Preview: Bolton Wanderers vs. Wycombe Wanderers - prediction, team news, lineups

Bolton Wanderers will be looking to bounce back from three successive League One defeats when they continue their league campaign at home to Wycombe Wanderers on Tuesday night.

The home side are currently 17th in the table, picking up 26 points from their 23 matches, while Wycombe sit third, four points behind division leaders Rotherham United.

Match preview

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Bolton's 1-0 loss at Hartlepool United in the EFL Trophy on January 1 made it four straight defeats for Ian Evatt's side, including their last three in the league against Fleetwood, Accrington Stanley and Rotherham.

The Trotters, who secured a return to the third tier by finishing third in League Two last season, have won seven, drawn five and lost 11 of their 23 league fixtures this season to collect 26 points, which has left them in 17th.

Evatt's team are only three points clear of the relegation zone, and the fact that they have not won in the league since November 23 is a concern, but there is still plenty of football to be played before the end of the season.

Four of Bolton's next five League One fixtures are actually at home, and it would not be a surprise to see them move up the division in the coming weeks, but it is difficult to imagine them challenging for a top-half finish.

The Trotters have also lost their last three league games against Wycombe without scoring a goal, including a 1-0 defeat in the reverse match back in November.

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Wycombe, meanwhile, will enter Tuesday's contest off the back of a 3-3 draw with Sunderland, which has left them in third spot in the table, boasting 46 points from their opening 25 matches of the season.

Gareth Ainsworth's side were actually on the verge of losing at home to Sunderland on Saturday, only for Joe Jacobson to net a 98th-minute leveller for the Blues in what was a thrilling affair.

Wycombe, who were relegated from the Championship last season, are only four points behind league leaders Rotherham, although they have played a game more than the side at the top of the division.

The Chairboys have lost just one of their last eight league matches, which came away to Ipswich Town at the end of September, while they won at Charlton before the draw with Sunderland.

Wycombe have the third-best away record in League One this season, collecting 20 points from 13 matches, while Bolton only have the 16th-best home record, but the Trotters have only played 10 times in front of their own supporters this term, picking up 16 points.

Team News

Bolton will be without the services of striker Eoin Doyle, who has joined hometown club St Patrick's Athletic, with the 33-year-old leaving the Trotters after a successful spell.

Head coach Evatt is expected to name an attacking side on Tuesday, with Nathan Delfouneso, Elias Kachunga and Amadou Bakayoko featuring in the final third of the field.

Bolton do not have any fresh injury concerns ahead of the match, and there will be another start for Oladapo Afolayan, who has netted seven times in the league this term.

As for Wycombe, head coach Ainsworth made just the one change to his starting team on Saturday, bringing in Anthony Stewart for Jason McCarthy.

There are not expected to be many surprises in the away side's starting XI for this match, with the same team that took to the field for the first whistle against Sunderland potentially featuring once again.

Sam Vokes has scored eight league goals for Wycombe this term and will again line up in attack.

Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Dixon; Fossey, Ricardo, Aimson, John; Johnston, Thomason; Afolayan, Delfouneso, Kachunga; Bakayoko

Wycombe Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Stockdale; Stewart, Forino-Joseph, Jacobson; Grimmer, Mehmeti, Scowen, Obita; Vokes, McCleary, Hanlan

We say: Bolton Wanderers 1-2 Wycombe Wanderers

Bolton will be desperate to end their recent losing run, but we are finding it really difficult to back the home side here; Wycombe have a lot of quality in the forward areas and should have enough to secure a valuable three points at the University of Bolton Stadium.

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