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Saturday, May 18

Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle has admitted that the current campaign has been his most challenging yet.

The Trotters have faced relegation worries on the pitch while injury woes have plagued the squad off it. Coyle has also had to deal with the trauma of Fabrice Muamba suffering a cardiac arrest and admits that such events have taken their toll on the season.

"It's been the most challenging season I've known," he said. "We're in the best league in the world and huge uncontrollables go against you. Of course it makes it more difficult.

"This year has been a freak season, starting in pre-season with the cruciates and the leg breaks and everything else but we've dealt with it all. We've got five games to decide our own fate.

"We've shown we can win these points and that will be enough to keep us in this league and that would be an unbelievable end to a very difficult season for a number of reasons."

Bolton travel to Villa Park on Tuesday night as they look to try to pull Aston Villa into the fight for survival.