Bolton vs Oxford predictions: Evatt’s aces to seal Wembley win
- Third-placed Bolton thrashed Oxford 5-0 in March
- Oxford, in fifth, finished 10 points behind Bolton in the League One table
- Recommended bet: Bolton to win & Over 1.5 Goals
Bolton and Oxford endured tense semi-finals before booking their day out at Wembley with a place in the Championship up for grabs.
Ian Evatt’s Bolton almost blew a 3-1 first-leg advantage over Barnsley but just about held on while Oxford, managed by Des Buckingham, were involved in a nip-and-tuck double header with Peterborough, going through 2-1 on aggregate.
Team news
Bolton will have Iceland striker Jon Bodvarsson on the bench after he recovered from a calf injury.
Carlos Mendes Gomes is Bolton’s only absentee.
Oxford had a scare this week when pretty much their one recognised striker, Mark Harris, picked up a knock in training.
However, It is quite likely Buckingham will name the same starting XI for the fourth match in a row.
The stats
Bolton have kept clean sheets against Oxford twice this season, drawing 0-0 at the Kassam Stadium in November and winning 5-0 at the Toughsheet Community Stadium in March.
Bolton have scored 121 goals in all competitions this season, their biggest ever haul in a single campaign.
The Trotters have lost just two of their last 14 matches, while Oxford have lost only one of their last 10.
Prediction
Bolton’s last trip to Wembley, in last season’s Football League Trophy final, resulted in a 4-0 thumping of Plymouth and they could be celebrating there again this weekend.
Ian Evatt’s classy side have been in and around the top three all season long, eventually losing out on automatic promotion by five points.
They were 10 points superior to Oxford over the course of the campaign and battered Des Buckingham’s men 5-0 when they last met in March.
That was at Bolton while this of course is on neutral territory and Oxford bring decent form to Wembley after successfully stifling Peterborough over two legs in their semi-final.
Oxford have not found the net against Bolton in any of their last three encounters over the past 13 months and the better attacking options do look to be in the Wanderers’ camp.
Goals are pretty much guaranteed whenever Bolton play and with the likes of Dion Charles, Aaron Collins, Paris Maghoma and Victor Adeboyejo to perm from, they carry a threat that will last 90 minutes.
Bolton can land the 5/4 odds with LiveScore Bet and take the win in a game featuring at least two goals.
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