Preview:Northampton Town vs Bolton Wanderers - prediction, team news, lineups

Bolton Wanderers will look to extend their eight-game unbeaten league run when they travel to Sixfields for Saturday’s meeting with Northampton Town.

The Trotters are sitting in 10th place with 14 points to their name, while the Cobblers will start the day in 15th spot in the League One table.

Match preview

Northampton endured a difficult start to the 2025-26 campaign, recording one draw and three defeats in their opening four league matches.

However, they managed to spark an upturn in fortunes with three consecutive victories over Exeter City, Leyton Orient, and Blackpool, before being brought back down to earth by a 2-0 defeat against Wycombe Wanderers.

Kevin Nolan’s side produced a positive response in midweek, clinching a 3-0 victory in their home meeting with Chelsea Under-21s in the EFL Trophy.

Northampton will look to take inspiration from their free-scoring display, especially as they are League One’s joint-lowest scorers with five goals.

They will also take confidence from the fact that they have won their last three competitive matches at Sixfields without conceding.

The Cobblers will hope that home advantage can help them beat Bolton for the first time since recording a 2-1 away win in the EFL Cup in August 2008.

Bolton have proven to be a tough team to beat in the early stages of the season, having lost just one of their nine League One matches.

That solitary defeat took place against Stockport County on the opening day of the season, meaning that they put together an eight-game unbeaten run since that 2-0 loss.

The Trotters started their unbeaten streak with four consecutive draws, before they eased to a 3-0 win over Wimbledon earlier this month.

After going on to draw with Leyton Orient, the Trotters returned to winning ways with an emphatic 4-1 victory in last Saturday’s derby clash with Wigan Athletic, thanks to a Marcus Forss brace and efforts from Thierry Gale and Mason Burstow.

Steven Schumacher’s side produced another free-scoring display in their midweek outing in the EFL Trophy, coasting to a 3-0 victory over Manchester City’s Under-21 side to go three points clear at the top of Group 5.

While they may be in fine form, Bolton will head on their travels with hopes of claiming their first away win of the season, having drawn three and lost one of their previous four road trips this term.

Northampton Town League One form:

L L W W W L

Northampton Town form (all competitions):

L W W W L W

Bolton Wanderers League One form:

D D D W D W

Bolton Wanderers form (all competitions):

D W W D W W

Team News

The Cobblers remain without the services of long-term injury absentees Liam Shaw and John Guthrie.

Forward Elliott List is a doubt for the home fixture after being forced off with a hamstring problem in Tuesday’s EFL Trophy outing.

Northampton are also set to make a late decision on the availability of Nesta Guinness-Walker, who has sat out the last two matches.

As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon Jordi Osei-Tutu, Will Forrester and Victor Adeboyejo due to injury.

Midfielder Josh Sheehan will be available for selection despite suffering a knock to his foot in the midweek win over Manchester City Under-21s.

Burstow will continue to offer one of Bolton's main goal threats, having scored five times in the opening nine league matches of the season.

Northampton Town possible starting lineup:

Burge; McCarthy, Dyche, Perkins; Campbell, Hoskins, Thorniley, Taylor; McGeehan, Fornah, Wheatley

Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:

Sharman-Lowe; Dacres-Cogley, Forino-Joseph, Johnston, Conway; Simons, Morley; Cozier-Duberry, Forss, Gale; Burstow

We say: Northampton Town 1-1 Bolton Wanderers

Bolton should be in a confident mood after winning four of their last five competitive games; however, all of those victories have taken place on home turf, with the Trotters still searching for their first away win of the campaign.

With that in mind, we think that they will have to settle for a point against a Northampton side who will also carry momentum into the fixture after winning four of their previous five matches.

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