MEGSON STEELS TROTTERS

Megson - massive game.

Bolton boss Gary Megson views Saturday's encounter with Sunderland as one of the biggest games in the club's history.

Megson's side have pulled themselves out of the Premier League relegation zone with seven points in their last three games but remain in deep trouble.

Wanderers could even be back in the bottom three come kick-off at the Reebok Stadium tomorrow evening with rivals Birmingham and Fulham, who face each other, and Reading in action earlier in the afternoon.

Sunderland now have little to play having guaranteed their own safety but Megson expects a difficult game in an intense atmosphere.

"It is a huge, huge game, one of the biggest that Bolton have ever had in their history and certainly the biggest this season," said Megson, who has also compared the clash to the final game of the 2002-03 campaign when Bolton beat Middlesbrough to stay up.

"There is no point saying it is a cup final because it is not but it is just a huge Premier League game.

"It will be a good atmosphere because of the support Sunderland take all over the country.

"From our own point of view we have got to try to put that out of our mind and fully concentrate on the fact we need these three points."

Megson expects his players to be fully focused on beating Sunderland but he admits it is difficult not to be concerned about happenings elsewhere.

Defeat would leave Bolton with an uneviable task when they travel to title challengers Chelsea on the final day of the season.

Megson said: "From our own point of view, it doesn't particularly matter. We've got to get these three points against Sunderland.

"But I am sure everybody knows everybody's goal difference. Everybody knows who everybody is playing this weekend and we also know who everybody is playing next weekend.

"You can't stop that happening. Everybody knows the consequence of getting three points here.

"All week what we are going to concentrate on getting those three points and then we will see what happens after that.

"Hopefully it's good news but even if we get the three points and the results go for us, there is still a game after that we are going to need to do something in."

Bolton have given themselves a fighting chance of survival with battling wins over West Ham and Middlesbrough and a draw at Tottenham.

Prior to that, a damaging defeat against Arsenal - when they threw away a two-goal lead to lose 3-2 - and a 4-0 thrashing by Aston Villa had seemed to have pushed Bolton closer to the trapdoor.

Megson admits the pressure is on but is pleased with how his players have responded in recent weeks.

He said: "It is difficult but it is our own fault because we have put ourselves in this position.

"It is not a case of going out and playing your football in this instance, it is right the way through the season.

"There is always some form of pressure on yourselves when you are playing.

"Going to White Hart Lane against the quality they have got is always a difficult proposition and that is how it proved. You turn around and you have got a £16million sub on the bench, so it just shows you the kind of clubs you are playing against.

"But it was a creditable point."

Bolton are strengthened by the return of striker Kevin Davies, who scored the winner on his last appearance against West Ham, from suspension.

Davies also broke his hand in the Hammers game but that injury will not prevent him facing Sunderland.