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

Bolton Wanderers travel to Burton Albion on Tuesday, as the Trotters look to continue their fine run of form in League One.

A run of six wins from the last seven games has seen Ian Evatt's men climb to 10th spot in the league table, while their hosts sit five points worse off in 13th place.

Match preview

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After climbing into the top half with an impressive tally of 39 points from their opening 28 games of the League One season, Burton Albion have hit a tougher run of form in recent weeks, earning just a single point from their last three outings.

Following a hard-fought away win over Lincoln City, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's side welcomed promotion-chasing Sheffield Wednesday to the Pirelli Stadium, and they fell to a 2-0 defeat before being beaten away at Portsmouth last Tuesday.

The Brewers hosted Cambridge United at the weekend, and, while they were able to stop a losing run from growing, they will have been left disappointed by a 2-2 draw having led on two separate occasions through Gassan Ahadme and Williams Kokolo before being pegged back by Sam Smith.

Following their recent struggles, the Midlands outfit have dropped into the bottom half of League One recently, although they would move back within two points of their opponents with a victory on Tuesday.

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That is a particularly tough task though, as Bolton Wanderers arrive as one of the league's form teams having won six of their last seven games.

After a run of four straight League One defeats, Ian Evatt's side turned their fortunes around in drastic fashion, winning their next four league outings, scoring 11 goals and not conceding in the process.

The Trotters' improvement was recently halted by a 1-1 draw away at Morecambe, before they returned to winning ways with a home win over Charlton Athletic.

Evatt's men then made it six wins from seven league games on Saturday, as they defeated seventh-placed Oxford United 3-2 in a crucial away meeting, with Amadou Bakayoko netting an 86th-minute winner after Declan John and Marlon Fossey had scored to cancel out Billy Bodin's brace.

Now in 10th spot with 45 points and 15 games to go, the Lancashire outfit will know they still have an outside chance of bridging the eight-point gap to the playoffs if they can continue their eye-catching form and will go in search of a third straight three-point haul on Tuesday.

Team News

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Burton Albion's line should again be led by Gassan Ahadme, who has largely been trusted since Sheffield United prospect Daniel Jebbison was recalled from his loan spell with Hasselbaink's men, in which he scored seven league goals.

Elsewhere, the Dutch manager should again deploy a back three consisting of Sam Hughes, John Brayford and former Manchester United defender Cameron Borthwick-Jackson, with Frazer Blake-Tracy and Tom Hamer set to keep their spots in wing-back roles.

Bolton have largely kept a very similar side since the beginning of their fine run of form, and that should be no different on Tuesday with Evatt only expected to make minimal changes.

However, Oladapo Afolayan will hope to regain his starting spot, having been forced to settle for a substitute appearance last time out after netting 10 league goals and providing five assists in the first 29 games of the season.

After his goal on Saturday, Amadou Bakayoko should again be handed a starting berth, with the Sierra Leone man expected to drop back to support the reformed duo of Afolayan and Dion Charles.

Elsewhere, the back three of Gethin Jones, Ricardo Santos and George Johnston will remain untouched, with the trio having shone since the Trotters' upturn in form.

Burton Albion possible starting lineup:
Garratt; Hughes, Brayford, Borthwick-Jackson; Hamer, Shaughnessy, Gilligan, Blake-Tracy; Powell; Ahadme, Moult

Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Trafford; Jones, Santos, Johnston; Fossey, Williams, Lee, John; Bakayoko; Afolayan, Charles

We say: Burton Albion 0-2 Bolton Wanderers

The Trotters arrive in formidable form, and we do not see Burton Albion stopping their winning run from growing on Tuesday.

Lacking confidence of their own, the Brewers could be swept aside by a Bolton side who seem to be gaining more momentum every game.

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