Bolton vs Nottingham Forest Betting Tips

Both sides are looking to improve on less than encouraging starts to the campaign. Bolton were being tipped for an improved season with Neil Lennon at the helm from the off but it’s not working out that way so far. After 4 competitive games they are yet to score a goal, are out of the Capital One Cup and loitering in the bottom 3 of the Championship.

It is only August though and Lennon may with some justification be able to point to a difficult schedule which has seen them play the two pre-season title favourites in their opening 3 games as well as an away game at newly promoted MK Dons who have started brightly.

They will though be able to call upon promising Arsenal winger Wellington Silva on Saturday and he should add to their attacking options. The Brazilian came within a matter of minutes of making the deadline to play on Tuesday night but seems a certain starter this weekend.

Despite a 2-1 win at home to Rotherham last Saturday, Nottingham Forest’s problems are perhaps more worrying. They were beaten 1-0 at Brighton on the opening day and were held to a goalless draw at home to Charlton in midweek. Their cause in that game wasn’t aided by their star player Michail Antonio, who scored the winner on Saturday, being withdrawn from selection due to the player ‘not being in the right frame of mind’.

Dougie Freedman was clearly not a happy man when interviewed after the game and the prospect of losing Antonio to bitter local and divisional rivals Derby County, who are said to have made a bid for the midfielder, would be a major blow to his plans for the season.

Forest haven’t won away from home since February and clearly the Antonio saga isn’t the perfect preparation for this game. Bolton aren’t as bad as their opening results suggest and in Neil Lennon they have a good manager who will be confident in his ability to turn it around.

They’ll be hungry for 3 points here to get there season off an running here and are good value for the win at 13/10. It is unlikely to be pretty though so backing a 1-0 home win at 7/1 might be best if you’re looking for a correct score bet.