Two promotion contenders clash at The Valley on Saturday when Charlton Athletic host Bolton Wanderers in League One.
Both sides are unbeaten from their opening two league matches, and this game represents the chance to lay down an early marker for the season.
Match preview
Charlton needed an injury-time winner in their last league game to overcome a plucky Leyton Orient, with Luke Berry's neat finish from just inside the box earning the Addicks all three points.
The new signing from Luton Town helped make it back-to-back wins for Charlton, after the Addicks also won 1-0 away at Wigan Athletic on the opening day of the season.
Nathan Jones has made some astute signings in his first transfer window with the club, with the likes of Gassan Ahadme joining from Ipswich Town, Greg Docherty from Hull City and Matty Godden from Coventry City demonstrating their desire to reach the Championship come the end of the season.
Having seen the foundations that Jones built at Luton Town, there is cautious optimism that Charlton could push for promotion, and upon early inspection it is promising to see how defensively solid they have looked in their opening games.
Charlton also boast the second-best xGA (expected goals against) from their opening two games, and that solid foundation could be the bedrock of their success if they are to push for promotion this season.
Bolton meanwhile followed up their opening-day 2-1 victory over Leyton Orient with a disappointing 0-0 draw at home against Wrexham last weekend.
Ian Evatt's side did however progress to the second round of the EFL Cup last week after beating Mansfield Town on penalties, and now they travel to London as they look to extend their unbeaten start to the season.
The Trotters finished third last season, five points away from the automatic promotion places before losing to Oxford United in the League One playoff final, in a game where Bolton did not even muster a shot on target.
Now beginning another season in the third tier of English football, Bolton will be hoping to continue their impressive nine-game unbeaten league run which extends back to March.
Bolton also took four points from Charlton in last season's league meetings and this included a 2-0 at The Valley when the two sides met there last October.
In fact, the visitors have won on their last three trips to The Valley, and you have to go back as far as 2014 for Charlton's last home win over Bolton, so recent history certainly favours the away side here.
- W
- W
- W
- L
- W
- W
- D
- W
- W
- D
Team News
Charlton will be without defender Josh Edwards (ankle), with the new signing from Dunfermline expected to miss around four weeks of action.
Jones otherwise has a fully-fit squad to pick from, and it would not be a surprise to see him field the same side that overcame Leyton Orient last weekend.
Bolton meanwhile have no injury concerns of their own, with Evatt able to choose from all of his resources for the tricky away trip to The Valley.
Similar to Saturday's opponents, it is unlikely that the manager will deviate far from his previous selection, although forward Victor Adeboyejo could push for a start having scored the decisive goal in Bolton's 2-1 win at Leyton Orient from the bench.
Charlton Athletic possible starting lineup:
Mannion; Mitchell, Jones, Gillesphey; Ramsay, Docherty, Coventry, Berry, Edwards; Ahadme, Campbell
Bolton Wanderers possible starting lineup:
Baxter; Toal, Santos, Johnson; Cogley, Thomason, Sheehan, Schon; Arfield, Collins; Charles
We say: Charlton Athletic 1-1 Bolton Wanderers
There is not a lot to separate the two teams heading into the third league game of the season, and both teams have looked strong defensively so far too.
History is on Bolton's side with their impressive recent away record The Valley, but we expect the two sides to cancel each other out here.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
body check tags ::
Previews by email
