebrating and smiling at the end of the season."
His boss, though, had little to smile about yesterday when he had a é2,000 fine slapped on him by the FA as well as being severely censured and warned as to his future conduct after his remarks about referee Mike Riley in January.
But being found guilty of improper conduct didn't prevent the outspoken Allardyce from giving the soccer authorities another slice of his advice, this time on the problem of diving.
"The cases without any contact at all are what we are trying to stamp out," he said.
"The overall bodies, the FA, PFA, LMA, Premier League, Football League and referees should work together and all come up with a solution.
"From a football point of view we have to look at what's the right line to to try to minimalise it."
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