Bradford City vs Bolton Wanderers - prediction, team news, lineups

Fourth-placed Bradford City look third-placed Bolton Wanderers connected Saturday day successful a immense League One clash that could beryllium pivotal successful shaping the apical extremity of the table.

The Bantams were forced to travel from down to assertion a constituent successful a 1-1 gully with Plymouth Argyle during the week, with Will Swan netting a second-half equaliser, portion the Wanderers were progressive successful a dramatic six-goal thriller, rescuing a constituent successful the 11th infinitesimal of stoppage clip against Huddersfield Town.

Match preview

Promoted via the League Two playoffs past season, Graham Alexander’s Bradford City volition beryllium targeting a akin way to promotion this clip astir arsenic they purpose to instrumentality to the 2nd tier of English shot for the archetypal clip since 2004.

Before they tin crook their attraction to a imaginable instrumentality travel to Wembley, however, the Bantams indispensable archetypal unafraid their spot successful the apical six, with their last 2 regular-season fixtures coming against playoff rivals Bolton Wanderers and relegation-threatened Exeter City, though they stay successful a commanding presumption to bash so.

The West Yorkshire broadside presently beryllium 4th successful the League One standings with a five-point cushion implicit seventh-placed Luton Town, a triumph connected Saturday could cement their spot successful the apical six. 

However, Bradford City travel into their immense play clash connected the backmost of a disappointing tally of results that person seen them assertion conscionable 2 points from their past 3 games aft pursuing up a decision to Stevenage with draws against Barnsley and Plymouth Argyle.

Their gully astatine Barnsley volition person been peculiarly frustrating, having played with a antheral vantage for overmuch of the crippled and led 2-1 heavy into stoppage time, lone for a precocious equaliser to contradict them each 3 points and adhd further hostility to their run-in.

Nevertheless, Alexander’s broadside person been formidable astatine Valley Parade, conceding conscionable 16 location goals this season, a grounds bettered lone by Stevenage successful League One.

As for Bolton Wanderers, they began 2026 with ambitions of securing a top-two decorativeness and a instrumentality to the Championship, but those hopes person faded, leaving Steven Schumacher’s broadside focused connected cementing their spot successful the playoffs.

With that said, they person been capable to ascent supra Bradford successful caller weeks and get 1 constituent up of their hosts, contempt winning conscionable 1 of their past 4 matches.

That victory, a commanding 5-1 triumph implicit chap playoff contenders Stevenage, showcased their attacking strength, though inconsistent results either side, including draws and a decision to Cardiff City, person disrupted their momentum heading into the playoff run-in.

The melodramatic gully astatine location to Huddersfield Town past play saw them combat backmost from 3-1 down to assertion a invaluable point, contempt playing overmuch of the 2nd fractional with 10 men, with an equaliser heavy into stoppage clip securing their 17th gully of the campaign, the highest tally successful League One.

Even so, they participate their penultimate lucifer of the play six points wide of seventh spot and, with a superior extremity difference, look each but definite to unafraid a top-six finish, allowing them to statesman preparations for the playoff semi-finals aft narrowly missing retired past year.

Depending connected however some sides decorativeness their respective campaigns, this fixture could beryllium a precursor to a imaginable playoff semi-final oregon last gathering adjacent month.

Bradford City League One form:

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Bolton Wanderers League One form:

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Team News

Bradford volition beryllium pleased to person travel distant from their midweek clash with nary further injuries but whitethorn inactive beryllium without cardinal players. 

Antoni Sarcevic missed the Plymouth gully aft picking up an ankle wounded successful training, and portion the contented is not believed to beryllium serious, the nine are inactive awaiting a precocious fittingness update to find whether their associated apical scorer tin look his erstwhile side.

Marking his quality with a extremity 9 minutes aft coming disconnected the seat could besides mean Swann is rewarded with a commencement this weekend. 

As for the travelling side, they volition beryllium forced to marque changes after Jordi Osei-Tutu was sent disconnected conscionable 8 minutes into the 2nd half. 

With the full-back suspended, Cyrus Christie is the apt campaigner to capable in. 

Like Swann, Ibrahim Cissoko besides made an important publication from the seat with a precocious equaliser past clip retired and could beryllium rewarded with a spot successful the starting XI.

Midfielder Xavier Simons is closing successful connected a instrumentality aft a period retired and whitethorn diagnostic successful the squad, while Ethan Erhahon is somewhat further down successful his betterment and is not expected to feature. 

Bradford City imaginable starting lineup:

Walker; Baldwin, J. Wright, Tilt; Neufville, Power, Swan, Touray; Lapsile, Jackson, Humphrys

Bolton Wanderers imaginable starting lineup:

Bonham; Christie, Toal, Forino, Johnston; Sheehan, R. Rodrigues; Cozier-Duberry, Dalby, Gale; Kenny

We say: Bradford City 2-2 Bolton Wanderers

With some sides battling astatine the apical extremity of the array but showing signs of inconsistency successful caller weeks, this contention has each the makings of a intimately fought encounter.

With that successful mind, we expect the brace to play retired a 2-2 gully and participate the last lucifer of the play separated by conscionable a azygous point.

For information investigation of the astir apt results, scorelines and much for this lucifer delight click here.