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Wanderers are weighing up whether to put Manchester City whiz-kid Luke Mbete in for his debut against Cheltenham Town tomorrow.
George Johnston is out for at least a month with a sprained ankle, which leaves Ian Evatt with a choice to make in the centre of his defence.
Gethin Jones is standing by to make the 100th appearance of his Bolton career, and could start on the left side of the back three if Evatt decides that Mbete is not ready.
“We do have to be careful,” he told The Bolton News. “Dan (Nlundulu) and Randell (Williams) have picked up little injuries because they haven’t been used to the intensity that we train and play at, so we do have to bear that in mind with Luke.”
Evatt has no doubt, however, that the 19-year-old has the attributes to thrive at Wanderers, having had a difficult spell on loan in the first half of the season at Huddersfield Town in the Championship.
“His in-possession detail is fantastic, you don’t play for Manchester City in the Champions League if it is not,” said the Bolton boss.
“We do try and bring players in with a point to prove and sometimes that means lads who are on an upward curve, lads who want to come and prove themselves at a big club. Others are at big clubs and have gone out on loan and it hasn’t really worked out but they want to show how good they are.
“Luke fits that bill. He is a very talented boy with some serious attributes, so it is about him coming in to make an impact in our group, having a smile on his face and enjoying his football again.”
Mbete has joined a cluster of young players currently leading the way for Wanderers on the pitch – while at the opposite end, Evatt says the 36-year-old Cameron Jerome has been an important addition to the dressing room.
“There is a young group, which he has fit in well, with Conor Bradley, James Trafford, Shola Shoretire, Aaron Morley – it’s a good blend of youth and experience,” he said.
“Since Alex Baptiste left, we haven’t really had that voice of experience in the dressing room and when you look at Cameron, he has been there, got the T-shirt.
“I like what I am seeing – the conversations around the dinner table, little asides in training, players like him can help those exciting young players along and give them advice that even I can’t, because he has been living and breathing it for the last 10 years.”
Cheltenham inflicted a body blow on Wanderers earlier this season at Whaddon Road, a result which Evatt is keen to avenge.
“It was a low point, along with the defeat at Forest Green a few days later,” he said. “There have been a couple of moments like that this season, but not many. And I think we are in a really good place at the moment.
“On our pitch, our stadium, I think it will be a different type of game and I am really looking forward to it.”
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