Preview: Bolton Wanderers vs. Blackburn Rovers

Blackburn Rovers will be looking to keep the pressure on the playoff places when they travel to the Macron Stadium to face Bolton Wanderers on Boxing Day.

Rovers returned to winning ways against Charlton Athletic on Saturday, but remain four points adrift of the top six as we approach the halfway point of the season.

That victory over the Addicks, which came courtesy of a Jordan Rhodes brace, ended a three-match winless streak for Gary Bowyer's side, although their main problem for a while now has been stringing a good run of wins together.

Boxing Day has been a traditionally difficult day for Rovers in recent times, however, with no wins in their last six matches on December 26.

They haven't exactly swept all before them on the road this season either, with no wins in their last four away games and just three all season.

However, with Rhodes beginning to rediscover his best form and Rudy Gestede also having enjoyed a productive first half to the season, the hosts will be confident of having the firepower required to test Bolton.

Blackburn have scored in 11 consecutive league games - the longest current run in the division - but they come up against a Bolton side who have been very impressive defensively in recent weeks.

The Trotters have kept four clean sheets in a row for the first time since September 2006, and another on Boxing Day would extend that run to five, a feat they have not achieved since April 1912.

That solid defence has been the basis of a seven-match unbeaten run for Neil Lennon's side, lifting them away from the bottom three and up to 16th in the table.

Things have been less impressive at the other end of the pitch recently, however, with Bolton only having scored twice in those last four games.

It is now five games unbeaten at the Macron for Wanderers, with only high-flying Ipswich Town avoiding defeat in that time, while the clean sheets have also been free-flowing at home, with three in their last four games.

A number of first-team players have been suffering with flu over the last few days, but Lennon is expected to have a fully-fit squad to choose from come Friday.

Bolton:

Recent form: WDWDDW

Possible starting lineup: Lonergan; Vela, Mills, Dervite, Ream; Danns, Pratley, Feeney, Lee, Hall; Gudjohnsen

Blackburn:

Recent form: DWDLLW

Possible starting lineup: Steele; Baptiste, Hanley, Duffy, Olsson; Tunnicliffe, Evans, Lowe, Marshall; Gestede, Rhodes

Sports Mole says: 1-1