Both sides need the three points for different reasons with hosts Bolton looking for victory to pull themselves out of the bottom three and visitors Arsenal needing the win to keep themselves in the title race.

Arsenal haven't had the best of records when visiting Bolton in recent years as the Wanderers have come out on top more often than not, but the Gunners will fancy their chances against a misfiring Trotters team which has scored just one league goal all month.

Bolton have taken just one point from the last six league games but their draw with Manchester City last week marked the end of a five game losing streak for Gary Megson's troops.

The Gunners have also stuttered of late with four draws and two losses coming off  the back of their 2-0 win at home to Blackburn Rovers at the start of February.

Megson has a few injury and suspension worries going into this game with Jussi Jaaskelainen (back), Ricardo Gardner (rib) and Kevin Nolan (ban) all missing for Bolton.

Jlloyd Samuel could come in to take the place of Gardner at left back, although another option for Megson could be to move Matthew Taylor into the defence and introduce Stelios Giannakopoulos into the starting line up.

A number of players are fighting it out for Nolan's place in midfield, with Gavin McCann or Joey O'Brien the most likely candidates to replace the Wanderers skipper.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been dealt a blow prior to his trip to the North West as full back Bacary Sagna was ruled out with an ankle injury sustained in last weekend's London derby with Chelsea.

Hamstring victim Tomas Rosicky is still on the treatment table as is striker Eduardo who suffered that badly broken leg against Birmingham City at St Andrews last month.

LAST TIME WE MET:

20/10/2007 Arsenal 2 (Toure, Rosicky) BOLTON WANDERERS 0

BOLTON: Jussi Jaaskelainen, Joey O'Brien, Andy O'Brien, Abdoulaye Meite, Ricardo Gardner, Danny Guthrie (Stelios Giannakopoulos), Ivan Campo, Gavin McCann, Kevin Nolan, Kevin Davies, El-Hadji Diouf (Daniel Braaten)

SUBS NOT USED: Nicky Hunt, Gerald Cid, Ali Al-Habsi (GK)

ARSENAL: Manuel Almunia, Bacary Sagna, Kolo Toure, William Gallas, Gael Clichy, Emmanuel Eboue (Tomas Rosicky), Cesc Fabregas, Mathieu Flamini, Aleksander Hleb (Abou Diaby), Emmanuel Adebayor, Eduardo Da Silva (Theo Walcott)

SUBS NOT USED: Gilberto Silva, Lukas Fabianski (GK)

PLAYED FOR BOTH:

Nicolas Anelka, John Elvey, George Hunt, Brian Kidd, David Jack, Isaiah Rankin

DID YOU KNOW:

Archie Knox was caretaker manager for Bolton when these two sides met in October 2007.

Ex-Arsenal striker Nicolas Anelka scored his first Bolton league goals against the Gunners last season.

Arsenal goalkeeping coach Gerry Peyton and assistant reserve coach Mike Salmon both had spells at Bolton during their playing career.

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