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Phil Parkinson believes Wanderers will revel in their role as underdogs in this weekend’s FA Cup clash with Crystal Palace.
Having spent most of their League One campaign coping with the tag of favourites, few outside the town fancy the Whites to cause an upset against Premier League opposition.
Wanderers go into the weekend in their best run of home form since 1993, a sequence which has seen them win their last 10 games in all competitions. Palace, by comparison, have won just one of their last 14.
With no great expectancy on their shoulders, Parkinson reckons his side can enjoy the occasion.
“When the draw came out the aim was to get into that Crystal Palace game in a strong league position, now we can enjoy the extra exposure the cup brings,” he told The Bolton News.
“We’ll look to give a good account of ourselves now.
“We can enjoy the day and test ourselves against a very good team with no real pressure on ourselves, apart from to play well for our supporters.
“We’ll go in there as underdogs but we can play and give it all we’ve got and see if we can get into round four.”
Wanderers will check on the fitness of right-back options Lawrie Wilson (rib) and Lewis Buxton (back) in the next few days, after Derik Osede filled-in against Scunthorpe and Coventry.
The return of Sam Allardyce, recently installed to the Eagles’ dugout, gives the third round tie an extra touch of spice.
Big Sam has only lost once against Bolton as a manager but that was on his last visit in December 2010, as Stuart Holden scored a memorable winner to sink his Blackburn Rovers side.
Allardyce has complained that the festive fixture schedule – which saw Palace play three games in nine days - has been too heavy.
“You can see it with your own eyes, you don’t need to be a football manager,” he said after a 2-1 home defeat against Swansea City on Tuesday night. “Some people say it’s rubbish but it’s not, the players were trying 100 per cent but they were not physically able to reach their usual levels. They’re shattered.”
Wanderers played three times in eight days but have an extra 24 hours’ rest.
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Having spent most of their League One campaign coping with the tag of favourites, few outside the town fancy the Whites to cause an upset against Premier League opposition.
Wanderers go into the weekend in their best run of home form since 1993, a sequence which has seen them win their last 10 games in all competitions. Palace, by comparison, have won just one of their last 14.
With no great expectancy on their shoulders, Parkinson reckons his side can enjoy the occasion.
“When the draw came out the aim was to get into that Crystal Palace game in a strong league position, now we can enjoy the extra exposure the cup brings,” he told The Bolton News.
“We’ll look to give a good account of ourselves now.
“We can enjoy the day and test ourselves against a very good team with no real pressure on ourselves, apart from to play well for our supporters.
“We’ll go in there as underdogs but we can play and give it all we’ve got and see if we can get into round four.”
Wanderers will check on the fitness of right-back options Lawrie Wilson (rib) and Lewis Buxton (back) in the next few days, after Derik Osede filled-in against Scunthorpe and Coventry.
The return of Sam Allardyce, recently installed to the Eagles’ dugout, gives the third round tie an extra touch of spice.
Big Sam has only lost once against Bolton as a manager but that was on his last visit in December 2010, as Stuart Holden scored a memorable winner to sink his Blackburn Rovers side.
Allardyce has complained that the festive fixture schedule – which saw Palace play three games in nine days - has been too heavy.
“You can see it with your own eyes, you don’t need to be a football manager,” he said after a 2-1 home defeat against Swansea City on Tuesday night. “Some people say it’s rubbish but it’s not, the players were trying 100 per cent but they were not physically able to reach their usual levels. They’re shattered.”
Wanderers played three times in eight days but have an extra 24 hours’ rest.
Source