Preview: Watford vs. Bolton Wanderers

Just one place and one point separated Watford and Bolton Wanderers in the final standings of the 2013-14 Championship season, and they will kick off the new campaign against each other this Saturday.

The Hornets will go into the match at Vicarage Road looking to make a positive start to a season that begins with ambitions of a playoff charge.

It will be the first full campaign under manager Giuseppe Sannino, who saw his side tail off towards the end of last season with four straight defeats.

The summer hasn't exactly done much to fill the fans with confidence either, with Watford having only won one and scored in three of their six pre-season outings.

A number of notable names have also left the club, including goalkeeper Manuel Almunia, who has been replaced by Heurelho Gomes in between the sticks.

Sannino has so far managed to keep hold of star striker Troy Deeney, however, while Matej Vydra has returned to the club on loan.

The likes of Lloyd Dyer and Gabriel Tamas could be in line for debuts following their respective summer moves as the hosts look to make a winning start.

In their way will be a Bolton side that made a strong finish to last season, losing just one of their last 10 outings to shoot up to 14th in the table.

Manager Dougie Freedman will be all too aware that his side spent too long in the lower reaches of the division, however, and he will be hopeful that a playoff charge is more likely than a relegation battle this season.

There have been promising signs in pre-season, although the Trotters did fall to a narrow defeat at the hands of Dutch side Vitesse last weekend.

The summer transfer window has been a busy one for the club, and new additions such as Liam Feeney, Dean Moxey and loanee Kevin McNaughton could all make their debuts at Vicarage Road.

Freedman has insisted that there are more signings to come as well, so a number of the players on show this Saturday could be playing for their place in the side.

Recent form

Watford: WDDDLD

Bolton: LDWDWL

Possible starting lineups

Watford: Gomes; Tamas, Angella, Ekstrand; Dyer, McGugan, Battochio, Abdi, Anya; Deeney, Vydra

Bolton: Lonergan; McNaughton, Ream, Mills, Moxey; Feeney, Pratley, Medo, Spearing, Danns; Beckford

Sports Mole says: 1-1